Top 25 North Carolina High School Baseball Preseason Preseason State Rankings

East Rowan will open the 2025 season as North Carolina's top-ranked team; Metrolina, T.C. Roberson, Wayne Country Day and Greene Central round out the Top 5

Roberson defeated West Forsyth 8-5, May 17, 2024. / Angela Wilhelm/Citizen Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

The start of the 2025 high school baseball season is just around the corner in North Carolina and so it’s time for our preseason top 25 power rankings.

Each team will include last season’s record.

1. East Rowan (34-2)

Led by North Carolina commit Harrison Ailshee, a superstar on the mound and with the bat, the Mustangs will try to defend their 3-A state championship.

2. Metrolina Christian (29-2) 

The Warriors are well-positioned to repeat their North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association 4-A state championship with three power arms – Clemson commit Chase Kiker, Maryland commit Case Gibbs, and 6-foot-4, 255-pound Bryson Josey – returning. Gibbs is a grandson of former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs.

3. T.C. Roberson (28-4)

The 2024 4-A state champions have a veteran roster.

4. Wayne Country Day (28-4)

With their four top pitchers returning, the Chargers are in great position to repeat as NCISAA 2-A state champions.

5. Greene Central (29-1)

The Rams have plenty of returnees from their 2-A state championship team.

6. Randleman (21-6)

The Tigers ran into a hot pitcher and fell in the third round of the 2-A state playoffs last year, their shortest postseason run in over a decade. Randleman won back-to-back state championships in 2021 and 2022.

7. Ashley (26-6)

Ashley returns North Carolina State commit Quinn Bentley and all its top pitchers for a run at the 4-A state championship.

8. Grace Christian (20-7)

The Crusaders lost their ace pitcher to graduation but replaced him with South Carolina commit Luke Roupe, who transferred from North Myrtle Beach (S.C.). Grace Christian is the NCISAA 4-A reigning state champion.

9. Wake Forest (23-4)

The Cougars have several starters, including two pitchers, back from a team that reached the fourth round of the 4-A state playoffs.

10. Uwharrie Charter (28-6)

Coach Rob Shore brings the Eagles back for what they hope is a three-peat as 1-A state champions.

11. J.H. Rose (23-3)

The Rampants are coming off a season in which they reached the third round of the 4-A state playoffs where they lost 1-0 in 11 innings to Lee County.

12. Pinecrest (24-5)

Ace pitcher Bohdi Robertson leads the Patriots, who reached the fourth round of the 2-A state playoffs.

13. Wesleyan Christian (23-7)

Led by 6-foot-8 pitcher Sam Cozart, who is a Texas commit, the Trojans were runners-up to Metrolina Christian.

14. South Central (24-6)

South Central has a veteran roster.

15. D.H. Conley (21-4)

The Vikings reached the third round of the 4-A state playoffs last year.

16. Tuscola (22-7)

Tuscola has a lot of players back from a team that pushed East Rowan to three games in the 3-A semifinals.

17. North Davidson (19-7)

The Black Knights were close last year, falling 2-0 to Tuscola in the third round. They have North Carolina commit Justin Mabe back for one more season.

18. Cox Mill (20-5)

The Chargers have two of their best pitchers back from a team that reached the third round of the 4-A state playoffs.

19. Morehead (25-3)

Morehead will try to reload after losing several key players to graduation.

20. West Henderson (21-5)

The Falcons reached the third round of the 4-A state playoffs last year.

21. Burns (31-3)

Burns reached the 2024 2-A state championship series.

22. East Rutherford (27-3)

One of the state’s premier programs returns all but four players from last year’s team.

23. Charlotte Christian (22-8)

The Knights are annually one of the top teams in the NCISAA.

24. West Forsyth (23-7)

The Titans lost to eventual state champion T.C. Roberson in the fourth round, stopping a seven-game winning streak.

25. Cuthbertson (25-3)

The Cavaliers won the Southern Carolina Conference and have several returning players.