Big Nine Baseball Teams Climb the Rankings

Class AAA teams Northfield and Mankato West have moved into the top five in the April 20 high school rankings from Let's Play Baseball.

Defending Section 1AAA champ Northfield (4-2) moved up to No. 4AAA in the poll, one spot in front of Mankato West (6-0) despite a 10-6 loss to the Scarlets on Tuesday. The Raiders will have their hands full when it comes to repeating as section champs with No. 9 Red Wing (5-2) and No. 10 Kasson-Mantorville to deal with.

Owatonna (5-2) is a member of the new Class AAAA. In Section 1, Lakeville North is the preseason favorite but the Panthers dropped from No. 1 to No. 8 in the new rankings. Wayzata and Minnetonka hold down the top two spots. Eden Prairie (2-4) is No. 10 and plays at Owatonna May 16.

Section 1AA should be a very competitive tournament as No. 4 Rochester Lourdes, No. 5 Cannon Falls, No. 7 St. Charles and No. 8 La Crescent all share that section. Among Section 1A teams, both Hayfield and Lewiston-Altura are top-10 ranked.

State baseball rankings
Class AAAA

1. Wayzata
2. Minnetonka
3. Woodbury
4. Chanhassen
5. Prior Lake
6. St. Michael-Albertville
7. Cretin-Durham Hall
8. Lakeville North
9. Edina
10. Eden Prairie

Class AAA

1. Bemidji
2. Marshall
3. Mahtomedi
4. Northfield
5. Mankato West
6. Alexandria
7. Rocori
8. Little Falls
9. Red Wing
10. Kasson-Mantorville

Class AA

1. St. Cloud Cathedral
2. Minnehaha Academy
3. Belle Plaine
4. Rochester Lourdes
5. Cannon Falls
6. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton
7. St. Charles
8. LaCrescent
9. Glencoe-Silver Lake
10. Holy Family

Class A

1. Springfield
2. New Ulm Cathedral
3. Brandon-Evansville
4. Hayfield
5. Red Lake County
6. Sleepy Eye St. Mary's
7. Lewiston-Altura
8. Mankato Loyola
9. BOLD
10. Lac qui Parle Valley