MaxPreps 2015 Alaska preseason baseball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

1. Lathrop (Fairbanks)
2014 finish: 14-2
Head coach: Tyler Hollister

Lathrop lost its first game at the state tournament, but won its final two to win the consolation bracket. The Malemutes return seven of the top nine offensive performers from last year, including Cameron Walker, who batted .429 with five triples, and Mike Fitzpatrick, who batted .415 and had a 2-0 pitching record.

View last season's Alaska baseball rankings, presented by the Army National Guard

2. South (Anchorage)
2014 finish: 9-3
Head coach: Taylor Nerland

South won the state championship in 2013 and finished second to Sitka last year with an 11-10 loss in the finals. While South loses all-state outfielder Spencer Floyd and pitcher Alec Valdez, it returns possibly the state's top pitcher in Nick Jensen, who struck out 16 batters in a first-round playoff game last year.

View last season's Alaska baseball playoff brackets

3. Wasilla
2014 finish: 17-2
Head coach: Jason Terryberry

Wasilla made its first trip to the state tournament last year since 2001. The Warriors went 2-1 at the tournament, falling only to eventual champion Sitka in the semifinals. Eric McEnnis is the team's top returning player. He batted .387 as a sophomore and earned all-state honors.

View last season's Alaska baseball stat leaders

4. Sitka
2014 finish: 6-3 (incomplete)
Head coach: Matt Way

The defending state champions will miss pitcher Erickson Fisher, who threw a no-hitter in the semifinals of last year's state tournament, as well as all-state first baseman Brian Way. Trevan Coleman, who made the all-tournament team last year at the state finals as a sophomore, is the team's top returning player.

View the MaxPreps Alaska baseball pro photo galleries

5. Colony (Palmer)
2014 finish: 2-7 (incomplete)
Head coach: Jordan Chadwell

Colony knocked off Lathrop in the first round of last year's state tournament but then fell to South (Anchorage) and Wasilla in the next two rounds. Brendan Jakeimiec, one of the team's top returning pitchers and hitters from last year, returns.