Top 25 California Southern Section preseason high school baseball rankings (2/16/2025)

Opening Day in the CIF Southern Section is February 17. Here are High School on SI's preseason Top 25 rankings for the 2025 season.

Corona (California) High School infielder Brady Ebel is an LSU commit projected as an early pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. / Heston Quan, SBLive

The sounds of spring are here. The crack of the bat. The whizz of a ball. The crack of the glove. High school baseball will begin this week in the CIF Southern Section.

The nation's best prospects play in Southern California, which is home to the 2024 national champions, Corona High. The Panthers defeated Harvard-Westlake 5-0 in last year's Division 1 final and return most of its top players including Player of the Year Seth Hernandez.

Opening Day for the CIF Southern Section is Monday, February 17. Here are High School on SI's preseason Top 25 rankings for the 2025 season.

TOP 25 RANKINGS

1. Corona

The reining CIF-SS Division 1 champions and mythical national champions return Seth Hernandez (Vanderbilt), Billy Carlson (Tennessee), Brady Ebel (LSU), Trey Ebel (Texas A&M), and Anthony Murphy (LSU). The Panthers also add Ethin Bingaman (from Arrowhead Christian) and Jason Gerfers (Aquinas).

Coach Andy Wise is one of the best at managing high expectations. Can he do it again?

2. Huntington Beach

Many believe HB to have more talent than Corona, but can it turn into a CIF title? Only time will tell.

Top returners include Trent Grindlinger (Mississippi St.), Ethan Porter (Oregon St.), Trevor Goldenetz (Long Beach St.), CJ Weinstein (LSU), John Petrie (Oregon St.) and Jayton Greer (San Diego). Top pitchers Tyler Bellerose (Oregon St.) and Otto Espinoza (Cal) return.

3. Harvard-Westlake

It's year 10 for coach Jared Halpert, and once again, the Wolverines are expected to be in the mix for a D1 title but with new faces.

Top field players include Ethan Price, James Tronstein, Jack Laffitte and Cade Goldstein. Top pitchers are Jackson Alex and Jake Chung.

Harvard-Westlake was the D1 runner-up in 2024.

4. Santa Margarita

The Eagles return eight field players and four pitchers, plus add impact newcomers in Chase Marlow (San Diego) and Jacob Wicker (LMU). TCU commit Brody Schumaker is reigning Trinity League MVP.

5. Orange Lutheran

The Lancers are led by seniors Josiah Hartshorn (Texas A&M), Wyatt Hanoian (Air Force) and Cole Peterson (Stanford), along with juniors Gary Morse (Tennessee), Grady Murrietta (Texas) and Gavin Hottle (TCU).

6. La Mirada

Aiden Aguayo (UCLA) at shortstop and Maverek Russell (UCLA) at first base. Travis Friend (LMU), Win Gurney (Oregon St.) and Donald Murray are the top names for LM.

7. Notre Dame/SO

Tom Dill has been at the helm for 30-plus years, and still has the Knights contending for Mission League titles. Logan Berenson (Boston College) and Dom Cadiz (UCLA) are the players to watch for Notre Dame.

8. Oaks Christian

Quentin Young (LSU) is one of the top prospects in California at shortstop. Carson Sheffer (Oklahoma State) is behind the dish. Jack Laubacher (Oklahoma State), Ty Hanley (CS Bakersfield) and James Latshaw are a nice 1-2-3 punch from the mound.

9. Vista Murrieta

The talent is too much to ignore. RJ Holmes (Duke), Taytum Reeves (Texas Tech), Ryland Duson (Prairie View A&M) and Brady Luyben (San Francisco) return to the field. Oklahoma commit Vaughn Neckar is the top pitcher.

Team is athletic, but could face depth challenges, according to coach Michael Tousignant.

10. JSerra

Coach Brett Kay is entering year 20 at JSerra and has 369 wins to show for it. His team, is yet again, very talented.

The Lions return Jordan Marian, Tyler Dunning and Blake Bowen. One the bump, its Josh Hollis, Max Reimers and Gavin Flores. All are D1 college commits.

11. Crespi

The Celts are expected to have a big year with Landon Hodge, Diego Velazquez, Josh Stonehouse, Nate Lopez and Troy Miller — all seniors.

Tyler Walton is the ace in 2025.

12. Sierra Canyon

Tom Meusborn is still at it.

Trailblazers return a crop of young players in Dezi Delgado, Cody Gallegos, Andrew Nelson, Mikhal Johnson and Greyson Gullage. Sean Parrow and Armando Solorio are No. 1 and 2 from the mound. Isaias Tirado (a transfer from Crespi) will make an impact after the sit-out period.

13. Cypress

John Weber is heading into year 20 and is coming off his 11th straight league championship. Wyatt Rosales, Noah Johnson, John Short, Spencer Kwon, Jake De Laquil and Connor Artaserse return. Sophomore Gary Hennessy is expected to have a breakout year.

14. St. John Bosco

The Division 3 runner-up in 2024 returns a group of high-end players in Jaden Jackson, Micah Taguiam, Noah Everly and Julian Garcia.

15. Maranatha

Went 22-7 last year and returns top field players in Josh Proctor, Eric Zdunek and Gabe Barragan. Top returning pitchers are Zach Strickland, Matthew Vazquez and Dylan Hoang. Keep an eye out for freshman Jayden Morales.

16. Royal

Royal will have very good pitching, highlighted by Caden Sramek (Oklahoma St.) and Dustin Dunwoody (Arizona). Infielder Zachary Nagy (San Francisco) is a top player to watch, too.

17. Aquinas

Team went 24-7 last year and returns nine college commits. Mason Greenhouse, Trevor Busby, Damien Casas, Jacob Bitonti and Jonathan Tena will lead the way.

18. Gahr

Andres Gonzalez (USC), Jake Ourique (LMU) and Bryce Morrison (USC) are ones to watch. Ourique and Morrison are pitchers.

19. West Ranch

Wildcats will compete for a Foothill League title with Nolan Stoll (Stanford), Ty Diaz, Landon Hu, and Hunter Manning (Irvine). The team returns a lot of three-year starters and didn't lose any major impact players, according to coach Ryan Lindgreen.

20. Great Oak

Great Oak won 31 games last year, and should keep the wins coming in 2025. Gavin Fien (Texas) and Reagan Ricken (LSU) are the big-time players to watch for the Wolfpack.

21. Mater Dei

The Monarchs lost a lot, but reload with Brandon Thomas, Dylan Wetzel, Lawson Olmstead, Ezekiel Lara and Bradley Beaudreau. Jackson Campbell and Kai Bratton are two D1 commits on the bump.

22. Foothill

Gavin Lauridsen (USC) returns to lead the Knights after a Division 1 playoff appearance last season. Adam Ujiie and Kyle Telson will be impact arms from the mound, too. Ezekiel Vargas is expected to have a good year from the plate.

23. Millikan

Anthony Pack (Texas commit) is the real deal — lefty with unlimited speed. The Rams also return Ben Keisler, Andre Perez and Conner Patton.

24. Torrance

Torrance is returning from a D1 playoff appearance and brings back Mateo Rickman, who is a two-time All-CIF selection.

25. St. Francis

The Golden Knights were the Division 4 runner-up last year, but have a bevy of players that will carry that experience into this spring.

Jordan Lewallen, Dane Shepard, Jackson Pratt and Sam Rodriguez lead a senior-heavy team. Aiden Mahoney is the team's ace — only a junior.

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