SBLive's Washington high school baseball power rankings: Puyallup No. 1 in competitive 4A field

West Seattle sits atop 3A, Tumwater is the team to beat in 2A and Cedar Park Christian is the 1A favorite. The most dangerous team in 2B? Toutle Lake and its two Division I pitchers.

Andy Buhler, SBLive Sports | May 2, 2022

SBLive's Washington high school baseball power rankings: Puyallup No. 1 in competitive 4A field /

For the first time in three years, the high school baseball postseason in Washington is set to return.

The RPI is active, seeding committees are being introduced this year by the WIAA and those committees have already met for a state playoff seeding trial run.

Seeding and bracket placement aside, teams built for the playoffs typically have a few common characteristics.

(Washington high school softball rankings, April 25: Undefeated Jackson still on top of Class 4A)

“To win a state championship," one coach said, "you gotta pitch, defend — and get a little bit of luck.”

Here are SBLive's top 10 statewide baseball rankings for each WIAA classification, as of Monday, May 2:

CLASS 4A

1. Puyallup (17-2)

2. West Valley (Yakima) (16-1)

3. Olympia (16-3)

4. Camas (14-4)

5. Mount Si (14-5)

6. Kamiakin (16-4)

7. Issaquah (15-5)

8. Battle Ground (10-4)

9. Tahoma (13-4)

10. Jackson (16-5)

Just missed: Richland (15-5), Sumner (14-5), Moses Lake (13-4), Eastlake (14-6), Skyview (11-7), Kamiak (12-7).

CLASS 3A

1. West Seattle (19-1)

2. Bainbridge (15-2)

3. Kennewick (20-2)

4. Lake Washington (15-4)

5. University (16-3)

6. Mt. Spokane (16-4)

7. O’Dea (13-5)

8. Mercer Island (13-5)

9. Lincoln (Seattle) (14-5)

10. Bishop Blanchet (14-6)

Just missed: Auburn (16-4), Peninsula (13-6), Snohomish (15-6), Seattle Prep (13-7).

CLASS 2A

1. Tumwater (13-5)

2. North Kitsap (14-2)

3. Columbia River (12-4)

4. Lynden (16-4)

5. Selah (15-5)

6. W.F. West (12-6)

7. Ephrata (16-4)

8. Mark Morris (12-4)

9. West Valley of Spokane (14-3)

10. Enumclaw (13-3)

Just missed: Shadle Park (12-3), Steilacoom (12-4), Ellensburg (10-9), Ridgefield (12-6).

CLASS 1A

1. Cedar Park Christian (19-1)

2. Chelan (17-3)

3. Bellevue Christian (16-0)

4. King’s Way (14-2)

5. Deer Park (15-5)

6. Colville (14-5)

7. College Place (11-2)

8. Montesano (13-3)

9. Klahowya (14-4)

10. Naches Valley (13-5)

Just missed: La Center (10-5), Overlake (12-7), Kiona Benton (12-4), Medical Lake (15-4).

CLASS 2B

1. Toutle Lake (17-1)

2. Brewster (16-2)

3. Kalama (16-3)

4. Jenkins (Chewelah) (14-2)

5. Northwest Christian (15-3)

6. Forks (11-0)

7. Tri-Cities Prep (13-2)

8. Liberty Bell (11-3)

9. Friday Harbor (12-2)

10. Kittitas-Thorp (11-3)

Just missed: Cle Elum (12-4), Toledo (10-6), Warden (10-5), Okanogan (10-5).

CLASS 1B

1. DeSales (14-0)

2. Crosspoint (15-1)

3. Wilbur-Creston-Keller (15-3)

4. ACH (14-3)

5. Naselle (7-2)

6. Curlew (11-5)

7. Sound Christian (8-4)

8. Odessa (10-6)

9. Northport (8-6)

10. Liberty Christian (6-4)

Just missed: Mossyrock (5-2), Curlew (11-5), Moses Lake Christian Academy (7-4), Orcas Island (6-5).

Published May 2, 2022

ANDY BUHLER, SBLIVE SPORTS

Andy Buhler is a Regional Editor of Texas and the national breaking news desk. He brings more than five years of experience covering high school sports across the state of Washington and beyond, where he covered the likes of Paolo Banchero and Tari Eason served on state tournament seeding committees. He works on the SBLive/Sports Illustrated Power 25 national boys basketball rankings. He has covered everything from the Final Four, MLS in Atlanta to local velodrome before diving into the world of preps. His bylines can be found in The News Tribune (Tacoma, Washington), The Associated Press, The Columbian (Vancouver, Washington), The Oregonian and more. He holds a degree from Gonzaga and is based out of Portland, Oregon.