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LOS ANGELES, CALIF. - With the spring high school portion of the baseball calendar in the state of California completed, our staff was able to get eyes on players throughout the past few months, and with the kickoff of the summer circuit at our Future Games Tryouts and SoCal ProCase. The first evaluation period of the year allowed our staff to observe the continued improvement/development of players in the 2028 class. With the visibility provided to our staff for opportunities to evaluate players over the last couple of months, we present our updated Class of 2028 Player Rankings.

With the extensive exposure provided for our staff this spring to the 2028 class, we saw major changes across the rankings.  From big shifts within the Top 10 players in the class, players moving into the Prep Baseball National Rankings, and others making their Top 100 debuts (movement up the board or newcomers to the rankings) through their spring performances.

Beyond the Top 100, we have expanded this class to a total of 210 players (up from 175 pre-spring season). The recruiting process for this class is rapidly working towards the  August 1st, 2026 date on the calendar, with an important summer ahead. Make no mistake that college programs will be heavily focused on the top players in this class to build out their recruiting boards for the beginning of the contact period with this group.

Below you'll find the Top 10, along with notes on several Rankings Risers and Ranking Newcomers. 

+ CLICK HERE FOR FULL RANKINGS LIST

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CLASS OF 2028, TOP TEN

+ CLICK HERE FOR FULL RANKINGS LIST

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CLASS OF 2028 RANKINGS: RISERS

TOP-10 RISERS:

+ SS Ryan Sheffer - Oaks Christian - Now: 3 Previous: 7

Sheffer has steadily moved up our board over the past two years from his debut at 35 prior to his Fr. season. Now, on the heels of a standout season with the Oaks Christian program in the 2026 spring, helping them earn a berth in the CIF-SS D1 playoffs while landing on the All-League team, combined with an excellent showing at the SoCal ProCase, the uber-talented Sheffer reaches a new peak in the number three spot. 

+ OF/RHP Dru Wilson - Notre Dame - Now: 5 Previous: 17

Wilson boasts one of the more athletic overall profiles with top-of-the-scale foot speed, impact defense at a premium spot, and what is arguably one of the best pure hit tools in the class. Fresh off a spring season where he topped the Notre Dame lineup and put up impressive numbers against the talented Mission League schedule he faced, the profile for Wilson makes a hefty jump into the Top Five players in the state.

+ OF Colton Fitzgibbon - San Ramon Valley - Now: 7 Previous: 18

Fitzgibbon has a case to be made that he is the most athletic player in this class, with an elite run tool and dynamic athleticism, which has him garnering Power Four football interest. Translating onto the baseball diamond, the NorCal product is generating impressive buzz. He stood out at the NorCal ProCase on the heels of an impressive spring season in NorCal, and makes the 11 spot jump up our board into the Top 10 for the first time.

+ SS Tyce Johnson - Linfield Christian - Now: 8 Previous: 12

Johnson is another dynamic athlete who boasts the actions to stick on the left side of the INF dirt long term with flashes of real SS potential. Then you add in an LH bat, which has steadily improved the hit tool to go with intriguing power from that side. Finally, the dash of big league bloodlines and standout performance on the high school scene this spring for State Director Les Lukach, plus San Diego Scout Vinnie Alfino. It all adds up to his Top 10 debut on our rankings board.

+ SS Landon King - St. Francis - Now: 9 Previous: 21

King has been generating buzz since last summer when he came onto our rankings board for the first time. The talented Bay Area-based SS put together a strong season in the uber-competitive WCAL in NorCal, where his performance against top-tier competition and the reports coming into NorCal Director Hank LoForte spoke volumes to his present ability, but even more so to where the ceiling for King has the potential to rise to. He now moves 12 spots up our board into the Top 10.

+ OF Joel Vargas - Eastlake - Now: 10 Previous: 13

Vargas has been a popular player in this class for the entirety of our rankings process, remaining amongst the Top 15 with any movement he has made downward or upward. With impressive athleticism, an intriguing hit tool that shows sneaky good strength for a player his size, and the track record of strong performance against quality competition, it's no secret that he is amongst the best players in the class. Coming off a spring where he stood out in multiple live looks for Vinnie Alfino and after a loud showing to open the year, the San Diego Preseason All State, he moves back inside the Top 10 ahead of an important summer circuit for his recruiting process.

10 - TOP-100 RISERS:

+ OF Jaxxon Tweedt - Chico - Now: 11 Previous: 36

Tweedt exploded on the scene in his Fr. season with loud performances throughout the spring season in NorCal and has held serve inside the Prep Baseball National rankings since that point. He has continued to generate loud buzz, though, and this spring his hit tool, athleticism, and emerging impact in the bat have really increased the volume of that buzz coming into both Hank LoForte and Prep Baseball Vice President of Scouting Shooter Hunt. The LH hitter makes a large 25-spot jump to the fringe of the Top 10, and if he stays on the trajectory he is on may find his way inside the Top 10 in the future.

