Top 25 National High School Baseball Rankings—Feb. 13, 2026

The first edition of the 2026 High School on SI national high school baseball top 25 rankings is out, and the early top 10 has a few surprises.

The first edition of the 2026 High School on SI national top 25 baseball rankings is out and the top spot might shock you. / Donn Parris

The first edition of High School on SI’s 2026 national baseball rankings is here, spotlighting the teams that will set the tone for the 2025-26 season. This year’s list features programs loaded with returning talent, elite pitching, and high-end recruits capable of impacting the national stage. From established champions in powerhouse states like California and Florida to rising programs making their mark, these rankings highlight schools built to compete not just locally, but against the country’s top schedules.

St. John Bosco (Calif.), Marjory Stoneman Douglas (Fla.) and IMG Academy (Fla.) headline the opening Top 25, bringing a combination of proven performance, elite arms and Division I talent. Each team brings a unique edge—experience, star power or emerging depth—that will make them storylines to watch throughout the spring. Meanwhile, national powers such as Etowah (Ga.), Grapevine (Texas) and Jesuit (Fla.) join programs returning from championship runs, underscoring the depth of elite high school baseball this season.

As always, these rankings consider not just wins and losses, but roster continuity, pitching depth, positional versatility and experience in postseason play. Teams entering 2026 with balance across the field and proven leadership in the lineup earned spots near the top, while others are positioned as sleepers capable of cracking the Top 25 as the season unfolds. Week by week, these rankings will track momentum, highlight breakout performers and signal shifts in the national landscape as high school baseball begins its most competitive season yet.

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High School on SI National Baseball Top 25

Feb. 13, 2026

1. St. John Bosco Braves (Bellflower, Calif.)

Record: 0-0

St. John Bosco enters 2026 with the core of its championship lineup and pitching staff intact—with more than 20 wins combined returning to the staff—giving the Braves rare continuity in the nation’s toughest league. The return of experienced arms and a lineup that proved it can produce against Trinity League pitching gives Bosco balance on both sides of the ball, not just star power at the top. Having navigated elite postseason competition a year ago, this group now pairs battle-tested experience with depth throughout the roster. With that foundation, the Braves are built to withstand another national-level schedule and remain firmly in the championship conversation.

2. Marjory Stoneman Douglas Eagles (Parkland, Fla.)

Record: 3-0

Another team that spent a lot of time on these rankings in 2025, none of these teams would be here without talented rosters, of course, but the Eagles have something the rest of these teams don’t—the No. 1 prep pitcher in the country. Southpaw Gio Rojas is that man—he could go in the first 10 picks of this year’s MLB Draft—and he will anchor a staff that should get plenty of run support to churn out wins. Expect to see the Eagles floating around these rankings all season.

3. IMG Academy Ascenders (Bradenton, Fla.)

Record: 2-0

IMG Academy opens the season with another talent-rich but youthful roster, reloading after a 24-1 campaign that featured dominant pitching and one of the nation’s most explosive offenses. Early wins over national powers Etowah and Lowndes have showcased the Ascenders’ emerging core, highlighted by contributors such as Kyler Meccage, Max Hemenway and Stanford-bound catcher Dillon Moss, along with hot-starting infielder Cy Chrisman (4-for-5, three doubles). While IMG replaces several MLB Draft selections, the new lineup emphasizes speed, defensive range and positional versatility across the field. With high-end recruits throughout the roster and early momentum already building, the Ascenders remain one of the country’s most dangerous national-schedule programs.

4. Etowah Eagles (Woodstock, Ga.)

Record: 3-1

Etowah returns one of Georgia’s most experienced and explosive rosters after a 34-win season and Final Four appearance, powered by a senior core that anchors both the lineup and pitching staff. Tennessee commit Trevor Condon, Georgia commit Matthew Sharman and Georgia Tech pledge Deion Cole headline a veteran group capable of producing runs in bunches while providing frontline pitching stability. The Eagles have already butted heads with other national powers, falling to IMG Academy 3-2 on a two-run, two-out walk-off in the bottom of the seventh after taking a 2-0 lead in the first. With depth across the roster and multiple impact underclassmen joining an established senior nucleus, Etowah again enters the season built for a deep postseason push.

5. Grapevine Mustangs (Grapevine, Texas)

Record: 0-0

Time will tell if this ranking was a bit aggressive to start the season, but we love what this Grapevine squad is about. With outfield transfer Jorvorskie Lane Jr.—a prized MLB prospect and Arkansas Razorbacks commit who comes to Grapevine from Fort Worth O.D. Wyatt—joining the back-to-back UIL 5A Division II state champions, along with two-way star Luke Esquivel and his brother Lale Esquivel, centerfielder Zack Goldstein and catcher Gianni Corral, the Mustangs’ lineup sets up to be a gauntlet for opposing pitching. With strong arms in their rotation, the champion Mustangs are going to be tough to tame in 2026.

