6A, 5A SIC baseball preview: Ranking the preseason favorites, top challengers
Treasure Valley high school baseball teams cleaned up in Idaho’s new state tournament format last season, capturing five of the eight available trophies in the 6A and 5A classifications.
A slew of returning talent and up-and-coming prospects enter the season looking for more hardware. The Idaho Statesman surveyed the region’s coaches for the preseason teams to beat and top players to watch. We sifted through their answers for team-by-team previews below.
6A SIC BASEBALL RANKINGS
1. MOUNTAIN VIEW
Last season: 22-12, 8-4 6A SIC
Coach: Justin Schneidt, fourth season
Players to watch: Ryan Yesford, jr., INF; Cooper Schneidt, so., SS; Preston Flournoy, sr., UTIL; Tav Hiaring, jr., C
Outlook: The Mavericks start the season as the clear favorite in the 6A SIC, receiving 7-of-13 first-place votes in the preseason coaches’ poll. Mountain View brings back six starters from the team that brought home a third-place trophy from state and will field four prospects committed to a college program. Yesford (.418 batting average), Cooper Schneidt (.321, three home runs), Flournoy (.274, 22 stolen bases) and Hiaring (.292) lead a deep lineup that did plenty of damage last year — ranking second in the league with 7.2 runs per game — and should pose an even tougher challenge this year. But that lineup will need to carry the Mavs as they don’t field a stable of aces. Owen Perry (3.45 ERA) gives Mountain View a No. 1 option to build around. But the Mavericks will need a group of arms to share innings after him.
2. EAGLE
Last season: 15-13, 6-6 6A SIC
Coach: Scott Deck, third season
Players to watch: Caleb Zawadzki, sr., P/SS; Steve Egan, sr., P/INF; Dallin Snooks, sr., P/OF; Kristian Fusco, sr., INF/OF
Outlook: A young Mustang squad struggled through the 2025 season before making a late-season run and falling one win short of the state tournament. Now all that youth turns into experience this spring as Eagle returns 10 starters. Zawadzki (2.10 ERA, .300) headlines that group as a Gonzaga commit, four-year starter and one of the state’s top two-way players. But he’s just one part of a loaded pitching staff that brings back Eagle’s top four arms from a year ago, including Egan (1.67 ERA), Snooks (3.57 ERA) and Jacob Ames (3.75 ERA). That staff will play in front of a solid defense. But Eagle still must learn how to handle expectations and find the consistency that eluded the Mustangs last year.
3. OWYHEE
Last season: 28-4, 11-1 6A SIC
Coach: Matt Rasmussen, second season
Players to watch: Nathan Keith, sr., C; Christian Zannitto, jr., P; Matt Robertson, jr., INF; Jack Hallenbeck, jr., INF
Outlook: Middleton pierced the Storm’s aura of invincibility last year, forcing Owyhee to settle for a second-place trophy at state. But after four state championship appearances in four years, the Storm bring back six starters to defend their district title and chase more state hardware. The lineup remains imposing with Robertson (.333, 17 stolen bases) and Hallenbeck (.313) as anchors, and Keith returns after a broken foot limited him to six games in 2025. He holds an offer from Washington, made the all-state second team as a sophomore while hitting .437 and will lead the team behind the plate. But graduation cost Owyhee its top four arms, leaving Keith and Zannitto (3.75 ERA) to fill some big shoes on the mound.
4. MIDDLETON
Last season: 23-4, 11-1 6A SIC
Coach: Bryan Swygart, fifth season
Players to watch: Drew Holman, sr., C/3B; Kellen Viehweg, jr., 1B/3B/P; Cam Lenius, jr., SS/P; Jedsen Aldrich, jr., 2B/SS
Outlook: The defending state champs lost several college-level talents to graduation. But the Vikings don’t plan to rebuild. They will reload with five returning starters, including one of the state’s top catchers in Holman (.312). The three-year starter and Portland signee remains the backbone of the Vikings and the cornerstone of a loaded infield. Lenius (.425) moves over to shortstop as another three-year starter and pairs with Aldrich (.307) to form a potent duo up the middle. Viehweg (4-0, 1.84 ERA) takes over as the ace after earning the win in last year’s state title game, and Lenius will back him up as the No. 2. But Middleton will need several young players to prove they can hit varsity pitching to defend their title.
