P2P Baseball CCS Playoff Projections
Valley Christian is projected as the No. 8 seed in Division 1. (Twitter @VCHSAthletics)

Prep2Prep CCS Baseball Playoff Projections

UPDATED 5/13/2025


Based on the latest information presented to Prep2Prep through games of May 12, we are releasing our projections for the 2025 Central Coast Section playoff tournaments. We have done our best to accurately portray the schedules and results of the 100+ teams that compete in the Central Coast Section, but it is possible that there are slight schedule variations for some teams.

These projections are based on our best available information; if you would like to correct a team's result, please contact Prep2Prep via email or tweet us @Prep2PrepSports. You can also leave comments on our Facebook page.

For more details on the CCS point system, please click here.

Here's a quick overview of the selection process: a total of 48 teams spread out over six divisions. The Open Division has effectively been renamed as Division 1 - that tournament consists of the eight highest-ranked teams. Then the next 8 best teams are placed in Division 2 and so on all the way down to Division 6.

Of the 48, 41 receive automatic bids based on their position in their league standings as follows: BVAL (8), PAL (8), SCVAL (6), PCAL (9), WCAL (5), SCCAL (3), and PSAL (2).

The remaining seven at-large teams are selected based on a point system that awards teams based on results over the course of the last 22 games a team plays. One caveat: all league games must be included among the 22, so that if a team plays a league game that is not among its last 22 games, that league game is substituted in for the earliest played non-league game.

To be considered for an at-large berth, teams must have at least a .500 record in any one of the following: a) in league; b) in non-league; c) overall; d) over the last 22 games that are included in the CCS point calculation.

Leagues within CCS are designated as "A" (highest), "B" and "C". Wins against "A" teams count for 3 points; wins against "B" teams count for 2.5; and wins against "C" teams count for 2. Strip off one point from those totals in cases of ties, and two points for losses to respectively designed "A", "B" and "C" teams.

Teams outside of CCS are considered "B" teams unless they achieve a winning percentage of .700 or greater; in which case, they are considered "A" teams.

Finally, teams are awarded 2 points for playing an "A" league champion, 1.5 points for playing a "B" league champion and 1 point for playing a "C" league champion. This only applies to games against CCS teams - there is no bonus for playing league champs outside of CCS.

There is also a CCS bylaw that states that teams only get credit for playing a divisional league champion twice during league play. So for teams that play each other three times during the regular-season round robin, we must disregard the bonus points for the third meeting against the prospective league champ.

Teams also receive 8 points for being an "A" league champion, 7 for being a "B" league champion and 6 for being a "C" league champion.

In years past, the point system determined the seedings for all of the divisions, but the committee has much more latitude with the selections. For the purpose of these projections, we will rely heavily on the CCS points and only point out situations where a team will likely be moved.

Because the season is not over, we must make a few assumptions:

ASSUMPTION 1: points are calculated on the assumption that an individual team will lose the rest of its games. The bonus points for playing a league champion are included in the calculation. In other words, the point total you see represents the minimum point total for a given team.

ASSUMPTION 2: in calculating points awarded for playing league champions, points were split according to the number of teams currently tied for first place. For instance, per CCS rules, teams are awarded one point for playing a league champion; if a team played a team that is currently in a three-way tie for first, we credit the team 0.33 points. If two teams at the top of a league have not played the same number of games, we assume league champ based on points per game.

ASSUMPTION 3: some leagues hold a postseason tournament or playoff to fill out their allotment of automatic qualifiers. In those instances, we assumed the team(s) with the highest CCS point totals will receive the automatic bid.

ASSUMPTION 4: by CCS rules, a team must have at least a .500 record in league, overall or in the 22 games under consideration for its CCS point total. In the case of league and overall records, we simply took the team's record as of this date; for the 22-game consideration, we looked at the record for the games within the 22 that have already been played.

NOTE: CCS points are in parentheses and the projected home team is listed in CAPS.


DIVISION 1: The committee will need to decide whether to insert all of the "A" league champs into Division 1 or populate the division with additional teams from the powerhouse WCAL. We project that the committee will choose the following projected "A" league champs for Division 1: Leigh (BVAL-MH), Menlo-Atherton (PAL-Bay), Soquel (SCCAL), Los Gatos (SCVAL-DA) and Serra (WCAL). That leaves three more spots - we believe the committee will choose WCAL powers St. Ignatius, Saint Francis and Valley Christian to round out the bracket. PCAL-Gabilan leader Palma and league mate Hollister are also possibilities.


San Benito leads the MBL-Gabilan and is in line for a trip to the Open Division playoffs.

