Best high school baseball player in each state for the 2017 season

Video: Owen Lovell highlights vs. Hartselle
Cullman outfielder is the top player in Alabama.

With the 2017 high school baseball season right around the corner, MaxPreps takes a look at the best high school baseball player in each state.

The player chosen does not necessarily rank as the best prospect in the state, but generally is a top prospect who has also earned statewide, or even national acclaim for his play thus far in his high school career.

Note: Players are not chosen for Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming, as those states do not have baseball as a sanctioned sport by their respective state governing bodies.

Alabama
Owen Lovell, Cullman, 6-5, 225, OF
Lovell has been one of the top power hitters in the state since his freshman season. He earned Alabama Super State Player of the Year honors last year after batting .389 with 64 RBI, 14 home runs, 15 doubles and 47 runs scored. He also pitched and went 7-0 with a 1.43 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 49 innings pitched.

Alaska
Jonny Homza, South (Anchorage), 6-0, 180, IF
The Gatorade State Player of the Year led South to a state championship. He batted .517 with 17 runs scored and threw a no-hitter last year.

Arizona
Nick Brueser, Hamilton (Chandler), 6-2, 190, 1B
One of the best players in Arizona since his sophomore season when he earned All-State honors, Brueser ranks as one of the nation's top first basemen. He was the state Player of the Year in Arizona by Gatorade and the Arizona Republic after batting .442 with 47 RBI, 13 doubles and nine home runs.

Arkansas
Hunter Milligan, Greenbrier, 6-4, 215, P
The top pitcher in the state, Milligan has already signed to play at Arkansas. Last year he went 4-2 with a 1.20 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 53 innings pitched.

California
Hunter Greene, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks), 6-3, 185, IF
Greene could be the first high school player chosen in the MLB Draft in June. One of the top infielders in the nation, Greene is also valued as a pitcher. He was a member of the Los Angeles Times and Daily News all-area teams last year after batting .419 with five home runs and nine doubles. He also had a 5-3 pitching record with a 1.63 ERA and 68 strikeouts. Has hit 96 mph on his fastball.

Colorado
Conner Nantkes, Cherokee Trail (Aurora), 6-2, 180, P
The only junior on the CHSAANow Class 5A All-State team, Nantkes batted .449 with 10 doubles and 22 RBI. He also had a 7-2 record with 51 strikeouts and a 1.62 ERA for a Cherokee Trail team that won the Class 5A state championship.

Connecticut
Pat Winkel, Amity Regional (Woodbridge), 6-2, 185, C
A catcher on the last two state championship teams at Amity (the Spartans have won four in a row), Winkel, a junior, batted .330 and drove in 32 RBI in earning all-state honors by MSGVarsity.com.

Delaware
Brock Nowell, Conrad Science (Wilmington), 5-11, 170, C
Nowell has earned All-State honors for three straight seasons and was also a MaxPreps Freshman All-American in 2014.

Florida
Alex Toral, Archbishop McCarthy (Fort Lauderdale), 6-2, 220, 1B
Toral was once considered the No. 1 player in the Class of 2017. He will most certainly be a first-round pick in the June MLB draft after batting .310 with four home runs and 32 runs scored. He helped Archbishop McCarthy to a Class 6A state championship last year and earned All-Broward County honors by the Miami Herald.

Georgia
DL Hall, Valdosta, 6-2, 170, P
Considered the top left-handed pitcher in the country, Hall earned All-Middle Georgia honors last year while helping lead Houston County (Warner Robins, Ga.) to a state championship. Hall has transferred back to Valdosta, where he started as a freshman. Last year, he went 6-1 with a 1.81 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 58 innings pitched.

Hawaii
Joey Cantillo, Kailua, 6-4, 225, P
Cantillo was one of the state's top pitchers and hitters as a junior while earning All-State honors. He posted a 5-1 pitching record with 51 strikeouts and a 1.23 ERA. Offensively, Cantillo batted .324 with four doubles and a home run.

Idaho
Ryan Hansen, Rocky Mountain (Meridian), 5-7, 140, OF
Hansen has been a standout in the outfield for Rocky Mountain for the past two seasons, earning All-State honors as a sophomore and a junior.

Illinois
Brendan Murphy, Mundelein, 6-4, 210, P
Hitting up to 93 mph on his fastball, Murphy helped Mundelein reach the section finals with a 10-2 record and 102 strikeouts in 63 innings pitched. As a sophomore, Murphy went 8-1 with 94 strikeouts.

