Ninth annual NHSI to be held from April 6-9 in Cary, North Carolina

USA Baseball has announced the 16-team field for the 2022 National High School Invitational (NHSI) presented by the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance and the Town of Cary. The ninth annual event will be held from April 6-9 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina, after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

The field is highlighted by three past champions, including three-time defending champion Orange Lutheran High School (Orange, Calif.), as well as The First Academy (Orlando, Fla.) and Huntington Beach High School (Huntington Beach, Calif.).

“USA Baseball is thrilled to put the national spotlight on high school baseball with the ninth National High School Invitational,” said USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO Paul Seiler. “This event traditionally plays host to the country’s best prep baseball players and programs, offering an unparalleled baseball experience for these elite teams, as well as their families and fans. We look forward to another competitive tournament, and we cannot wait to welcome these sixteen incredible programs to Cary in April.”

Orange Lutheran returns in 2022 looking for its tournament-record fourth consecutive title. The Lancers have won 13 consecutive games at the NHSI dating back to 2014 and hold a 15-4 all-time record at the event. The program will make the trip to Cary for the sixth time (2012, 2014, 2017-19) after most recently defeating Harvard-Westlake School, 6-2, to claim the 2019 trophy. In 2021, the Lancers reached the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section Division 1 Championship Semifinals.

The First Academy and Huntington Beach will also each look to claim another title in 2022 after winning the tournament in 2014 and 2016, respectively. The First Academy returns to Cary for the third time, and the first since 2016, after winning the 3A Florida State title in 2021, while Huntington Beach will make its fourth appearance at the event this April.

In addition to the three returning champions, the 2022 field features four programs that also participated in past editions of the event. Hamilton High School (Chandler, Ariz.) will make its third appearance at the NHSI (2013, 2017), while Bishop Verot High School (Fort Myers, Fla.) and Regis Jesuit High School (Aurora, Colo.) both return to the National Training Complex for the first time since 2014. 2021 Virginia Class 4 State Runner Up Hanover High School (Mechanicsville, Va.) is also back in the field after competing in the event in 2018.

D.H. Conley High School (Greenville, N.C.) will serve as the host team for this year’s tournament. The Vikings posted a 15-2 record and advanced to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) 3A State semifinals in 2021.

Including host D.H. Conley, nine schools will make their NHSI debuts in 2022. Fresh off a 7A Florida State championship, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (Parkland, Fla.) is one of two Florida newcomers at the event. Joining the Eagles from the Sunshine State is St. Johns Country Day (Orange Park, Fla.), which finished as runner-up in the 2A Florida State Championship last season.

Basic Academy of International Studies (Henderson, Nev.), Buford High School (Buford, Ga.), Don Bosco Preparatory High School (Ramsey, N.J.), McQuaid Jesuit High School (Rochester, N.Y.), Servite High School (Anaheim, Calif.), and Yucaipa High School (Yucaipa, Calif.) will also participate in the event for the first time.

In total, ten different states will be represented in this year’s tournament, led by California and Florida with four teams apiece. 

“The NHSI has established itself as the premier event of its kind in the nation, and the GRSA is proud to be on board once again as a host partner,” said Scott Dupree, Executive Director of the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance. “We have always valued our relationship with USA Baseball, and we appreciate its tireless efforts to bring first-class events like this to the National Training Complex in Cary each year. Not only does the NHSI have tremendous economic impact on our community, but it also further strengthens Cary’s brand as one of America’s top destinations for amateur sports.”

The USA Baseball National Training Complex (NTC), in partnership with the Town of Cary, has been the official home of USA Baseball since 2007. The NTC has been the stage for the NHSI since its inception in 2012 and includes four baseball fields, all of which are maintained at Major League Baseball (MLB) standards. Many of MLB’s most-accomplished players have played at the complex in their careers, including four-time American League (AL) MVP Mike Trout and two-time National League (NL) MVP Bryce Harper. The Town of Cary received the National Gold Medal Grand Plaque Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management in 2016, which honors U.S. communities that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development, and agency recognition.

Since 2012, the NHSI has hosted some of the nation’s most talented players, many of whom have gone on to illustrious careers in professional baseball. Among some of the most notable major leaguers who have taken the field at the tournament are 2016 NL MVP Cody Bellinger and 2021 World Series champion Max Fried, as well as All-Stars Joey Gallo and Lucas Giolito. Additionally, seven first round picks in the 2020 and 2021 MLB Drafts participated in the event, including Slade Cecconi, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Ed Howard, Jack Leiter, Austin Martin, Garrett Mitchell, and Andy Painter.

The NHSI is a single-elimination championship tournament, with each participating team guaranteed to play four games. The 2022 championship game will be played under the lights on Coleman Field with the first pitch scheduled for Saturday, April 9, at 6 p.m. ET. The bracket and full schedule will be announced at a later date. 

The complete list of 2022 NHSI participants is as follows:

High School (City, State)

• Basic Academy of International Studies (Henderson, Nev.)
• Bishop Verot High School (Fort Myers, Fla.)
• Buford High School (Buford, Ga.)
• D.H. Conley High School (Greenville, N.C.)
• Don Bosco Preparatory High School (Ramsey, N.J.)
• Hamilton High School (Chandler, Ariz.)
• Hanover High School (Mechanicsville, Va.)
• Huntington Beach High School (Huntington Beach, Calif.)
• Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (Parkland, Fla.)
• McQuaid Jesuit High School (Rochester, N.Y.)
• Orange Lutheran High School (Orange, Calif.)
• Regis Jesuit High School (Aurora, Colo.)
• Servite High School (Anaheim, Calif.)
• St. Johns Country Day (Orange Park, Fla.)
• The First Academy (Orlando, Fla.)
• Yucaipa High School (Yucaipa, Calif.)

For more information on the NHSI, visit USABaseball.comor follow @USABEventson Twitter and @USABaseball on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.