Baseball season is here!!! Today marks the first day every school in the state can play live games that count as everyone works to make an appearance in June.  This time of year brings big dreams.  Every school is one play away from making a run to a championship.  Each team has a path of what has to happen to hang a banner at the end of the year.

As our staff worked through the 2018 Team Previews, player evaluations, and talked with high school coaches, college coaches, and pro scouts we realized the 2018 season could be a wild one.  There are favorites at each classification, but there are not clear cut ‘top dogs’.  This rings more true when you take into account the state playoff setup of single elimination until the regional finals. 

The AAA classification has four teams that played for state championships in 2017 as the 4A title series included New Hanover HS and TC Roberson HS, both classed to the 3A level in 2018.  They join the 2017 champions, Northern Guilford HS, and Crest HS, the runner-up.  The 3A level is deep and the state champion may be the team with the best draw in the playoffs.

Below we take a look at several teams that could make a run deep into May and hoist a state championship in June at the AAA level.  Our staff will be covering games and teams throughout the spring and there is no doubt there will be teams missing from this list as teams gel and make progress in the spring.   That is part of what makes the baseball across North Carolina great.  There are good players, of all ages, all across the state.  A couple of guys getting hot at the right time, can make a difference.

AAA Class

State Championship Contenders

Alexander Central HS
+ There is depth on the mound, as well as top end arms.  The ability to matchup throughout the year will be available, but Zachary Hammer (RHP, 2018, Catawba Valley CC commit) and Bryson Hammer (LHP, 2020) may be one of the better 1-2 punches in the state. 
+ The offense has some quick strike ability with Seth Sigmon (1B, 2019) in the middle of the order.  He has barrel ability and pop.

Plus: Log in or subscribe to see in-depth reports on five teams eyeing a State Title along with 13 teams that could play spoiler.