For those that don’t know, during the HS basketball season I created a list known as the “40 in 40” which was me going around the valley and seeing 40 teams across 40 days in December/January. I exceeded that number and then some and expanded the list to include player rankings, team breakdowns, and playoff predictions. Once the basketball season ended I found myself searching for what to do with baseball, and below is a taste of what I did after the state championship games. I’m total this baseball season I saw 32 different programs between 6A/5A mostly incognito for my own fun. I wanted to be able to go to a game and not look at it from just a media point of view but as someone who’s a fan of the game. As someone who loves the game and enjoys watching it. Below is my top 16 teams in each conference including my semifinal, title game, and champion predictions for each conference as well as players for each team who I think deserve love.
I’ll release 5A tomorrow and update this with the official playoff bracket after the play-in games.
6A
The Contenders
1. Hamilton (17-1)
Gavin Turley at the plate and Logan Saloman on the mound have been the two leaders for a Husky program that has been in national rankings all season long. Arguably the deepest lineup in the state with each hitter 1-9 able to drive the ball deep with good pop and excellent plate vision. A disciplined team fielding who rarely makes errors.
2. Alhambra (19-0)
The team of last season has proven that their run to the title game was no fluke. The Lions have steamrolled everyone in their path scoring an average of 13 runs a game while defeating teams such as Brophy Prep, Mountain Ridge, and Mountain View. This is a lineup that can attack any pitching staff with four batters that finished the regular season with 35 or more RBI’s.
Players to Watch:INF Eddie Cotto, P/INF Marco Pacheco
3. Mountain Ridge (14-4)
Outside of the Covid shortened season of 2020 this is Mountain Ridge’s best team since the 2018 squad that lost to O’Connor in the 6A championship game. The best example of this was a home matchup in March after falling to two out of state opponents at the Boras Classic, Mountain Ridge went toe to toe with Hamilton falling behind 15-1 after two innings before exploding for 13 straight runs just falling short in the end 15-14. This is a team that just fights until the end. For a long time the issue with Ridge was that they could pitch but didn’t have enough quality hitters. Now it seems the roles have reversed and their power could carry them to the first ring in school history behind former MLB pitcher and Ridge alum first year coach Eddie Bonine.
Players to watch: INF Cooper Neville, INF AJ Singer.
4. Sandra Day O’Connor (12-6)
The Eagles in North Phoenix have become accustomed to being near the top of the 6A food chain. Just four years removed from a state championship win, the young Eagles team started the season bumpy falling to Perry and Hamilton before kicking it into high gear and winning 10 straight in the month of March. Outside of sweeps by Mountain Ridge and Chaparral, O’Connor looks poised and is taking the next step as such an inexperienced team who could surprise their way to the semifinals
Players to watch: P/OF Hustyn Wheeler, C/INF Preston Lucas
5. Red Mountain (15-3)
The Mountain Lions after being upset by Alhambra last postseason entered this season with the expectation of making it to the championship game and after game two of the regular season it looked as if that may become a reality. Hamilton was pushed to the brink by Red Mountain before pulling away 5-4 in extra innings. But after that game, the Mountain Lions struggled with playoff caliber teams. They split a series with Mountain View, lost to O’Connor as well as Tucson and Mountain Ridge in tournament play. But their pitching staff does have what it takes to keep them in these types of games and will be key if the Mountain Lions are to go far this postseason.
Players to watch: P Mason Kelley, INF Mitch Namie
6. Chaparral (11-7)
After a 3-3 start where it felt as if the Firebirds could gain no momentum, Chaparral entered region play with a chip on its shoulder that it would not let go. The Firebirds swept Liberty, Boulder Creek, and O’Connor and knocked off Mountain Ridge near the end of the regular season. Chaparral is the biggest wild card of the teams in the top eight. On one side you have the Firebird team that struggled mostly against top competition and against lowly teams such as Arcadia who finished near the bottom in 5A. On the other side you have the Firebird team that finished the season rolling behind its talented offense that had six games this season with 14 or more runs. Whichever Chaparral team shows up will determine just how deep the Firebirds can go.
