http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/ The Home For Baseball Insiders Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:56:43 EST en-us http://www.baseballamerica.com/images/baonlinelogo4.gif http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/ 96 9 1 http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/team-rankings/2013/2614840.html Content: In the first in-season Baseball America/National High School Baseball Coaches Association Top 25 there is already a change at the top. Parkview High (Lilburn, Ga.) dropped its opening game and fell one spot to No. 2. However, the Panthers have more to be worried about after losing their No. 2 starter—righthander Jarrett Freeland—to an injury. He tore his ulnar collateral ligament and will likely need Tommy John surgery. The opportunists in this poll are the Dons of San Diego's Cathedral Catholic High. They're off to a 2-0 start and have an extremely deep pitching staff to help rack up more wins down the road. Five arms are committed to Division I programs, one of which is top draft prospect Stephen Gonsalves, a lefthander committed to San Diego. Campolindo High (Moraga, Calif.) fell six spots to No. 8 after opening the season 1-2. Campolindo has the pitching to get back on track but still has some challenging games on the horizon. One of the two losses came to now-No. 21 St. Francis High (Mountain View, Calif.). The Woodlands (Texas) High saw the biggest jump, going from No. 10 to No. 3 after a 13-0 start that included two no-hitters from the . . . Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:05:34 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/team-rankings/2013/2614840.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/high-heat/2013/2614810.html Content: He didn't know it at the time, but when Frank Permuy put a small, nervous freshman at shortstop after removing the starter from the team, he was writing a potential first-round pick's name on the lineup card. That was a few inches and about 30 pounds ago for Oscar Mercado, but he caught on quickly and has grown to be one of the top high school prospects in the country. "We pressed him into action early," Permuy, the head coach of Tampa's Gaither High, said about the current senior shortstop. "He was a backup guy so he stepped in. About the 10th game of the year he started for us and he's been starting every game since." At 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, Mercado has a slight build, but it's the athletic frame scouts  prefer, as he should add strength as he matures. He also holds their attention with his line-drive stroke, soft hands and strong arm. One of the biggest challenges for high school players, whether it's moving on to college or professional baseball, is making adjustments and being able to handle adversity. Mercado learned to do that at an early age—he moved to the United States from Colombia when he . . . Tue, 05 Mar 2013 10:57:58 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/high-heat/2013/2614810.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/team-rankings/2013/2614698.html Content: While most are panning the level of talent for the 2013 draft, it won't make the high school season any less interesting. Parkview High (Lilburn, Ga.) had to grind through a tough schedule to finish as the top team in the country last year and faces a tall task in repeating. Several teams have the resume of being a No. 1 team, but the Panthers start their title defense atop the Baseball America/National High School Baseball Coaches Association Top 25. Campolindo High (Moraga, Calif.), Spruce Creek High (Port Orange, Fla.) and American Heritage High (Plantation, Fla.) all finished 2012 in the top 10 and return several key players that keep them there in the preseason poll. Everyone knows pitching is a major factor in getting through any postseason so San Diego's Cathedral Catholic should be watched closely with five Division I arms in the Dons' rotation, who check in at No. 3. As always, major tournaments will play a big role in how the rankings shake out. The USA Baseball National High School Invitational is in its second year and has eight Preseason Top 25 teams in its field, as well as nine players from the High School Top 100. . . . Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/team-rankings/2013/2614698.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/season-preview/2013/2614685.html Content: The country's best high school programs tend to reload rather than rebuild and Parkview High (Lilburn, Ga.) is no exception. The Panthers won a second consecutive 5-A state title in 2012, also capturing a Baseball America National Championship in the process, and begin the 2013 season as the No. 1 team in the Baseball America/National High School Baseball Coaches Association Top 25. Georgia added a classification this year so the Panthers now compete at the 6-A level and there are some that think they lost too much to be considered the favorites, but until a team proves otherwise, Parkview is the team to beat. Gone are Matt Olson, staff ace and center of the offense, and Jesse Foster, a righty that went 11-0, 2.02. Olson hit .407 with 11 home runs and 52 RBIs while also going 12-1, 1.64 on the mound. Losing two proven arms like Olson and Foster can be difficult for any high school team, but Parkview head coach Chan Brown is confident he has the guys that are ready to step in and keep the ride going. "The big question mark will be pitching," he said. "With (Mac) Marshall, he's obviously a top tier guy and . . . Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/season-preview/2013/2614685.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/team-rankings/2013/2614694.html Content: While most are panning the level of talent for the 2013 draft, it won't make the high school season any less interesting. Parkview High (Lilburn, Ga.) had to grind through a tough schedule to finish as the top team in the country last year and faces a tall task in repeating. Several teams have the resume of being a No. 1 team, but the Panthers start their title defense atop the Baseball America/National High School Baseball Coaches Association Top 25. Campolindo High (Moraga, Calif.), Spruce Creek High (Port Orange, Fla.) and American Heritage High (Plantation, Fla.) all finished 2012 in the top 10 and return several key players that keep them there in the preseason poll. Everyone knows pitching is a major factor in getting through any postseason so San Diego's Cathedral Catholic should be watched closely with five Division I arms in the Dons' rotation, who check in at No. 3. As always, major tournaments will play a big role in how the rankings shake out. The USA Baseball National High School Invitational is in its second year and has eight Preseason Top 25 teams in its field, as well as nine players from the High School Top 100. . . . Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/team-rankings/2013/2614694.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/high-heat/2012/2613950.html Content: It should be no surprise that Tampa's Jesuit High has another Division I recruit on their hands. After seven of its seniors signed college scholarships last year, including Baseball America All-American and Astros' supplemental first-round pick Lance McCullers Jr., the Florida powerhouse led by head coach Richie Warren has another senior signee slated to pitch in 2013. John Kilichowski, a 6-foot-5, 185-pound lefthander, will be an instrumental part of a team looking to capture a state championship that has eluded them in recent years. And the Vanderbilt recruit in the heart of their pitching staff has had a busy summer in preparation for his senior season. After participating in USA Baseball's Tournament of Stars, the Prospect Classic and trials, Kilichowski has now achieved his ultimate goal of making the 20-man roster for USA Baseball's 18-and-under National Team. Those 20 players will travel to Seoul, South Korea, to compete in the IBAF 18U World Championships in early September. Speaking at the Prospect Classic in June, Kilichowski admitted that he didn't understand how badly he would want to make the final cut for the 18U team, nor did he realize just how challenging the road would be. Months of preparation and continually . . . Thu, 23 Aug 2012 10:02:23 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/high-heat/2012/2613950.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/events/under-armour-all-america-game/2012/2613940.html Content: CHICAGO—In one-game showcases or events, pitching tends to dominate as pitchers typically throw only one or two innings and hitters have a hard time finding a rhythm adjusting to a new arm each at-bat. That wasn't the case at the latest episode of the Under Armour All-America Game, played at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The offense stole the show and a ninth-inning rally gave the American team a 7-6 victory. This was the third year the game pitted American vs. National and the win gave the American side a 2-1 lead in the series. Georgia outfielders Clint Frazier (Loganville HS) and Austin Meadows (Grayson HS) stood out the most for the performances and package of plus tools. Down 6-5 in the ninth inning, Meadows led off with a triple and came home when Frazier smoked a double to left-center field, missing a home run by just a few feet. A passed ball and wild pitch allowed Frazier to score easily and righthander Connor Jones shut the door with his second perfect inning in the bottom of the ninth. "I just wanted to put something in play," Frazier said. "Austin has the speed where he can get home at any point . . . Tue, 21 Aug 2012 14:41:57 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/events/under-armour-all-america-game/2012/2613940.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/events/under-armour-all-america-game/2012/2613895.html Content: Brady AikenLHP Cathedral Catholic HS, San Diego Ht.: 6-3. Wt.: 210. B/T: L/L. Aiken is a physical young lefty with a clean arm. His delivery and arm action are above-average and lead to his ability to command three pitches. His fastball sits comfortably in the 88-90 mph range, and he spins a tight curveball. A deceptive changeup rounds out his three-pitch arsenal. A 2014 graduate, he has already verbally committed to UCLA.   Derik BeauprezRHP/1B Cherry Creek HS, Greenwood Village, Colo. Ht.: 6-5. Wt.: 220. B/T: L/R Beauprez is a tall, lean righthander with a live arm. His fastball sits in the low 90s with life and touches higher. He adds in a tight breaking ball and changeup to give him a solid three-pitch mix. He also plays first base and flashes good raw power from the left side. He is verbally committed to Miami.   Nick CiuffoC Charleston, S.C. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 200. B/T: L/R. Ciuffo is one of the most complete catchers in the 2013 class. He is an advanced receiver with a feel for the game and has a strong, accurate arm. His lefthanded swing is quick and clean. He uses the whole field and flashes some . . . Thu, 16 Aug 2012 10:51:52 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/events/under-armour-all-america-game/2012/2613895.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/events/under-armour-all-america-game/2012/2613893.html Content: Like many baseball careers, Chris Rivera's began early. Long before learning to read or mastering his times tables, Rivera was developing his swing in a rather unconventional fashion. "When I first started playing baseball I was 3 or 4 years old," the prep star from Fullerton, Calif., said. "I started swinging with a hockey stick and my dad was throwing me balls and he saw a natural swing in there." Sooner or later that hockey stick would be replaced with a bat, and it wasn't long before Rivera's father was finding other ways to promote the game for his son, this time by showing him old tapes of Pirates legend Roberto Clemente. "I used to love watching him throw from the outfield and watching his swing," Rivera said. "He played hard every at-bat, every time he ran the bases, every throw he made." It's safe to say Rivera was hooked at a young age. His skills developed early and he began to play against older competition. In 2007, Rivera played on USA Baseball's 14-and-under National Team as a 12-year-old, an experience that he says sparked his ability and made him play even harder. Now a rising senior at El Dorado . . . Thu, 16 Aug 2012 10:46:30 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/events/under-armour-all-america-game/2012/2613893.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/events/under-armour-all-america-game/2012/2613892.html Content: It would take more than a brick wall to knock Corey Ray out of a game. The outfielder from Chicago has the story to back it up. During the 2011 season, Ray was a sophomore center fielder for Simeon Career Academy and the Wolverines were facing their Windy City rival St. Rita High, located just three miles down West 79th Street. St. Rita has a brick wall behind the plate and in center field. Ray met the center-field section up close and personal one day. The Mustangs No. 3 hitter, junior Zach Soria, hit a deep fly ball that sent Ray sprinting straight back. He leapt on the warning track, made the catch and crashed head-first into the wall. "I didn't feel anything," Ray said. "I tried to get up but my legs said 'Where are you going?'" Fellow outfielder Darius Day came over and was shocked by the amount of blood he saw. Ray felt his face with his hand and was rushed to the dugout for medical attention, but when they tried to take him out of the game and to the hospital, he vehemently protested. The coaching staff turned to Ray's dad for a decision. "He asked . . . Thu, 16 Aug 2012 10:39:09 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/events/under-armour-all-america-game/2012/2613892.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/high-heat/2012/2613780.html Content: Brotherly tandems are nothing new to the amateur prospect world, nor are dynamic one-two punches at a single high school, but Jordan and Justus Sheffield are unique and will bring a lot of attention to Tullahoma (Tenn.) High over the next two years. Jordan, a 2013 righthander, and Justus, a 2014 lefty, are top prospects in their respective classes and recently took the mound at USA Baseball's Breakthrough Series to show their potential. But this outing would be a little different. At the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, in a game televised on MLB Network, the Sheffield pair was in opposite dugouts. "It's weird seeing him across the field in a different dugout, but that relationship is still there," Jordan Sheffield said. "I still want him to do well even if it's against us." They stood together after the game answering questions, showing the close relationship they have. Both aren't real tall, but have physicality to their frames. Jordan has about an inch on his younger brother and is lean with broad shoulders while Justus is just a little bit thicker throughout. The Breakthrough Series is a showcase for high school players from urban areas across the United States. Most of . . . Thu, 26 Jul 2012 10:43:36 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/high-heat/2012/2613780.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/awards/player-of-the-year/2012/2613573.html Content: Byron Buxton is a young man of very few words, but those who know him and have seen him play have no shortage of stories to tell. Some of those tales illustrate his character while others sound like folklore. He was considered the best position player in the country in the 2012 draft class and his on-field performance reflected that. He hit .513 with 68 runs scored, 17 doubles, 35 RBIs, 38 stolen bases and struck out just five times. He also went 10-1, 1.90 on the mound with five saves and 154 strikeouts in 81 innings while walking just Those numbers alone would net all kinds of accolades, but he led Appling County High (Baxley, Ga.) to its first state championship in a male sport. After losing Game One of the final series with Buxton on the mound, the Pirates bounced back in Game Two before a tropical storm delayed the deciding game. The wait worked out well, as Buxton was rested enough to pitch again. "Byron took the first loss personal," head coach Jeremy Smith said. "So in Game Three, he came to me and said, 'I want the ball. I got you coach.' " Buxton made good . . . Tue, 19 Jun 2012 11:03:19 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/awards/player-of-the-year/2012/2613573.