5. ROCKY MOUNTAIN
Last season: 21-8, 9-3 6A SIC
Coach: Stephan Zanoni, fifth season
Players to watch: Aiden Henzler, sr., UTIL; Javin Ellett, sr., INF/P; Ben Chandler, so., C
Outlook: The Grizzlies hit the reset button after falling one win short of last year’s state tournament. Henzler (.360) and Ellett (.187) are Rocky Mountain’s only two returning starters, meaning the Grizzlies will need to rely on a host of young and unproven talent. But Henzler, a second-team all-state pick and College of Southern Idaho commit, can change any game with a single swing. And Zanoni said Rocky Mountain starts the year with a deep arsenal of strike-throwing pitchers, a luxury any team would kill for.
6. CENTENNIAL
Last season: 19-8, 9-3 6A SIC
Coach: Brian Champion, 14th season
Players to watch: Cannon Haws, sr., SS/P; KC Corley, jr., 3B; Danny Morrison, sr., CF/P; Matt Romero, jr., OF/P
Outlook: The Patriots were last year’s surprise team, starting eighth in the preseason poll before finishing third at district, making it to regionals and posting the program’s first winning record in eight years. But Centennial finds itself in the middle of the preseason pack again with just four returning starters. Haws remains one of the state’s top two-way players, going 6-0 with a 1.47 ERA and hitting .337 for a spot on the all-state first team. He and Corley (.371) lock down the left side of the infield, while Morrison (2.62 ERA) and Romero (1.19 ERA) provide two more veteran arms to rely on. But varsity experience remains in short supply on the rest of the roster.
7. TIMBERLINE
Last season: 9-17, 4-8 6A SIC
Coach: Brandon Buck, first season
Players to watch: Vinny Peters, sr., P/1B; Stanley Jensen, jr., OF; Cannon Searl, jr., C/3B; Leo Snuffin, so., P/1B/OF
Outlook: The former powerhouse posted its second straight losing season last year, leading to an offseason coaching change. That allowed the Wolves to make a splashy hire in Buck, who won eight state titles in Arizona. He presides over a young group with just four returning starters this spring. Peters (3.24 ERA) gives the Wolves a No. 1 starter to build around after tossing 41 innings last year, and Buck said the Wolves are much more fundamentally sound. But a host of new faces will need to prove themselves at the varsity level.
8. CAPITAL
Last season: 11-17, 4-8 6A SIC
Coach: Trey Cochran, fifth season
Players to watch: Preston Christianson, jr., INF/P; Cooper Myers, sr., P/INF; Dylan Hawk, sr., C; Brady Ruzicka, jr., P/INF
Outlook: A pair of returning pitchers and a host of aggressive baserunners has the Eagles eyeing a move up the standings. Capital may only return five starters, but two of them fill key roles on the mound. Myers (3.99 ERA) enters his third season as a workhorse, and Christianson (3.89 ERA) impressed during a sophomore season as Capital’s No. 3 arm. But Cochran said Capital will need to shore up its defense to help that duo. The Eagles committed 66 errors last year to finish with a .908 fielding percentage.
9. BOISE
Last season: 9-14, 2-10 6A SIC
Coach: Billy Newbery, first season
Players to watch: Brody Newbery, jr., SS/P; Bo Schaaf, jr., 2B/P; Calder Hansen, sr., P/C; Jack Weske, sr., P/1B/CF
Outlook: After falling in the district play-in round last year, the Brave bring back eight starters looking to make some noise. Coach Billy Newbery pointed to a deep pitching staff led by Hansen (4.60 ERA) and Weske (9.77 ERA) as reasons for optimism. Boise brings back plenty of bats, too, in Schaaf (.297) and Brody Newberry (.308), who led the team in hitting as a sophomore. But a new coaching staff and a new set of standards may take some time for the Brave to adjust to.
