Prep baseball preview: Elk Grove starts No. 1; McClatchy’s Malcolm Moore an MVP favorite

The Elk Grove High School baseball team ended last season ranked at the top of by The Sacramento Bee.

And that’s where the Herd will start the season. Elk Grove is The Bee’s top-ranked baseball team and the Herd have their sights set on winning a 12th section championship, which would be the most in the Sac-Joaquin Section history. There was no postseason the last two baseball seasons because of COVID-19.

The Herd has the team and senior depth to do it. Elk Grove’s key returners are Kade Brown, A.J. Hutcheson, Aiden Jimenez, Korey Williams and Ryan Zamora. Senior Noah Canter, who led Elk Grove in hits and runs scored, will likely miss the entire season due to a torn Achilles sustained in the offseason.

“That’s going to be our strength,” Elk Grove coach Joe Bellotti said of his seniors. “The senior part definitely helps. I only have one guy that’s played in a playoff game and that’s Korey Williams. Having seniors helps because of how we scheduled in the past. There are a lot of unknowns. Everybody is in the same boat. The playoffs are going to be a new experience for these groups.”

The Bee’s Coach of the Year from the spring added, “It’s exciting to have playoffs back. The baseball playoffs (are) special. With it being the last of the championships is kind of special, too. We are that last section championship that’s won. There’s something special about that — ending your school year or career with the possibility of winning a section championship.”

Another notable team from the Delta League is No. 4 Franklin, which is led by star junior Nolan Stevens. He committed to defending College Baseball World Series champion Mississippi State earlier this year. Other teams from the Delta League ranked are No. 13 Jesuit, No. 14 Pleasant Grove and No. 15 Davis.

Woodcreek opens up as The Bee’s second-ranked team. It’s a spot where the Timberwolves ended the season after ending the season on a 16-game win streak.

Some notable returners for the Timberwolves are Jake Harvey, Zack Malone, Riley Tagert and Jacob Whitaker. Woodcreek senior and Santa Clara signee Caden Thompson had surgery in the offseason and is expected to miss the first few weeks of the season. Sophomore Austin Nye transferred from Roseville; the Vanderbilt commit, will have to sit out the first 30 days before playing.

The area’s top player may well be McClatchy’s Malcolm Moore. His team opens the season ranked No. 5. Moore was The Bee’s Player of the Year last season and has garnered serious attention from MLB teams already. More than 20 big league scouts have been at McClatchy’s first two games of the season.

“(Malcolm’s) focus when (scouts come) is one of his biggest attributes,” McClatchy coach Mike de Necochea said. “I haven’t seen anyone other than Max Stassi do it really well. I’m spoiled to have him for four years.”

Other key returners from the Lions include Julian Carmona, Jordan Gallow, Gabe Henderson, Jaylon Hodges, Shon Lor and Mason Ogihara.

The Sierra Foothill League is also well represented in the rankings. Leading the group is No. 3 Granite Bay. They have a pair of Sacramento State signees in Brett Ott and J.P. Smith. The other ranked team’s from the league are No. 6 Oak Ridge, No. 7 Rocklin, No. 11 Folsom and No. 19 Whitney.

The Capital Athletic League has three teams in the top 10. Vista del Lago starts the season ranked 8th, followed by No. 9 Rio Americano and No. 10 Del Campo.

THE BEE’S TOP 25 Baseball Rankings

With 2021 record

1. Elk Grove 23-4

2. Woodcreek 22-4

3. Granite Bay 20-7

4. Franklin 20-8

5. McClatchy 20-4

6. Oak Ridge 12-12

7. Rocklin 15-11

8. Vista del Lago 14-13-1

9. Rio Americano 25-2

10. Del Campo 20-9

11. Folsom 13-10-1

12. Placer 20-8

13. Jesuit 15-13

14. Pleasant Grove 18-10

15. Davis 18-10

16. Vacaville 8-9

17. Ponderosa 18-7

18. Laguna Creek 18-3

19. Whitney 7-19

20. Bella Vista 9-13

21. Lincoln 16-12

22. Vanden 12-5

23. Oakmont 13-12

24. Roseville 20-8

25. River City (18-5)

Bubble teams: Bradshaw Christian (11-4), Christian Brothers (13-14), Colfax (21-6), Cosumnes Oaks(14-14), Cordova (15-9), Del Oro (7-20), Marysville (18-4), Nevada Union (8-12), Pioneer (12-3), Sutter (17-7), West Campus (19-5).