NorCal Baseball Preview 2012

BASEBALL PRESEASON TOP 20

NorCal rankings only. Records are from 2011

1. Jesuit-Carmichael (25-6)

If your ace is committed to Stanford and your SS to Oregon State, good things are happening.

2. St. Mary’s-Stockton (22-9)

Switch-hitting star Gio Brusa leads the way for a Rams squad loaded with talent.

3. Campolindo-Moraga (19-8)

Cougars a riding a wave of talent that has already yielded two straight NCS titles. We’re betting on more.

4. Elk Grove (23-7)

USC-commit and Area Code Games standout Ryan Tellez is an early State Player of the Year candidate.

5. St. Francis-Mountain View (25-6)

Braden Bishop leads a team eager to atone for its upset loss in the CCS quarterfinals last year.

6. De La Salle-Concord (20-8)

New coach David Jeans assumes a bruising offense led my 3B Mitchell Kranson. 

7. Palo Alto (28-9)

Plenty of talent returns for the defending Central Coast Div. I champions.

8. Valley Christian-San Jose (16-14)

Predominantly young team a year ago has a chance to grow up real fast this season.

9. Serra-San Mateo (17-12)

Padres just need to find consistent production from the lineup because few WCAL teams have more pitching depth. 

10. James Logan-Union City (24-4)

The defending NCS Div. I champ has some holes to plug in the lineup, but not on the hill.

11. Davis (22-5-1)

12. San Ramon Valley-Danville (18-7)

13. Foothill-Pleasanton (12-12)

14. Franklin-Elk Grove (18-9-1)

15. Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills (21-11)

16. Archbishop Mitty-San Jose (26-6-1)

17. Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove (21-10)

18. Alameda (25-2)

19. Heritage-Brentwood (20-7)

20. Acalanes-Lafayette (17-10-1)

NorCal’s 15 Players To Watch 

BRADEN BISHOP / OF/P / St. Francis-Mountain View / Sr.

B.J. BOYD / OF / Palo Alto / Sr.

JOSH CUSHING / IF / Campolindo-Moraga / Sr.

GIO BRUSA / OF/P / St. Mary’s-Stockton / Sr. 

JOE DeMERS / P/3B / College Park-Pleasant Hill / Fr.

MAX DUTTO / SS / San Ramon Valley-Danville / Sr.

ZACH GREEN / SS / Jesuit-Carmichael / Sr.

SPENCER HENDERSON / P/1B / Acalanes-Lafayette / Sr.

DREW JACKSON (pictured below) / SS / Miramonte-Orinda / Sr.

JAKE JEFFERIES / IF / Foothill-Pleasanton / Sr.

THERON KAY / P/OF / Valley Christian-San Jose / So.

MITCH KRANSON / 3B / De La Salle-Concord / Sr.

JAMES MARVEL / P/SS / Campolindo-Moraga / Sr.

DOM NUNEZ / 2B/SS /  Elk Grove / Sr.

RYAN TELLEZ / P/1B / Elk Grove / Jr.