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/awards/all-america-teams/2012/2613570.html Content: The 2012 high school season has come to a close and it's time to honor players that had outstanding performances with the postseason All-America teams. Offense was down this season with the new bat standards being enforced across the country, but there will still plenty of players that made the selections difficult. Joey Gallo blasted 21 home runs for Las Vegas' Bishop Gorman High to become the career record holder for the state of Nevada, but Loganville (Ga.) High outfielder Clint Frazier—a junior—bested his mark with 24 of his own. No one thinks his future is on the mound, but Byron Buxton's two-way abilities helped him net High School Player of the Year honors. He was an offensive force at the plate as expected, but he also dominated on the mound and struck out 18 batters in the deciding game of the Georgia 2-A state championship series. The three All-America teams were selected by staff members of Baseball America after soliciting nominations from scouts and coaches all over the country. Statistics and their relation to competition level play the biggest role in the decisions. . . . Tue, 19 Jun 2012 10:33:56 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/awards/all-america-teams/2012/2613570.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/team-rankings/2012/2613569.html Content: The Baseball America/National High School Baseball Coaches Association rankings are are final as Lake Central (Ind.) High won the 4-A title this past weekend and held fast at No. 50. This also officially makes Parkview High (Lilburn, Ga.) the No. 1 team for the 2012 season. The Panthers battled through an extremely difficult schedule to finish with a 31-6 record and a second consecutive Georgia 5-A state title. The Panthers are the first team in Georgia to finish at No. 1 since Marietta's Lassiter High in 1999. It's also the fourth team from the Southeast to be named Baseball America's Team of the Year in the last five years. The staffs of Baseball America and the NHSBCA compile the Top 25 rankings. Records indicated are as of June 17 and do not include ties. . . . Tue, 19 Jun 2012 10:24:22 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/team-rankings/2012/2613569.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/awards/team-of-the-year/2012/2613568.html Content: Before each season begins, Chan Brown hosts a dinner at his house for the seniors on the Parkview High (Lilburn, Ga.) baseball team. It's a time for the head coach to meet with his eldest players and discuss goals and expectations before the first pitch is thrown. With a strong group of players back after winning a 5-A state title in 2011, the 2012 seniors had their sights set high. Matt Olson, a slugging first baseman and the staff ace, stood up and said it straight. "Anything less than a region and state title would be a disappointment," he recalled. "The whole national thing would be a cherry on top. It's crazy that all three worked out." Parkview spent the entire season in the Baseball America/High School Baseball Coaches Association Top 25, fluctuating up and down as the season went on, but finished with a second consecutive 5-A state championship—beating rival Brookwood High (Snellville, Ga.) in the finals—and is Baseball America's 2012 High School Team of the Year. Parkview opened the season as the top-ranked team in Georgia and Brown knew teams would be targeting them. But he also believed his team was good enough to be there in the . . . Tue, 19 Jun 2012 10:18:13 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/awards/team-of-the-year/2012/2613568.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/team-rankings/2012/2613551.html Content: The Baseball America/National High School Baseball Coaches Association rankings are nearly set as only a couple of states are still in their state tournament. The Top 25 stayed relatively the same, but Texas' Carroll High (Corpus Christi) and Martin High (Arlington) dropped after failing to reach the state championship game. Both lost in the semifinals and saw Houston's Cy-Ranch High claim the 5-A title. Cy-Ranch joined the rankings at No. 18 along with No. 19 Rockwall-Heath High (Heath, Texas)—the 4-A champions. The only team in the Top 50 still playing is No. 50 Lake Central High of Saint John, Ind. The Indians play for the 4-A title this Friday. Baseball America will release one more Top 50 on June 19 to reflect that result, as well as officially announce the High School Team of the Year. The staffs of Baseball America and the NHSBCA compile the Top 25 rankings. Records indicated are as of June 10 and do not include ties. . . . Tue, 12 Jun 2012 10:35:51 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/team-rankings/2012/2613551.