With the 2024 Florida high school baseball season fully underway, it got us thinking: Who are some of the state’s top teams in recent years? So, going back to the 2020 season, here is our ranking of the five best individual Florida high school baseball teams during that span, starting with No. 5.
5. 2022 IMG Academy Ascenders
- Overall Record: 23-2
- End Result: N/A
- Runs Scored: 211
- Runs Allowed: 69
The IMG Academy Ascenders lost only two games on their way to a 23-2 overall record in 2022, one of which came to an out-of-state team.
IMG had one of the best high school draft prospects that year in outfielder Elijah Green, as well as one of the best pitchers nationally in fellow senior Jackson Ferris, who owned an 8-0 record with a 1.03 ERA and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 103-to-15 across 54.1 innings pitched.
4. 2021 IMG Academy Ascenders
- Overall Record: 23-2
- End Result: N/A
- Runs Scored: 207
- Runs Allowed: 40
The 2021 version of the Ascenders went 23-2 overall that year, with one of the losses coming against an out-of-state team.
IMG held a combined .342 batting average that season, led by a stellar senior season from the duo of Drake Varnado and James Wood.
3. 2023 IMG Academy Ascenders
- Overall Record: 25-0
- End Result: N/A
- Runs Scored: 239
- Runs Allowed: 47
IMG Academy in 2023 was one of two Florida high school baseball teams to finish the year undefeated, as the Ascenders went 25-0 against a regional schedule across the Southeast, outscoring opponents a combined 239-47.
The Ascenders held a combined .379 batting average as a team and had a pair of hitters with more than 30 RBIs and batting averages over .400 with senior duo Tayshaun Walton and Stone Russell.
2. 2022 Stoneman Douglas Eagles
- Overall Record: 30-2
- End Result: Class 7A State Champions
- Runs Scored: 252
- Runs Allowed: 47
In 2022, Stoneman Douglas won their second consecutive Class 7A state championship. They finished the season 30-2 overall and outscored opponents a combined 252-47.
The Eagles had a combined .348 batting average as a team, headlined by one of the state’s top hitters that year in senior Roman Anthony. Anthony held a .520 batting average with 10 home runs, 40 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases across 32 games for the 2022 season.
1. 2023 Stoneman Douglas Eagles
- Overall Record: 29-0
- End Result: Class 7A State Champions
- Runs Scored: 248
- Runs Allowed: 33
The 2023 version of Stoneman Douglas completed the Eagles’ three-peat as Class 7A baseball state champions in an impressive fashion, going undefeated at 29-0 while outscoring opponents a combined 248-33 for the year.
The Eagles staff held a combined 0.79 ERA for the year and were led by one of the state’s top players in senior Christian Rodriguez, who was truly dominant on the mound. Rodriguez owned a 12-0 record with a 0.69 ERA and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 117-to-13 across 70.2 innings pitched.
Here are a few honorable mentions that didn’t quite make the Top 5, but are still worth noting: 2023 Sickles, 2021 Stoneman Douglas, 2023 Calvary Christian-Clearwater.
Make sure to check back in next week as we rank the five best overall Florida high school baseball programs since 2020.
