By Nathan Rode
National Supervisor

USA Baseball announced the 16-team field for the 2015 National High School Invitational Friday, set to take place March 25-28 at the National Training Complex in Cary, NC. This will be the fourth installment of the NHSI. California’s Mater Dei HS won the first two NHSI championships, taking down Harvard-Westlake HS, CA, in 2012 and 2013. In 2014, The First Academy, FL, beat Clovis HS, CA.

The 2015 NHSI features a strong, balanced field with several teams boasting tremendous depth. Six teams have at least five players signed or verbally committed to Division I programs and several others have three or four D-I recruits.

Given the level of talent the NHSI offers, it’s the top destination for scouts during the spring season. In three years, 64 players have been drafted that were on a participating team’s roster. Seven from the 2014 NHSI were selected in the top 50 picks. The 2015 crop doesn’t have as much talent at the top, but several players could take advantage of the spotlight and have breakout performances.

Listed alphabetically below are the 16 teams participating in the 2015 NHSI.

College Park HS, CA
The Falcons are coming off a 27-3 finish in 2014 that netted also netted North Coast Section championship. Seven players are committed to D-I schools, five of which are in the Pac 12. RHP Joe DeMers (Washington) is a Team USA veteran, having pitched for three national teams. He has a big, strong frame and a fastball that reaches the mid 90s. He went 12-2 with a 0.65 ERA as a junior, but LHP Chris Brown (UC Davis) won league MVP honors, going 11-1 with a 0.78 ERA, 54 strikeouts and just six walks in 72 innings. OF Trevor Larnach (Oregon State) is back after leading the offense with a .436 average.