+ RHP Riley Salvemini - Woodland - Now: 13 Previous: 29

Salvemini boasts a prototype starter's frame with the present stuff, athletic delivery, and sound pitchability that will quickly catch the eye of evaluators. His strong spring showing was backed up by a stellar day at the NorCal ProCase in front of Hank LoForte, which has helped to push him aggressively up our board 16 spots into the number 13 place.

+ RHP Lucas Yriqui - Eastlake - Now: 16 Previous: 26

Yriqui debuted on our board after a strong Fr. season in the San Diego high school ranks. He slid back just a bit during the next few rankings updates, but he was boosted by a strong fall scout ball season where he impressed a trio of our staff in live looks, which pushed him into the Top 25 range. The wiry athletic moving righthander was strong on the bump all spring for Eastlake and in live looks for Vinnie Alfino, which moves him ten places back up the board into the number 16 spot.

+ OF Dane Disney - Oaks Christian - Now: 19 Previous: 42

Disney has been a two-sport standout at Oaks Christian for two years, both on the football field and the baseball diamond. Now the compact, but dynamic athlete is starting to rocket his baseball profile up to new levels. In the spring, he slid into the top spot of the Oaks Christian lineup and produced an All-League, All-County year with an intriguing bat-to-ball and sneaky good impact with the footspeed to create chaos on the bases. But, as good as he was offensively, his impact takes another tick up when you watch how good he defends in the middle of the OF grass. With impressive live looks for Assistant Director Steven Hardesty, State Director Les Lukach, and Shooter Hunt (at the SoCal ProCase) Disney makes a big jump inside the Top 20 players in the state.

+ C/1B Quinn Melton - San Marcos - Now: 35 Previous: 46

Long, a personal favorite of Steven Hardesty for his impressive raw power from the LH side, has steadily impressed the entirety of our staff across his previous Prep Baseball events, including a loud showing at the West Coast Super Sophomore at Oregon. But, with an impressive display of an improved hit tool this spring on the high school circuit, where he hit well over .400 with continued displays of power that rolled right into one of the best overall offensive performances at the SoCal ProCase from his BP into a multiple-hit day during the simulated game facing high-end arms. All of those factors bring an 11-spot move up the board for Melton, and as he solidifies his defensive home could see even further movement up the board in the future.

+ SS/RHP - Orion Gonzalez - Now: 42 Previous: 58

Gonzalez popped quickly on the radar with an electric Fr. season and impressive live looks for Steven Hardesty during that spring into the off-season, and headed into his Soph. season that put him inside the Top 100. But, now with a frame that has solidified into a physical presence, easy fluid actions across the board as a defender and LH hitter with hit/power in the profile, and an upward-trending FB on the mound that now touches 90 with relatively low effort, the upward move for his profile is beginning. His showing at the 2026 Future Games Tryout: Malibu, amongst some of the best 2028s in the SoCal/Central California region, was a standout one and pushes him into the Prep Baseball National rankings for the first time.

+ SS Ben Jordan - Roseville - Now: 43 Previous: 102

Jordan is an intriguing up-the-middle profile defender who is high on the radar of Hank LoForte for his long-term potential to stick on the dirt at either SS/2B when his high school career wraps up. But the glove is not the only impressive tool when it comes to Jordan, who shows a real feel to hit from the RH side, which should push him towards the top of a lineup, but then with solid impact off the bat that shows pull side power and is steadily ticking up to the middle of the field. He posted a loud sophomore season in the NorCal high school ranks, which brings him nearly 50 spots up our board into the Prep Baseball National rankings for the first time.

+ C Holden Backus - Westlake - Now: 50 Previous: 59

Backus is an eye-opening physical presence who quickly passes the eye-test when you see his 6'5 210 lbs. frame, but it's far from the only part of his profile that will open your eyes. His sophomore season at Westlake was strong, which earned him All-League and All-County recognition for the upward trend of a bat that has intriguing raw power to the middle of the field and pull side. But, even more impressively, is his high-level profile as a defender behind the plate with smooth receiving, agile blocking skills against both velocity and spin, while flashing an 80+ MPH throwing arm and low 1.9 range pop times in workouts that translate into real ability during games. He pushes nine spots up the board into the Top 50 and joins our Prep Baseball National rankings.

+ OF Micah Mecucci - Mission Hills - Now: 57 Previous: 70

After missing time to start the spring season, once he settled into the lineup, the dynamic RHH put together a loud rest of his spring season with seven homers to surpass the six he hit as a freshman. His potential to play CF gives his defensive profile some intrigue for the future, where, if he sticks there, to go with his offensive upside gives him a really intriguing ceiling. His impressive live looks for Vinnie Alfino in the spring help push him up 13 spots.

