The return of our annual ranking of the top programs in North Carolina is here. Every year we try and produce a ranking of the programs involved in travel baseball. This ranking is based off performance across all of the youth age groups (8u-13u) and is meant to be a cumulative assessment of a program's overall performance. These rankings say NOTHING about the quality of instruction, cost/value of a program, or the quality of the players and families involved with these and other organizations. Congratulations to all the programs who made our rankings.
1. Showcase Baseball Academy
Showcase Baseball Academy (SBA) is based out of Matthews and has been one of the top performing youth programs in North Carolina for years. They have several of their own facilities, and teams are based out of these facilities and are largely (although not completely) ordered into top teams, 2nd teams, 3rd teams, etc. This year they had 10 total teams finish our rankings across 6 age groups. This including 8u #4 SBA Futures, 9u #1 SBA Rowan and #4 SBA Futures, 10u #1 SBA Futures, 11u #1 SBA Futures, #3 SBA Nationals, and #12 SBA Americans, 12u #4 SBA Futures, and 13u #1 SBA Futures and #16 SBA Patriots Black. That's 10 total ranked teams, and 8 total top 5 teams including 4 #1's in 6 age groups. They also had 9 teams finish in our rankings this past spring, including 3 #1's (9u, 10u, & 12u) as well as 7 teams finish within the top 5 of their respective age groups. No other program can match that level of success in North Carolina this past year. SBA changed ownership in 2018 and has begun expanding beyond their original location to include teams and facilities in Rockwell and Mooresville. As best we can gather, their program now consists of at least 24 teams across the 8u-13u age groups (as well as teams in the older age groups) and we'd expect SBA to continue to grow.
2. Dirtbags Baseball
Dirtbags Baseball was founded in 2002 by Andy Partin. Over the past nearly two decades, the Dirtbags have produced over 1000 collegiate players, over 200 MLB draftees, and 28 players who have reached the Big Leagues. The Dirtbags have a slightly different youth model than that of SBA. Although their primary facility is located in Burlington, the North Carolina Dirtbags teams are scattered throughout the state extending from the coast to the mountains. This means teams are only loosely affiliated and not ordered 1-2-3/A-B-C in any way. At the youth level, the Dirtbags organization had one of the best years of any program in North Carolina, finishing with 9 teams ranked across the 8u-13u age groups. This included 9u #3 Dirtbags Black, #5 Dirtbags East, and #12 Dirtbags LKN, 10u #2 Dirtbags Black and #20 Dirtbags East, 11u #8 Dirtbags Black, 12u #3 Dirtbags Black and #11 Dirtbags East, and 13u #9 Dirtbags Legends. In the spring of 2019, the Dirtbags had an amazing 12 total teams finish in our rankings, including the #1 team in the 8u age group. They also had a total of 7 top 5 teams and 10 top 10 teams at the end of the 2018-2019 season. They were right behind SBA in overall performance and continue to expand the teams under their banner. The Dirtbags now have over 22 teams in North Carolina and have begun expanding into Virginia and South Carolina.
3. Five Star Carolina
Five Star National, based out of Warner Robbins, Georgia, moved into the state of North Carolina over the past 2-3 years and have made a huge mark on youth travel baseball in just a short time. Similar to the Dirtbags' model, Five Star's North Carolina program consists of loosely affiliated teams scattered throughout the state but largely in the Western part of the state and around the Charlotte area. They have incorporated organizations and teams such as Heat Baseball in Newton and the Mission Vipers/Athletic Barn in Waxhaw. They now have at least 9 teams with others continuing to join and finished with 6 teams ranked from 8u-13u. This included 8u #2 Five Star Carolina, 10u #8 Five Star Carolina - Young, 11u #4 Five Star Carolina - Jones, 13u #3 Five Star Carolina Champions, #7 Five Star Carolina - Neyra, and #10 Five Star WNC. In the spring of 2019, Five Star had 6 total teams in our rankings including 3 top 10 teams (9u and two 13u teams). They have also added several new teams for the spring including the #10 team in our 9u age group and we expect Five Star to become one of the dominant programs in North Carolina.
4. West Raleigh
West Raleigh is run a bit different from the vast majority of the top programs in North Carolina. The program centers around a competitive recreation program with seasons taking place in the spring and fall. At the end of the spring recreation season, all-star teams (blue, red, white, etc.) are formed and compete in all-star circuits (Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth, Pony, etc.) as well as travel baseball events. These all-star teams generally continue to play together in travel baseball events concurrently with recreation baseball in the fall. As a development-focused organization, they have routinely produced some of the best teams in North Carolina, particularly at the younger ages. Recently they added a showcase program for the older age groups (13u-18u) to continue to develop their players from the beginning to the end of their youth careers. This fall, West Raleigh finished with 5 ranked teams including teams ranked #1 in the 8u age group, #2 in the 9u age group, #11 in the 10u age group, #5 in the 11u age group, and #17 in the 12u age group. In the spring of 2019, West Raleigh finished with 5 ranked teams, including 4 ranked in our top 10 (8u, 9u, 10u, & 11u).
5. Canes Baseball
The Canes were formed in 2006 and are one of the best programs in the United States at the showcase/high school ages. At the youth level, the Canes are organized similarly to the Dirtbags with loose affiliated teams scattered across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland. They ended the fall with 5 teams ranked from 8u-13u. This included 9u #9 Canes Baseball NC - Hartman, 10u #6 Canes Baseball NC - Harris, 12u #2 Canes Baseball NC - Foster, 13u #2 Canes Baseball NC - Simpson and #4 Canes Baseball Eastern NC. The Canes also finished the spring season with 9 ranked teams including two #1's (11u & 13u) and 7 total top 10 teams. They too appear to be adding teams for 2020, and we expect this program to continue to grow as they leverage their national standing to attract youth players.
