Preseason NorCal Baseball Top 20 Rankings

De La Salle leads the way, followed by three WCAL teams in the top five

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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Baseball season starts up this month with De La Salle leading the way, followed by three WCAL teams in the top five. Also, Franklin-Elk Grove debuts as the top team from the Sacramento area.

Why it matters

The preseason rankings provide an early look at the top high school baseball teams in Northern California, setting the stage for an exciting season ahead. These rankings highlight the strength of the WCAL and Sacramento-area programs, as well as up-and-coming teams like De La Salle and Franklin-Elk Grove.

The details

De La Salle returns its top three pitchers, led by Stanford-bound Graham Schlicht, while Serra and St. Mary's-Stockton also boast strong rotations. St. Francis-Mountain View and St. Ignatius have talented lineups, and Franklin-Elk Grove brings back five of its top six hitters. Other teams like Soquel, Los Gatos, and Elk Grove have a mix of experienced pitchers and hitters.

  • The 2026 high school baseball season starts this month.

The players

Graham Schlicht

A Stanford-bound pitcher who led De La Salle with an 11-0 record and 0.67 ERA last season.

Dax Hardcastle

A Mississippi State commit who hit eight home runs and drove in 42 RBIs for St. Mary's-Stockton as a junior, making him a Player of the Year candidate.

Archer Horn

A Stanford commit who is a two-way threat as a shortstop and right-handed pitcher for St. Ignatius.

Dylan Minnatee

An LSU commit and one of the top returning hitters for Franklin-Elk Grove.

Logan Mull

A Princeton commit and standout junior catcher for Valley Christian-San Jose.

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What they’re saying

“Baseball season starts up this month with De La Salle leading the way, followed by three WCAL teams in the top five. Also, Franklin-Elk Grove debuts as the top team from the Sacramento area.”

— Doug Benton, Author (on3.com)

The takeaway

The preseason NorCal baseball rankings showcase the depth and talent across the region, with powerhouse programs like De La Salle and Serra leading the way, and up-and-coming teams like Franklin-Elk Grove making their mark. This sets the stage for an exciting high school baseball season filled with competitive matchups and standout individual performances.