+ INF/RHP - Alex Noble - Notre Dame - Now: 59 Previous: 65

Noble earned his way into a full-time spot for his sophomore season in the talented Mission League, where he put up strong numbers for the year to earn himself a spot on the All-League honoree teams. Carrying that strong offensive performance into the Future Games Tryout: Malibu, he showed well there for Hardesty, while adding in a mid to upper 80's arm on the bump with a sound offspeed arsenal to add to his profile. He makes a modest six-spot jump up and, as he solidifies his defensive home and potentially adds time on the mound, could push for a spot in Prep Baseball's National rankings in the future.

Names to Know: Risers Outside the Top 100

+ INF - Auron Blackledge - Calabasas - Now: 106 Previous: 130

Blackledge earned a starting spot on the varsity level for a Calabasas program, which is in the midst of a re-development using an extensive younger roster, but the talented group each made their own mark on the program, including Blackledge. In a sophomore season spent playing second base and hitting near the top of their order, Blackledge earned All-League 2nd team honors and was impressive in multiple live looks for Hardesty, plus a stellar showing at the Future Games Tryout: Malibu to push himself just outside the Top 100.

+ INF Adrian Rivera - West Ranch - Now: 142 Previous: 152

Rivera found himself smack dab in the mix for the defending CIF-SS D2 champion West Ranch INF defense and lineup during his sophomore season, where he flashed his presently sound defensive profile and upward-trending offensive ability during the spring season. He was sound in a pair of live looks for Hardesty and then was strong while attending the Future Games Tryout: NorCal in front of Hank LoForte. The entirety of his spring and the start of his summer bring a solid 10-spot move up our board.

+ C Tay Fink - Calabasas - Now: 150 Previous: 164

Fink took over the full-time catcher role at Calabasas in his sophomore spring after a strong showing at the Los Angele Preseason ID earned him a spot on our rankings ahead of the spring season. From there, he put together multiple quality live looks for Hardesty in spring high school season and was strong defensively at the Future Games Tryout: Malibu with flashes of an offensive profile that continues to get better. He moves inside the Top 150 with a 14-spot move up the board.

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CLASS OF 2028 RANKINGS: NEWCOMERS

Top-100 Newcomers:

+ SS Warren Wulfemeyer - Santa Margarita - Now Ranked: 24

Wulfemeyer hails from one of the top programs in the state, and his profile is one that screams in need of attention from college programs and decision makers going forward. An athletic LH hitter who shows present polish to his offensive approach, a smooth swing, sound impact, and the actions to stick up the middle long term will catch your eye quickly. But, it was his live look in front of Shooter Hunt that solidified his debut in our rankings amongst the Top 25 players in the state, which he backed up with a strong showing at the Future Games Tryout: Malibu for Hardesty.

+ RHP Troy Sibolboro - St. John Bosco - Now Ranked: 30

Sibolboro garnered a sound amount of innings this spring for the back-to-back CIF-SS D1 champion Bosco program, with the quality of his present stuff and the operation he shows to get to his present stuff being rhythmic and athletic. Eliciting impressed reactions from both Shooter Hunt and State Director Les Lukach during their opportunities to see the rising right-hander toe the rubber against top-level competition. He joins our board for the first time just outside the Top 25 with an opportunity for increased innings coming in the future. He has the type of pitching profile to push higher in this class.

+ RHP Brandon Martinez - Gahr - Now Ranked: 34

With the present two top arms for the Gahr staff graduating and heading off to college baseball next year, the next wave is going to garner their opportunity quickly, and Martinez announced his presence this spring as a frontrunner for that title. During live looks for both Hunt and Lukach on the spring season, the righthander showed a lively fastball with the makings of a potential power breaking ball and the type of delivery that elicits long-term starter projections it wasn't a question of if he would join the board, but rather how high he would join it at. Martinez moves into the Prep Baseball National rankings and joins our state board in the number 34 spot.

+ LHP/1B Carter Grant - Alameda - Now Ranked: 52

Grant was a standout at the NorCal Preseason All-State to kickstart his year, and this spring was a confirmation of the talent he showed there in the performances he put up. The reports coming into Hank LoForte throughout the spring earned Grant a return to the Prep Baseball event platform with an appearance at the NorCal ProCase, where he showed the type of stuff that put him in the Prep Baseball National rankings on top of his spot just outside the Top 50 in California. With his name now known, there is upside to see it rise in the future.

+ RHP - Avery Pleeter - Crespi - Now Ranked: 62

Even in what wasn't the greatest year for the Crespi program on the field, there was the emergence of talent there throughout the spring, and Pleeter was one of those names who garnered interest from our staff. His present stuff on the mound, combined with a delivery that repeats well while showing funk and difficult looks for hitters, earned him a spot at the Future Games Tryout: Malibu. His performance this spring, again at the FGT event, solidified that he has the type of stuff to get quality hitters out now, but even more so the upside potential in his profile to debut him at the number 62 spot, and as his performance and stuff continue to tick up, we could see a tick up in where he sits on this board.