Indiana
Chandler Ferguson, Lafayette Jefferson, 6-3, 193, P
Regarded by several scouting agencies as the state's top prospect, Ferguson posted a 5-3 record last year with 73 strikeouts and a 1.13 ERA in 55.2 innings pitched. He was also solid at the plate with a .431 average that included 14 RBI and six doubles.

Iowa
Jack Dreyer, Johnston, 6-2, 180, LHP
All-State as a sophomore when he went 7-0, Dreyer is the son of former MLB pitcher Steve Dreyer.

Kansas
Jake Randa, East (Shawnee Mission, Kan.), 6-0, 185
East had the state's top player in Joey Wentz last year and this year they might have another one in Randa.He earned All-State honors in the outfield and he also pitched for the state champions.

Kentucky
Jordon Adell, Ballard (Louisville), 6-3, 200, OF
Adell ranks as the top outfield prospect in the nation and is a potential first-round pick in the MLB Draft in June. He batted .449 with 11 home runs and 44 RBI last year in earning All-State honors.

Louisiana
Adam Goree, Barbe (Lake Charles), 5-11, 175, P
Barbe has won a state championship all three years that Goree has played for the Buccaneers, who are favored to win a fourth straight. Goree was a threat on the mound and at the plate as he posted an 8-1 record with a 1.17 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 66 innings pitched. He also batted .464 with three home runs.

Maine
Cam Guarino, Falmouth, 5-11, 180, P
Guarino was the ace for a Falmouth team that went 19-1. He earned All-State honors going 10-0 on the bump with a 0.33 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 64 innings pitched.

Maryland
Harold Cortijo, Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro), 6-2, 180, P
Cortijo was the top pitcher for a team that went 35-3 last year. He posted an 8-1 mark with a 1.79 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 70.1 innings pitched. At the plate, Cortijo batted .531 with 40 RBI, nine doubles 34 runs and three home runs.

Massachusetts
Sam Lara, Central Catholic (Lawrence), 6-4, 225, P
Already committed to St. John's University, Lara's fastball reportedly hits 90 mph and should be one of the top pitchers in the northeast.

Michigan
Steve Mann, Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills), 6-0, 195, OF
The quarterback at Detroit Country Day, Mann is also one of the top outfielders in the nation. H's headed to play at Duke and he has earned All-State honors in both football and baseball.

Minnesota
Sam Carlson, Burnsville, 6-4, 190, OF
An All-State selection as a junior, Carlson hits 90 mph on the hill and is also one of the state's top outfielders. He already has signed to play at Florida.

Mississippi
Joseph Gray, Hattiesburg, 6-2, 185, IF,
Last year as a sophomore, Gray earned All-State honors from the Clarion-Ledger and the Mississippi Association of Coaches. He batted .474 with 45 RBI and seven home runs. He also posted a 5-0 record with 49 strikeouts. He is regarded as one of the top players in the Class of 2018.

Missouri
Mark Vierling, Christian Brothers (St. Louis), 6-0, 180, SS
The younger brother of former CB All-State standout Matt Vierling, Mark batted .313 with 29 runs, six doubles, two home runs and 21 RBI for Christian Brothers and is one of the top shortstop prospects in the country.

Nebraska
Cameron Taylor, Bellevue West (Bellevue), 6-1, 180, P
Taylor was one of the top pitchers in the state as a junior, earning second team All-Super State honors. He posted a 5-1 record with a 2.13 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 46 innings pitched.

Nevada
Jack Wold, Basic (Henderson), 5-10, 190, IF
Wold helped lead Basic to a Division I state championship last season. He earned All-State honors with a .446 average, 16 doubles, five home runs and 45 RBI.

New Hampshire
Grant Lavigne, Bedford, 6-4, 220, IF
LaVigne earned state Player of the Year honors from American Family Insurance as a sophomore after batting .500 with 28 RBI, 29 runs and six home runs.

New Jersey
Devin Ortiz, St. Joseph Regional (Montvale), 6-2, 185, IF
Named to the All-New Jersey team by MSG Varsity, Ortiz has been a starter for St. Joseph Regional since his freshman season. He batted .342 with 13 RBI and three home runs. He had a huge sophomore season, batting over .500 with 40 RBI, 15 doubles and 4 home runs.

New Mexico
Trevor Rogers, Carlsbad, 6-5, 190, P
Rogers could become just the fourth player from New Mexico to be chosen in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft. He earned All-Rocky Mountain Region honors from the National High School Baseball Coaches Association after leading Carlsbad to a Class 6A state championship. He posted a 9-2 record with a 0.71 ERA and 122 strikeouts in just 69 innings pitched.