10. KUNA
Last season: 12-13, 5-7 6A SIC
Coach: Aaron Orme, second season
Players to watch: Bergan Overall, sr., P/1B; Max Sperry, sr., CF/P; Jackson Edwards, sr., SS/P; Ayden Schnitker, sr., C/P
Outlook: The Kavemen proved they belonged in the state’s top classification last year. Now they’ll look to contend with six returning starters, including a four-year starter in Edwards. An injury limited him to DH duties last year, when he hit .324 with three home runs. Now that he’s fully healthy, he’ll eat up innings for a staff that lost three of its top four arms. Kuna will still need several new pitchers to prove themselves. But a lineup led by Edwards, Overall (.357), Sperry (.309) and Schnitker (.326) ought to keep the Kavemen in games.
11. RIDGEVUE
Last season: 13-12-1, 5-7 6A SIC
Coach: Tim Onofrei, first season
Players to watch: Preston Wade, so., P; Dante Brinegar, sr., OF; Jayden Ayala, sr., 2B/SS; Zach Forster, sr., 2B/SS
Outlook: A postseason run led the Warhawks to a regional final in their first season in Idaho’s top classification. But Ridgevue must rebuild after hiring a new coach and losing its top three hitters to graduation. Wade tops a young group as a returning ace who posted a 1.94 ERA and led the team in innings (47) as a freshman. Onofrei said some new talented arms will back him up. But Ridgevue starts the year with few proven bats in the lineup.
12. BORAH
Last season: 9-16, 4-8 6A SIC
Coach: Tony Zaragoza, third season
Players to watch: Jack Meimann, jr., P/OF; Julian Almeida, sr., P/INF; Brennan Earley, jr., INF/C
Outlook: The Lions get a fresh start this season with just one returning starter from a year ago. Meimann (2.50 ERA) provides the only veteran hand after ranking second on the team in innings as a sophomore. A proven pitcher is always a comfort. But the rest of the Lions will need to learn on the fly. Zaragoza said he’s impressed with Borah’s work ethic and chemistry in offseason workouts, adding he expects the team to grow by leaps and bounds throughout the season.
13. MERIDIAN
Last season: 2-21, 0-12 6A SIC
Coach: Andrew Groves, second season
Players to watch: Fransisco Sandoval, sr., 2B; PJ Hardy, jr., OF/P; Logan Stucki, jr., OF/P; Alex Marquardt, sr., INF/P
Outlook: The Warriors started six freshmen and sophomores last year, and that youth showed up in Meridian’s record and league-high 96 errors. Now it plans to translate those hard-earned lessons into a few more victories. Sandoval’s return to the lineup should help after a broken ankle limited him to six games last year. But after scoring a league-low 2.4 runs per game, Groves said the Warriors will need to get creative to push more runs across the plate.
5A SIC BASEBALL RANKINGS
1. BISHOP KELLY
Last season: 14-11, 10-2 5A SIC
Coach: Jeff Cammann, 11th season
Players to watch: Colin Brazil, jr., SS; Ayden Boyd, sr., OF/P; Jaxson Brady, jr., INF/OF/P; Chase Casagrande, so., INF/P
Outlook: A disappointing postseason saw the Knights finish third at district and miss out on a regional playoff berth. But with five returning starters, Bishop Kelly edged Vallivue by a single point in the league’s preseason coaches’ poll. Brazil (.385, 14 stolen bases) returns as the cornerstone at shortstop after first-team all-state honors. He’ll pair with Boyd (.354) to set the table at the top of the lineup, while Brady (.233) and Casagrande anchor what Cammann called an improved lineup. No returning pitcher threw more than 20 varsity innings last year, but Cammann said the Knights have plenty of options to fill that void.