+ OF/INF CJ Garrett - Sierra Canyon - Now Ranked: 75

Garrett is part of a loaded underclass group, but with the depth of talent across the board at Sierra Canyon, garnering consistent PT for him has been difficult to come by. Make no mistake, there is real athletic ability here for Garrett, combined with real baseball ability, including present bat speed and impact off the bat to the middle-pull side of the diamond which flashed during a live look for both Alfino (MLK Weekend) and Hardesty (Spring HS season) to debut him inside the Top 75 in the state with a profile that can rise as he continues to get more opportunities to showcase his ability.

+ SS Sam Poirier - Elsinore - Now Ranked: 89

Poirier was quickly identified this spring as a player of note by Vinnie Alfino when he got a chance to see the talented INF out of the Inland Empire area during the spring high school season. Playing a significant role for the Elsinore program, which earned a berth in the CIF-SS D2 playoffs, the 6'2 RHH showed off athleticism with sound feel to hit and sneaky present impact that will make him a name that college programs are going to want to take note of going forward. His showing at the Future Games Tryout: San Diego was impressive for both Lukach and Alfino, and puts him inside our Top 100 players for his debut.

+ LHP/OF - Trent Dolinsky - Torrey Pines - Now Ranked: 95

Dolinsky shows the type of arm strength at the present with a delivery on the left-hand side that evokes not only present intrigue, but one that has plenty of future upside. He stood out on the high school circuit this spring in live looks for Alfino, where he helped Torrey Pines to a successful season. The stuff on the mound and jhis delivery front the profile for Dolinsky at present and help push him into our Top 100 for his debut, and as the pitchability, polish add to his profile, don't be surprised if we see Dolinsky rise higher in the future.

5 Names to Know Outside the Top-100 Newcomers:

+ OF/C Austin Junk - Loyola - Now Ranked: 103

Junk was strong during the spring season, playing mainly the OF for Loyola while adding impact to the upper portion of their lineup with a swing that boasts both feel for the barrel, but interesting impact off the barrel at contact to flash power potential. He showed well in a live look for Hardesty, squaring off with a talented Mission League foe and earning him a spot just outside the Top 100. As a move behind the plate appears in his future at Loyola, and with continued performance and development to his offensive profile, he may find himself inside the Top 100 in the future.

+ LHP Jack Paskin - Santa Barbara - Now Ranked: 128

Paskin was pushed into a prominent role on the Santa Barbara staff this spring with injuries to a pair of D1 commit arms on the staff, but the sophomore lefthander responded with a strong spring season. He mixes a trio of presently sound offerings fronted by his 80-84 MPH FB with sink/run in the shape and tunnels into a sound mid-70s CHG and the makings of a potentially quality CB with feel for the offering. Paskin is a clean mover on the mound with feel to pound the strike zone and the makings of a long-term starter whose ceiling has potential should he continue to add life to his sound present arsenal.

+ OF William Lynch - Harvard Westlake - Now Ranked: 135

Lynch saw significant time in the lineup this spring for the Wolverines as they advanced to the CIF-SS D1 semifinals, and during that time, he showed well, facing off against the consistently elite level competition the Wolverines play. His profile at present is fronted by a strong hit tool with natural barrel awareness and feel to use the whole field, giving him a hitterish vibe and quality athleticism. With the potential to man CF in the future as he matures and a frame that can add plenty of strength, the debut he makes at 135 is likely to not be the highest he appears on this list in the future. His showing at the FGT: Malibu event was a confirmation that his name is one to keep tabs on for college coaches.

+ RHP/INF Matthew Prior - St. Augustine - Now Ranked: 138

Prior not only boasts a famous last name as the son of Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior (former number 2 overall pick), but he has the frame and arm strength at present to garner plenty of intrigue. During the spring season, he flashed well for Vinnie Alfino with an FB that worked its way up to 89 with potential for more to come in the future. His skillset is not limited to the mound, as he presents a sound offensive profile to go with his upside on the mound. He debuts inside the Top 150 players in the class.

+ RHP/1B Xaiden Castillo - Chaparral - Now Ranked: 152

The physical product out of the Temecula area was impressive during live looks this spring for Vinnie Alfino, with his ability to generate loud impact at the plate and raw arm strength on the mound. He showed a present FB up to 89 with a batting average approaching .400 while blasting multiple homers in the spring. He joins our board just outside the Top 150 and could push higher as he continues to develop his raw tools to the next level.

+ CLICK HERE FOR FULL RANKINGS LIST

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