High school baseball: 4 of 5 defending state champs open season No. 1 in 2022 preseason coaches rankings

The Nice Grove Vikings face off towards the American Fork Cavemen throughout Sport 2 of the 6A baseball championship at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, Might 29, 2021. The Cavemen gained 8-0.

Annie Barker, Deseret Information

As highschool basketball heads into the ultimate week of its season, which means baseball season is simply across the nook.

The official begin date of the 2022 season is March 7, and there are quite a lot of groups to beat in every of the 5 classifications primarily based on the coaches preseason rankings.

Acquainted faces dot the highest line in 4 of the 5 classification, as final 12 months’s state champion in 6A, 5A, 4A and 3A had been pegged the preseason No. 1 this 12 months.

Class 2A is the one classification had been that wasn’t the case, as Enterprise was tabbed preseason No. 1 as an alternative of defending champion Beaver.

American Fork dominated 6A with a 30-1 document, and it returns eight key contributors from that staff and will dominate once more this 12 months. Main that group of returners is final 12 months’s Deseret Information Mr. Baseball recipient, Fisher Ingersoll.

“We want some gamers to step into roles. Pitching must develop, and the gamers have to belief one another and play collectively,” mentioned American Fork coach Jarod Ingersoll.

Nice Grove checks in at No. 2 in 6A, however has some holes to fill after graduating all 4 of its gamers who made all-state.

Spanish Fork will open the 12 months at No. 1 in 5A led by its two high gamers a 12 months in the past, Zac Dart and Easton Romero.

Perennial 6A contender Jordan drops down into 5A this 12 months with UHSAA realignment and instantly provides extra power to the highest of the classification.

Snow Canyon graduated an enormous chunk of contributors from its 4A state championship a 12 months in the past, however coach Reed Secrist is assured in his newcomers who had been caught behind some excellent seniors.

“Nice group of younger males. A few of them have needed to wait their flip due to the strong senior class we had final 12 months however they're able to get their time to shine,” mentioned Secrist.

Grantsville returns 5 contributors from final season’s state championship staff in 3A, and it narrowly edged Carbon within the preseason voting.

Juan Diego joins the classification after dropping down from 4A, which provides one other high quality staff to the classification.

Enterprise opens the 12 months first in 2A with a powerful group of gamers returning.

“We actually solely misplaced one full-time starter from final 12 months, and we've got all of our pitching employees returning. We additionally acquire a few different strong youthful arms. Hopefully they arrive able to play, and it must be a enjoyable season,” mentioned Enterprise coach Kyle Bundy.

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Deseret Information preseason rankings

Class 6A

Workforce (2021 File)

1. American Fork (30-1)
2. Nice Grove (26-6)
3. Bingham (19-10)
4. Riverton (20-9)
5. Skyridge (16-14)

Class 5A

Workforce (2021 File)

1. Spanish Fork (22-11)
2. Jordan (21-9)
3. Salem Hills (24-7)
4. Olympus (25-4)
5. Timpanogos (21-9)

Class 4A

Workforce (2021 File)

1. Snow Canyon (28-4)
2. Desert Hills (24-5)
3. Dixie (17-13)
4. Crimson Cliffs (15-12)
5. Ridgeline (20-8)

Class 3A

Workforce (2021 File)

1. Grantsville (22-9)
2. Carbon (24-9)
3. Juan Diego (13-13)
4. Juab (24-4)
5. Richfield (18-10)

Class 2A

Workforce (2021 File)

1. Enterprise (15-11)
2. Parowan (13-12)
3. Beaver (19-9)
4. Kanab (14-11)
5. South Sevier (8-11)