Players to Watch: OF Jackson Estes, OF Ethan Hott
7. Queen Creek (15-3)
Something is different about this baseball program in the southeast valley. Each season there’s a team that just rolls through the regular season and continues their success in the postseason. Last season it was Alhambra, this season I think it could be Queen Creek. When the Bulldogs play their first playoff game Saturday it’ll be almost a whole month since their last loss, a 4-3 defeat by Perry. This is a team that gets to the plate and is one of the most clutch teams in the 6A conference when it comes to hitting. They have what it takes to hit their way to Tempe Diablo and their young lineup will keep them as a contender for years to come.
Players to watch: OF/P Sebastian Tomerlin, Ryker Waite
8. Chandler (13-5)
The Wolves are one of the most battle tested teams entering the postseason. Their region of Perry, Brophy, Hamilton, and Basha is a full of playoff caliber teams who can make a run and each of those teams prepared the Wolves for this playoff run. With a 4-2 record in one run games, the Wolves have showed that they have the ability to close out teams if the game is close. If the wrong higher seed finds itself in a close game late, Chandler may be able to pounce and force an upset with its late pitching.
Players to watch: OF Tate Scott, P/INF Daniel Hutchison
The Best of the rest
9. Tucson (14-4)
10. Brophy (9-9)
11. Perry (9-9)
12. Basha (9-9)
13. Corona Del Sol (11-7)
14. Desert Vista (9-9)
15. Mountain View (12-6)
16. Liberty (9-10)
Play-in teams
17. San Luis
18. Pinnacle
19. Cibola
20. Sunnyslope
21. Westwood
22. Tolleson
23. Boulder Creek
24. Mountain Pointe
State Semifinals:
1. Hamilton vs 4. O’Connor
2. Alhambra vs 3. Mountain Ridge
Title game 1. Hamilton vs 3. Mountain Ridge
Champ: Mountain Ridge
This is it, this is the year. This Mountain Ridge team is different, after asking different people who covered their 2018 and 2016 teams who made it to the title game they say that this team is on that level. Now they don’t have an MLB prospect like those two teams had (2018 first round pick Matthew Liberatore) but they have an experienced lineup that has been together since the torrid 2020 start where the Mountain Lions only had one loss prior to the season ending. Whether it’s Oregon State commit Carson McEntire, GCU commit Cooper Neville or anyone else in the talented lineup, they have the experience to rally and win. This is the season that they get over the hump and win the first baseball championship in school history while getting revenge over Hamilton in the process.
I’ll release 5A tomorrow and update this with the official playoff bracket after the play-in games.
6A
The Contenders
1. Hamilton (17-1)
Gavin Turley at the plate and Logan Saloman on the mound have been the two leaders for a Husky program that has been in national rankings all season long. Arguably the deepest lineup in the state with each hitter 1-9 able to drive the ball deep with good pop and excellent plate vision. A disciplined team fielding who rarely makes errors.
2. Alhambra (19-0)
The team of last season has proven that their run to the title game was no fluke. The Lions have steamrolled everyone in their path scoring an average of 13 runs a game while defeating teams such as Brophy Prep, Mountain Ridge, and Mountain View. This is a lineup that can attack any pitching staff with four batters that finished the regular season with 35 or more RBI’s.
Players to Watch:INF Eddie Cotto, P/INF Marco Pacheco
3. Mountain Ridge (14-4)
Outside of the Covid shortened season of 2020 this is Mountain Ridge’s best team since the 2018 squad that lost to O’Connor in the 6A championship game. The best example of this was a home matchup in March after falling to two out of state opponents at the Boras Classic, Mountain Ridge went toe to toe with Hamilton falling behind 15-1 after two innings before exploding for 13 straight runs just falling short in the end 15-14. This is a team that just fights until the end. For a long time the issue with Ridge was that they could pitch but didn’t have enough quality hitters. Now it seems the roles have reversed and their power could carry them to the first ring in school history behind former MLB pitcher and Ridge alum first year coach Eddie Bonine.
Players to watch: INF Cooper Neville, INF AJ Singer.