(1) SERRA (62)

#1 vs. #8 Winner

Semifinals

Div. 1 Champ

(8) Menlo-Atherton (58)

(4) LOS GATOS (65.5)

#4 vs. #5 Winner

(5) Leigh (64.75)

(3) SOQUEL (65.5)

#3 vs. #6 Winner

Semifinals

(6) St. Ignatius (58)

(2) VALLEY CHRISTIAN (56)

#2 vs. #7 Winner

(7) Saint Francis (56)



DIVISION 2: The next 8 strongest teams are placed in Division 2. Although Santa Clara would be the No. 1 seed by points in Division 2 we believe the committee will keep it to "A" league teams in Division 2 so we swapped Santa Clara with Bellarmine.

Bellarmine is projected as the No. 1 seed in Division I.

(1) PALMA (54)

#1 vs. #8 Winner

Semifinals

Div. 1 Champ

(8) Pioneer (50.5)

(4) BELLARMINE COLLEGE PREP (50)

#4 vs. #5 Winner

(5) Wilcox (55)

(3) CARMEL (55)

#3 vs. #6 Winner

Semifinals

(6) Willow Glen (53.75)

(2) HOLLISTER (58.25)

#2 vs. #7 Winner

(7) Los Altos (53.5)



DIVISION 3: The next 8 teams are placed in Division 3. The committee obviously has a lot of leeway with regard to the seeding so it is difficult to predict how they will place the teams in their respective divisions. We will defer primarily to CCS points unless we see obvious cases where a team will be moved up or down.

If Sacred Heart Cathedral does not opt up, it would be a favorite in Division II. (Brandon Jew/Prep2Prep)

(1) SANTA CLARA (58.5)

#1 vs. #8 Winner

Semifinals

Div. 1 Champ

(8) Capuchino (49.5)

(4) PIEDMONT HILLS (50)

#4 vs. #5 Winner

(5) Sequoia (50)

(3) LINCOLN (50.5)

#3 vs. #6 Winner

Semifinals

(6) Palo Alto (50)

(2) MENLO SCHOOL (53.5)

#2 vs. #7 Winner

(7) Christopher (49.5)



DIVISION 4: The next 8 highest rated teams are placed in Division 4.


Menlo is projected as the top seed in Division III. (Menlo Athletics)

(1) SANTA CRUZ (49.5)

#1 vs. #8 Winner

Semifinals

Div. 1 Champ

(8) Ann Sobrato (46.5)

(4) THE KING'S ACADEMY (48)

#4 vs. #5 Winner

(5) Robert Louis Stevenson (47)

(3) MOUNTAIN VIEW (48.5)

#3 vs. #6 Winner

Semifinals

(6) Harbor (47)

(2) TERRA NOVA (48.5)

#2 vs. #7 Winner

(7) Branham (46.5)



DIVISION 5: The next 8 highest rated teams are placed in Division 5. We moved "A" league teams St. Francis SCP, Homestead and Carlmont up from Division 6.


Menlo is projected as the top seed in Division III. (Menlo Athletics)

(1) SCOTTS VALLEY (46.5)

#1 vs. #8 Winner

Semifinals

Div. 1 Champ

(8) Carlmont (42.5)

(4) HILLSDALE (45.5)

#4 vs. #5 Winner

(5) Monterey (44.5)

(3) SANTA TERESA (46)

#3 vs. #6 Winner

Semifinals

(6) St. Francis SCP (44)

(2) ARCHBISHOP MITTY (46.5)

#2 vs. #7 Winner

(7) Homestead (43.75)



DIVISION 6: The final 8 teams are placed in Division 6. Monte Vista Christian, North Salinas and Fremont were moved down from Division 5 to make room for the three "A" league teams.


Menlo is projected as the top seed in Division III. (Menlo Athletics)

(1) MONTE VISTA CHRISTIAN (45.5)

#1 vs. #8 Winner

Semifinals

Div. 1 Champ

(8) Design Tech (29.5)

(4) SILVER CREEK (44)

#4 vs. #5 Winner

(5) South San Francisco (43)

(3) FREMONT (44.5)

#3 vs. #6 Winner

Semifinals

(6) North Monterey Co (41)

(2) NORTH SALINAS (45)

#2 vs. #7 Winner

(7) Thomas More (36)



As mentioned earlier, there are a total of 7 at-large teams included in the complete field of 48 CCS playoff teams. Here's a brief look at the last five teams that made it based on our CCS point calculations and the first five that would be left out if the season ended now. This only includes teams that meet the .500 eligibility requirement.