New York
Leugim Castillo, Lancaster, 6-2, 220, OF
Castillo helped lead Lancaster to a 21-3 record last year hitting .500 with 30 runs, 7 doubles and 7 home runs. He earned All-State honors by the New York Sports Writers Association and is expected to be chosen in the early rounds of the MLB Draft in June.

North Carolina
Justin Bullock, South Granville (Creedmoor), 6-2, 200, P
Bullock led South Granville to the Class 2A state championship game. He earned All-State honors with a .460 average and 38 RBI, 11 doubles and 10 home runs. He also posted a 10-3 record with 141 strikeouts and a 1.49 ERA in 70.2 innings.

North Dakota
Cameron Jorda, Dickinson, 5-11, 180, IF
Jorda helped Dickinson go 29-9 and win the Division I state championship. He earned a spot on the all-tournament team.

Ohio
Brock Mathis, Fairfield, 6-1, 200, C
A Louisville commit, Mathis batted .406 for the Greater Miami Conference champions, including eight doubles, three home runs and 16 RBI.

Oklahoma
Conner Uselton, Southmoore (Moore), 6-3, 185, OF
One of the top outfielders in the nation, Uselton earned All-State honors by the Oklahoma City Oklahoman and was an All-Region 6 selection by Rawlings. He batted .514 with 41 runs, 39 RBI, 10 doubles and nine home runs as a junior.

Oregon
Tim Tawa, West Linn, 6-0, 175, IF
One of the top all-around athletes in the nation, Tawa is headed to Stanford on a baseball scholarship and has been All-State three straight seasons. He also is a three-time Gatorade state Player of the Year winner in football and is the state's all-time passing yardage record holder.

Pennsylvania
Shane Muntz, Malvern Prep (Malvern), 6-0, 200, C
Playing for one of the top teams in the state, Muntz earned All-State honors as a junior while leading Malvern Prep to a 29-6 record. He hit .364 with 29 RBI, five doubles and six home runs.

Rhode Island
Steven Rocchio, Cranston West (Cranston), 6-1, 165, P
The Cy Young award winner in Division 1-A as a junior, Rocchio also earned all-state honors by the Providence Journal after posting a 1.50 ERA in 51.1 innings pitched.

South Carolina
Jack Stamler, Mann (Greenville), 6-0, 190, P
Stamler went undefeated last season, helping Mann reach the Class 4A state championship game. He  was 9-0 with 87 strikeouts and a 0.74 ERA in 76 innings. He earned All-State honors by the state coaches association.

Tennessee
Weston Bizzle, Christian Brothers (Memphis), 5-10, 195, P
A Mr. Baseball Finalist by the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association last year, Bizzle posted an 8-1 record with 92 strikeouts and a 1.44 ERA while leading Christian Brothers to the Division II-AA state championship.

Texas
Cole Turney, Fort Bend Travis (Richmond), 6-1, 200, OF
With many players returning from last year's 25-5-1 team, Fort Bend Travis could be one of the top teams in Texas this year. Turney is a big reason why after hitting .344 last season with a team-high 28 RBI and six home runs.

Utah
Kaden Stewart, Salem Hills (Salem), 6-0, 190, P
As a junior, Stewart helped Salem Hills to a 27-4 record and posting an 11-0 mark on the mound with a 1.25 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 61.2 innings pitched. He earned Class 4A All-State honors by the Deseret News.

Vermont
Griffin Stalcup, Burr & Burton (Manchester), 6-2, 185, IF
The Gatorade state Player of the Year in football, Stalcup also is a baseball standout. As a pitcher, he earned All-State honors while helping Burr & Burton to the Division I state championship game.

Virginia
Hunter Perdue, Grassfield (Chesapeake), 6-3, 180, P
Perdue earned Aall-Tidewater second team honors last year and has signed with Virginia. He helped Grassfield to a 20-3 record and had a 0.71 ERA last season.

Washington
Shane McGuire, Kentwood (Covington), 6-0, 180, C
McGuire earned All-State honors after leading Kentwood to the Class 4A state championship game. As the team's catcher, McGuire batted .447 with 23 RBI, nine doubles and six triples. He has committed to play at San Diego.

West Virginia
Philip Hoffman, Wahama (Mason), 6-2, 220, P
Hoffman led Wahama to a Class 1A state championship last year and was the Class 1A state Player of the Year. He posted a 9-4 record with 159 strikeouts and a 0.49 ERA. He also batted .530 with 34 RBI.

Wisconsin
Jared Kelenic, West (Waukesha), 5-11, 184, OF
One of the top outfield prospects in the nation for the Class of 2018, Kelenic played for Team USA and won the gold medal at the Pan American Games last autumn. He batted .407 for Team USA and led the team in hits and total bases.