6. NCDB/Team Elite
North Carolina Development Baseball (NCDB) was formed in 2009 as a development-first organization in Raleigh. Expanding from their original single team, NCDB now has 8 teams from 8u-13u and has partnered with Team Elite at the older age groups (13u+) to provide the opportunity for their players to compete with one of the best showcase programs in the country. They are still based in the Raleigh metro area and have only recently begun expanding beyond a single team in each age group. In 2019, NCDB finished with 4 ranked teams, including 8u #11, 9u #15, 10u #17, and 12u #6 for a total of 4 ranked teams across our 6 youth age groups. This came on the heels of 6 teams who finished ranked at the end of the spring 2019 season, including 3 top 10 teams (8u, 11u, & 12u).
7. Carolina Rockies
The Rockies are a showcase/travel organization based out of Clemmons. Somewhat unique to the Rockies program, they have a 10,000 square foot indoor facility, high school field, and 50/70 youth field at a single complex. They recently combined efforts at the showcase/high school age groups with FUNGO baseball out of Raleigh, and field teams from 7u-18u. The Rockies finished with 3 ranked teams this past year including 10u #10 Rockies - Sullivan, 11u #13 Rockies - Stanton, and 13u #11 Carolina Rockies Gold. They also had 3 teams ranked at the end of the spring 2019 season. The Rockies now have approximately 14 teams spread from 8u-13u and their teams continue to make bigger impacts on their respective age groups.
8. LKN Baseball Club
LKN Baseball Club (LBC) are located on the eastern side of Lake Norman bring in players from Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, and other surrounding communities. They are based out of the Champions Performance Sports indoor facility in Cornelius. In addition, LBC boasts a total of 7 teams from 8u-13u (as well as a 14u team) and finished with 3 teams in our rankings including 10u #4 LBC Swarm, 11u #14 LBC Thunder, and 13u #15 LBC Attack. They also produced the #12 team in our 9u age group and the #19 team in our 12u age group this past spring.
9. Carolina Titans
The Titans are based out of Elizabeth City, but have teams from several locations in Eastern North Carolina. They had an impressive 2019, particularly in the spring. At the end of the 2018-2019 year, the Titans finished with 6 ranked teams from 8u-13u. This fall, the Titans had a total of two ranked teams, 10u #16 Carolina Titans and 13u #17 Carolina Titans Blue, as well as 9u Carolina Titans - Ricks, who finished #4 in our 9u Coastal Region.
10. Area Stars
The Area Stars, based out of the Athletes Choice Batting Center in Fayetteville, are one of the most rapidly expanding programs in the state. This past year they fielded at least 18 teams from 8u-13u. Among these teams, two finished in our rankings including 8u #6 Area Stars Orange and 9u #6 Area Stars Orange. They also had 2 teams ranked in our regional rankings including 10u Coastal Region #5 Area Stars Orange and 11u Coastal Region #5 Area Stars Orange. They also had the #13 team in our 8u age group in our final spring 2019 rankings.
11. Carolina Baseball Academy
Carolina Baseball Academy (CBA) has two indoor facilities located in Concord and Mooresville where their teams are based out of. They are another of the organizations that have teams ranging from 8u all the way through high school. At the youth levels, the Copperheads finished with 3 ranked teams across the 8u-13u age groups. This included 8u #13 CBA Copperheads Black as well as 12u #9 CBA Copperheads Black and #16 CBA Copperheads Red. In total, CBA fielded upwards of 12 teams in the youth age groups this past fall season.
12. Greenville Athletics
Similar to West Raleigh, Greenville Athletics is one of the more unique programs in our program rankings. They are a development-focused organization, with teams from 8u-18u. However, unlikely almost all other programs in North Carolina, they are active as travel teams primarily in late summer and fall while many of their players participate in Greenville's competitive Little League during the spring and early summer. This fall Greenville Athletics produced 3 ranked teams including 8u #14 Greenville Athletics, 9u #8 Greenville Athletics Black, and 11u #10 Greenville Athletics - Scott.
13. Rock Solid
Rock Solid, based out of Coastal Athletics in Wilmington, is another of the high quality, development-focused organizations in North Carolina. Their organization is staffed by multiple ex-collegiate and professional players, from which their players receive instruction and coaching. They have teams from 8u-18u with a well established high school showcase program. They have as many as 12 youth teams and finished the fall with two ranked teams including 11u #7 Rock Solid Red and 13u #12 Rock Solid Red. In the spring of 2019, Rock Solid finished with 2 ranked teams with the 6th ranked team in our 10u age group and #7 team in the 12u age group.
14. GRIT Performance
GRIT is based out of Greensboro/Advance area and 5 total teams across our youth age groups (8u-13u) this fall. They, like several other programs in our rankings, have an indoor facility from which they base their operations. They finished the spring with one ranked team (11u #5) and produced two ranked teams this fall in 9u #10 GRIT and 12u #7 GRIT - Culler and continue to look to expand as they head into 2020.
15. LKN Hurricanes
The Lake Norman (LKN) Hurricanes program is based out of Denver, and consists of a 4,000 square foot indoor facility as well as full outdoor field. This fall, the Hurricanes produced an impressive 3 ranked teams this fall, including 9u #7, 12u #19, and 13u #14. In addition, the Hurricanes had the #12 team in our 12u rankings in the spring of 2019.