6. Jesuit Tigers (Tampa, Fla.)

Record: 2-0

Jesuit opens the season with a veteran, prospect-heavy roster and early momentum after strong pitching performances in a pair of opening wins. The Tigers’ experienced rotation, led by arms such as Wilson Andersen and Kaden Waechter, anchors a club built around depth on the mound and seasoned production throughout the lineup. Impact bats including Bryce Besece and Samir Mohammed add middle-of-the-order strength, while a core of returning upperclassmen gives Jesuit one of the most experienced teams in its classification. After a state semifinal run last season, the Tigers enter 2026 with the roster balance and pitching depth to contend for a championship push.

7. Orange Lutheran Lancers (Orange, Calif.)

Record: 0-0

After a 23-win season and a CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoff run, the Lancers are returning a veteran core that gives them one of the most balanced rosters in Southern California. Tennessee commit Gary Morse and rising right-hander Sam Principe headline a pitching staff built on depth and strike-throwing, supported by an experienced defense that consistently limits damage. The lineup features a deep collection of Division I talent, led by contributors such as Rock Akahi and Andrew Felizzari, while a strong underclass group adds immediate and long-term upside. With proven arms, lineup depth and postseason experience, Orange Lutheran enters 2026 positioned to contend deep into the playoffs once again.

8. Venice (Venice, Fla.)

Record: 3-0

After a 29-win season that included a National High School Invitational title and a run to the brink of the state semifinals, coach Craig Faulkner’s club is built around one of the deepest pitching staffs in Florida, with arms such as Carter Cox, Kasen Poplin and Kohen Poplin expected to set the tone against a loaded schedule that includes a return trip to Cary, N.C. for the NHSI. LSU pledge Graham Houston headlines a lineup that features multiple Division I commits, though the team will be counting on added offensive depth to complement their strength on the mound. With six state titles in program history, Venice enters 2026 with the talent and expectations for another championship run.

9. South Walton Seahawks (Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.)

Reocrd: 2-1

South Walton enters the season with the core of a 31-win state finalist intact, bringing back a physical, power-armed roster built for another deep postseason run. Senior standout Coleman Borthwick headlines a staff that also features returning starter Denton Lord and multiple impact transfers, giving the Seahawks enviable depth on the mound. The lineup returns experienced bats such as Jace Cunningham and Declan Fowler, complemented by a wave of talented underclassmen. After falling one run short of a state title last spring, South Walton opens 2026 with the size, experience and Division I talent to make another push at the top of Class 3A.

10. Corona Panthers (Corona, Calif.)

Record: 0-0

Under most circumstances, high school baseball teams don’t have three players drafted in the first round of the MLB Draft in the same season. Then again, the Corona Panthers aren’t operating under normal circumstances. Blessed with an embarrassing trove of talent, the 2025 Panthers occupied the No. 1 ranking for most of the season and then saw Seth Hernandez, Billy Carlson and Brady Ebel all go in the first round of the draft. Most programs would be depleted, but the Panthers are instead expected to roll out another impressive lineup that will feature elite outfielder Anthony Murphy—an LSU commit and one of the top high school outfielders in the county—and a host of exciting young bats and arms that should keep them competitive again in 2026.

The next 15:

11. Blessed Trinity Catholic Titans (Roswell, Ga.)

Record: 3-0

12. Casteel Colts (Queen Creek, Ariz.)

Record: 0-0

13. Corpus Christi Calallen Wildcats (Corpus Christi, Texas)

Record: 0-0

14. Huntington Beach Oilers (Huntington Beach, Calif.)

Record: 0-0

15. De La Salle Spartans (Concord, Calif.)

Record: 0-0

16. Trinity Shamrocks (Louisville, Ky.)

Record: 0-0

17. Houston Memorial Warriors (Houston, Texas)

Record: 0-0

18. Austin Lake Travis Cavaliers (Austin, Texas)

Record: 0-0

19. Trinity Christian Academy Conquerors (Jacksonville, Fla.)

Record: 1-1

20. Basic Wolves (Henderson, Nev.)

Record: 0-0

21. Magnolia Heights School Chiefs (Senatobia, Miss.)

Record: 0-0

22. Mater Dei Monarchs (Santa Ana, Calif.)

Record: 0-0

23. Puyallup Vikings (Puyallup, Wash.)

Record: 0-0

24. St. Laurence Vikings (Burbank, Ill.)

Record: 0-0

25. The Stony Brook School Bears (Stony Brook, N.Y.)

Record: 0-0

On the bubble: Alfred M. Barbe Buccaneers (Lake Charles, La.) (4-1); Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.) (0-0); Aledo Bobcats (Aledo, Texas) (0-0); Catholic-Baton Rouge Bears (Baton Rouge, La.) (3-0); Kingwood Mustangs (Kingwood, Texas) (0-0)

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