2. VALLIVUE
Last season: 25-6, 10-2 5A SIC
Coach: Todd Zucker, third season
Players to watch: Eli Daniel, jr., P/INF/OF; Isaac Farrel, jr., 1B/P/OF; Carson Cyganik, jr., C; Baren Vadapalli, jr., 3B/P
Outlook: The Falcons brought home a third-place trophy from state last year, the program’s best finish since 2002. But the graduation of three key contributors and offseason knee injuries to Daniel, a first-team all-state pick, and Noah Delgado thinned Vallivue’s ranks. Zucker said this year’s group has a ways to go to catch up to last year’s explosive offense, which averaged a league-high 8.8 runs per game. But he still expects the Falcons to remain potent offensively with Cyganik (.344) and Farrel (.316) in the heart of the lineup. Farrel (2.41 ERA) also takes over as the staff ace in front of an improved defense.
3. SKYVIEW
Last season: 19-8-1, 9-3 5A SIC
Coach: Ryan Bobo, 22nd season
Players to watch: Eli Strong, so., UTIL; Ledger Downs, jr., SS; Trevan Plew, jr., C; Marcus Martinez, sr., P
Outlook: Graduation cost the Hawks two of the state’s most feared sluggers. But the two-time defending district champs return the core of an elite defense that led Skyview to a fourth-place trophy at state. Plew (.367) and Downs (.328) return for their third years as starters at catcher and shortstop, leading a group of five returning starters. The pitching staff returns plenty of veterans, too, including Strong (2.38 ERA), who led the team in innings pitched as a freshman. But without any true sluggers, Bobo said the Hawks will need to get creative to score runs.
T-4. COLUMBIA
Last season: 7-17, 4-8 5A SIC
Coach: Skyler Penrod, third season
Players to watch: Marcus DeLeon, so., INF/P; Logan Velasquez, jr., INF/P; McKay Berrett, jr., INF/P
Outlook: Errors (88) and walks (128) served as the Wildcats’ Achilles’ heel last season, leading to 10.4 runs allowed per game and a two-and-out performance at district. But Penrod said an offseason dedicated to fixing those issues and three new transfers should make the Wildcats a contender again. DeLeon (.260, 14 stolen bases) takes over a key role after impressing as a freshman, shoring up the middle infield defense and taking over as the staff ace. Velasquez, Berrett and Tavin Jones join him on the mound to give Columbia an enviable amount of arms.
T-4. NAMPA
Last season: 13-15, 4-8 5A SIC
Coach: Kyler Wells, fourth season
Players to watch: Jaxon Wade, sr., INF/P; Tyson Brazil, jr., C; Bradley Norman, jr., 3B; Ryan Wallingford, sr., CF/P
Outlook: The Bulldogs made an underdog run last year, upsetting Bishop Kelly and Vallivue at district for an automatic regional berth. Now the Bulldogs return seven starters looking to prove that run was no fluke. Wade (1.50 ERA), a second-team all-state selection and Nampa’s top hitter (.361), headlines that group of veteran weapons. But he’s just one of a host of arms as the Bulldogs return five of their top six leaders in innings pitched.
6. EMMETT
Last season: 4-17, 4-8 5A SIC
Coach: Taylor Nicholson, third season
Players to watch: Gabe Fullerton, sr., INF/P; Nick Browne, sr., UTIL; Layden Korell, jr., OF; Chris Fowler, sr., INF
Outlook: The Huskies enter a rebuilding year after losing their top four pitchers to graduation. Only four starters return across the diamond, leaving plenty of fresh faces opportunities to prove themselves at the varsity level. Nicholson said the Huskies will field a better defense this year with loads of multiposition talents that he can mix and match to find the best lineup. That should help a young pitching staff through some early growing pains.
7. CALDWELL
Last season: 1-18, 1-11 5A SIC
Coach: Pedro Rodriguez III, second season
Players to watch: Connor Fullerton, jr., SS; Charlie Ihli, sr., 1B/P; Junior Avendaño, sr., OF/P; Austin Springer, jr., OF/P
Outlook: The Cougars hit the reset button with just four returning starters after a one-win season, the program’s eighth straight under .500. That youth means Rodriguez’s focus early on in the season is putting bats on balls to build confidence. But he pointed to tons of speed in the outfield and a more complete unit that doesn’t rely on one or two star players as reason for optimism.
This story was originally published March 16, 2026 at 4:11 PM.