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/high-heat/2012/2613552.html Content: Expectations were high for Oxford (Ala.) High heading into the 2012 season even though the Yellow Jackets had missed the state playoffs in 2011. They started at No. 8 in the Baseball America Preseason Top 50, but stumbled mightily right out of the gate. Oxford lost six of its first nine games by one run and dropped out of the Top 25 with a 3-6 record. But the Yellow Jackets won eight in a row and were 17-8 as they trekked north to the USA Baseball National High School Invitational in Cary, N.C. With 2011 in the back of their minds, the Yellow Jackets weren't going to let a slow start interfere with their long-term goals. The team played its best when it counted most and finished the season with the school's first state title. "Last year, we had the same team plus a few guys and didn't even make the playoffs," outfielder Matthew Goodson said. "We were hot at the beginning, but didn't win when it mattered. This year, that was our whole goal, to keep grinding and win the games we knew we had to win. The whole year has been focusing on grinding games out. It turned . . . Tue, 12 Jun 2012 10:35:10 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/high-heat/2012/2613552.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/team-rankings/2012/2613523.html Content: It's been a trend for the No. 1 team to falter this season, but this time around that extended through the top four teams in the Baseball America/National High School Baseball Coaches Association Top 25. With Calallen (Corpus Christi, Texas), Orange (Calif.) Lutheran, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.) seeing their seasons end without a state or section title, Parkview High (Lilburn, Ga.) moved up from No. 5 to the top spot. The Panthers had an extremely difficult schedule and showed well at the National High School Invitational before going on to win the 5-A state title in Georgia. Carroll High (Corpus Christi, Texas) moved up to No. 3 and jumped Bishop Gorman High (Las Vegas) after advancing to the 5-A state tournament in Texas. The Tigers could face No. 10 Martin High (Arlington) in the finals. Loganville (Ga.) High started the season in the Top 25, but a slow start dropped the Red Devils from the poll, but they're back in after winning the 4-A state title and will return most of the team in 2013. Newbury Park High of Thousand Oaks, Calif., joins the rankings at No. 17 after winning the Southern Section Division . . . Tue, 05 Jun 2012 11:13:12 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/team-rankings/2012/2613523.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/high-heat/2012/2613469.html Content: It's safe to say that outfielder David Dahl finished his prep career in emphatic fashion. Closing out his senior season for Birmingham's Oak Mountain High in a showdown against rival Thompson High (Alabaster, Ala.), Dahl wanted to finish in style. "I knew it was going to be my last at-bat of high school, so I told myself I want to go up there and end it on a good note," Dahl said. "(The pitcher) was starting everybody off first-pitch fastball, so I told myself if he starts one out, first pitch, middle-in, I'm just going to try to crush it." And crush it he did. Dahl turned on an inside fastball and his lefthanded stroke resulted in a towering shot that easily cleared the right-field fence for the last of his three home runs on the season. Also on Dahl's stat line: a .412 average, 11 doubles, three triples and 18 stolen bases. Dahl also led his team in walks even though Oak Mountain head coach Brian Breeze  said teams did not pitch around him. That home run was just another highlight in a stellar prep career that included grabbing a gold medal at the 18-and-under Pan Am Championship in . . . Tue, 29 May 2012 11:04:30 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/high-heat/2012/2613469.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/team-rankings/2012/2613434.html Content: As state champions start to be crowned across the country, the Baseball America/National High School Baseball Coaches Association Top 25 sees more changes. The top two teams—Tampa's Jesuit High and Orlando's Olympia High—fell short of a state title and took a significant hit in the poll. Those upsets opened the door for Calallen High (Corpus Christi, Texas) to return to No. 1 as the Wildcats are still alive in the Texas playoffs. Las Vegas' Bishop Gorman High claimed a seventh straight state title in Nevada, but held fast at No. 7 as the Gaels had to go through the losers' bracket to qualify for the state tournament. Of the top six teams, only Calallen has the chance to still be playing after the next poll is released on June 5. The other five will know where they stand within in their states and could be watching Calallen's fate closely. The staffs of Baseball America and the NHSBCA compile the Top 25 rankings. In-season polls will be conducted every two weeks and released every other Tuesday throughout the season. Records indicated are as of May 20 and do not include ties. . . . Tue, 22 May 2012 10:41:05 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/team-rankings/2012/2613434.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/high-heat/2012/2613408.html Content: Every spring, after a couple of months of winter workouts and conditioning, the same cliche rings throughout baseball: "I'm in the best shape of my life." It's easy to scoff at the comment as a player likely wouldn't offer the opposite, but for Addison Russell, there is a lot of truth to it. A shortstop at Pace (Fla.) High, Russell has dropped almost 30 pounds since last summer and is reaping the benefits. "I feel good," he said. "Probably the best I have in my high school career." Russell has been on the radar for a couple of years now, having been the starting shortstop at Pace since he was a freshman. He bulked up to add power and was curious about how he could carry the weight as a power-hitting shortstop. With Team USA last summer, however, he was moved to third base—partly in deference to the slick-fielding Gavin Cecchini, but also because coaches and scouts felt he had become too big for shortstop. Wanting to prove he was still capable of playing up the middle, Russell started conditioning between the USA trials and the 18-and-under team's trip to Colombia for the Pan Am Championships. He started running more, . . . Tue, 15 May 2012 15:23:24 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/high-heat/2012/2613408.