4. Sandra Day O’Connor (12-6)
The Eagles in North Phoenix have become accustomed to being near the top of the 6A food chain. Just four years removed from a state championship win, the young Eagles team started the season bumpy falling to Perry and Hamilton before kicking it into high gear and winning 10 straight in the month of March. Outside of sweeps by Mountain Ridge and Chaparral, O’Connor looks poised and is taking the next step as such an inexperienced team who could surprise their way to the semifinals
Players to watch: P/OF Hustyn Wheeler, C/INF Preston Lucas
5. Red Mountain (15-3)
The Mountain Lions after being upset by Alhambra last postseason entered this season with the expectation of making it to the championship game and after game two of the regular season it looked as if that may become a reality. Hamilton was pushed to the brink by Red Mountain before pulling away 5-4 in extra innings. But after that game, the Mountain Lions struggled with playoff caliber teams. They split a series with Mountain View, lost to O’Connor as well as Tucson and Mountain Ridge in tournament play. But their pitching staff does have what it takes to keep them in these types of games and will be key if the Mountain Lions are to go far this postseason.
Players to watch: P Mason Kelley, INF Mitch Namie
6. Chaparral (11-7)
After a 3-3 start where it felt as if the Firebirds could gain no momentum, Chaparral entered region play with a chip on its shoulder that it would not let go. The Firebirds swept Liberty, Boulder Creek, and O’Connor and knocked off Mountain Ridge near the end of the regular season. Chaparral is the biggest wild card of the teams in the top eight. On one side you have the Firebird team that struggled mostly against top competition and against lowly teams such as Arcadia who finished near the bottom in 5A. On the other side you have the Firebird team that finished the season rolling behind its talented offense that had six games this season with 14 or more runs. Whichever Chaparral team shows up will determine just how deep the Firebirds can go.
Players to Watch: OF Jackson Estes, OF Ethan Hott
7. Queen Creek (15-3)
Something is different about this baseball program in the southeast valley. Each season there’s a team that just rolls through the regular season and continues their success in the postseason. Last season it was Alhambra, this season I think it could be Queen Creek. When the Bulldogs play their first playoff game Saturday it’ll be almost a whole month since their last loss, a 4-3 defeat by Perry. This is a team that gets to the plate and is one of the most clutch teams in the 6A conference when it comes to hitting. They have what it takes to hit their way to Tempe Diablo and their young lineup will keep them as a contender for years to come.
Players to watch: OF/P Sebastian Tomerlin, Ryker Waite
8. Chandler (13-5)
The Wolves are one of the most battle tested teams entering the postseason. Their region of Perry, Brophy, Hamilton, and Basha is a full of playoff caliber teams who can make a run and each of those teams prepared the Wolves for this playoff run. With a 4-2 record in one run games, the Wolves have showed that they have the ability to close out teams if the game is close. If the wrong higher seed finds itself in a close game late, Chandler may be able to pounce and force an upset with its late pitching.
Players to watch: OF Tate Scott, P/INF Daniel Hutchison
The Best of the rest
9. Tucson (14-4)
10. Brophy (9-9)
11. Perry (9-9)
12. Basha (9-9)
13. Corona Del Sol (11-7)
14. Desert Vista (9-9)
15. Mountain View (12-6)
16. Liberty (9-10)
Play-in teams
17. San Luis
18. Pinnacle
19. Cibola
20. Sunnyslope
21. Westwood
22. Tolleson
23. Boulder Creek
24. Mountain Pointe
State Semifinals:
1. Hamilton vs 4. O’Connor
2. Alhambra vs 3. Mountain Ridge
Title game 1. Hamilton vs 3. Mountain Ridge
Champ: Mountain Ridge
This is it, this is the year. This Mountain Ridge team is different, after asking different people who covered their 2018 and 2016 teams who made it to the title game they say that this team is on that level. Now they don’t have an MLB prospect like those two teams had (2018 first round pick Matthew Liberatore) but they have an experienced lineup that has been together since the torrid 2020 start where the Mountain Lions only had one loss prior to the season ending. Whether it’s Oregon State commit Carson McEntire, GCU commit Cooper Neville or anyone else in the talented lineup, they have the experience to rally and win. This is the season that they get over the hump and win the first baseball championship in school history while getting revenge over Hamilton in the process.