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/team-rankings/2012/2613355.html Content: Southern states have started playoffs and the lack of upsets early means there is very little movement in the latest Baseball America/National High School Baseball Coaches Association Top 25. The most notable change is arguably Mater Dei High (Santa Ana, Calif.) dropping four spots to No. 6. The Monarchs recently split two games with Orange (Calif.) Lutheran High, but ultimately lost the season series. North High of Riverside, Calif., returns to the Top 25 while riding a 10-game winning streak since a tough showing at the Anaheim Lions Tournament. Arizona teams are mercilessly beating each other up, but with a state champion to be crowned in the next couple of weeks, Scottsdale's Chaparral looks like a strong favorite. The staffs of Baseball America and the NHSBCA compile the Top 25 rankings. In-season polls will be conducted every two weeks and released every other Tuesday throughout the season. Records indicated are as of May 8 and do not include ties. . . . Tue, 08 May 2012 10:17:22 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/team-rankings/2012/2613355.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/high-heat/2012/2613339.html Content: Growing up in South Florida, it was Lewis Brinson's dream to continue his baseball career in Coral Gables for the University of Miami. He visited the campus, met the coaching staff and was ready to make his decision. But Brinson's mother, Susie, urged her son to keep his options open and check out other schools. The two ventured north to Gainesville and things changed. "I had a visit with Florida," Brinson said. "As soon as I walked on campus it was done. It was Gators this and Gators that. There was a Gators gas station right when we got off the interstate. I fell in love with the school. Coach (Kevin) O'Sullivan is the nicest guy I know. He's serious about winning and that was my main goal in finding a school." While Miami may be heartbroken over Brinson committing to Florida, he's still far from a sure bet to make it to campus. A long-legged, physical specimen, Brinson has excellent athleticism and looks like a big leaguer when he steps on the field. At 6-foot-4 and 185 pounds, he looks like Cameron Maybin or Dexter Fowler with a tapered frame and plenty of room to add strength. Given his . . . Tue, 01 May 2012 12:04:18 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/high-heat/2012/2613339.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/team-rankings/2012/2613295.html Content: Florida's regular season ended last week and Orlando's Olympia High accomplished the improbable by finishing undefeated. District tournaments start this week and the single elimination format should provide plenty of drama in the Sunshine State. It was a wild week in Corpus Christi, Texas, with Calallen High falling to rival Moody High, but bouncing back with a win over No. 10 Carroll High. Calallen's small drop opened the door for Mater Dei High (Santa Ana, Calif.) to move up to No. 2 and Olympia to No. 3. The staffs of Baseball America and the NHSBCA compile the Top 25 rankings. In-season polls will be conducted every two weeks and released every other Tuesday throughout the season. Records indicated are as of April 22 and do not include ties. . . . Tue, 24 Apr 2012 08:10:21 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/team-rankings/2012/2613295.html http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/high-heat/2012/2613275.html Content: CARY, N.C.—When draft prospects gather in one location to play, the scouts tend to come out in droves. Summer showcases easily attract crowds of talent evaluators in the triple digits, but attendance thins out at spring games as players are spread across the country and prospect showdowns are less common. That's one of the reasons the inaugural USA Baseball National High School Invitational  created so much scouting buzz, with seven players from the Baseball America High School Top 100 in action. More than 100 scouts showed up to see the tournament, which was won by Mater Dei High of Santa Ana, Calif. The Monarchs won four games, three against teams ranked in the BA Top 10: No. 1 Carroll High (Corpus Christi, Texas); No. 2 Bishop Gorman High (Las Vegas) and No. 10 Harvard-Westlake High (Los Angeles). Mater Dei moved up to No. 5 from No. 18 in the latest rankings. The event did not disappoint, with several tightly contested games and big performances from potential early-round picks. And beyond the 2012 players who were already well known to scouts, several underclassmen put themselves on the radar for 2013 and beyond. Here are 10 underclassmen who stood out: Shaun Anderson, . . . Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:41:43 EST http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/high-heat/2012/2613275.html