Palm Beach County baseball districts begin with higher stakes in 2026

Q: Which teams are guaranteed regional playoff spots in Palm Beach County baseball for 2026?

The guaranteed teams are Jupiter and Park Vista in Class 7A, Dwyer in Class 6A, St. John Paul II in Class 2A, and Atlantic Christian in Class 1A.

Q: What is the significance of winning district tournaments in Palm Beach County baseball?

Winning district tournaments is crucial as district champions make up half of the teams in the regional playoffs, while the other half consists of at-large teams based on state rankings.

Q: How does the FHSAA playoff system affect Palm Beach County baseball teams?

The FHSAA playoff system requires teams to win their district to advance, creating a high-pressure environment where most teams are in win-or-go-home situations.

Q: What challenges do Palm Beach County baseball teams face in securing at-large bids for the playoffs?

With only five teams assured of regional bids, at-large bids are expected to be difficult to obtain due to the competitive nature of the district tournaments and the state's ranking system.

Benjamin baseball coach Chad Mills had a simple message for his team.

"Hey, guys, if we don't win districts, season's over," Mills recalls telling the Buccaneers as the season entered the final stretch.

Benjamin is not alone. Thanks to a rare level of parity in Palm Beach County this season, most teams are in win-or-go-home mode as district tournaments begin this week.

Under the FHSAA playoff system, district champions account for half the field in the regional playoffs. The other half is made up of at-large teams determined by the state's ranking system.

Based on the latest rankings, at-large bids will be hard to come by for Palm Beach County teams. Only five are assured of regional bids regardless of how they fare in district tournaments — Jupiter and Park Vista in Class 7A, Dwyer in Class 6A, St. John Paul II in Class 2A and Atlantic Christian in Class 1A.

Benjamin's district, 13-2A, provides an example of how things can change from one year to the next.

In 2025, district champion Cardinal Newman was joined in the regionals by two at-large teams, St. Andrew's and St. John Paul II, with King's Academy just missing out. (St. Andrew's went on to win the regional and advance to the state tournament.)

This season, the district has four bubble teams — St. Andrew's, King's Academy, Cardinal Newman and Benjamin — that will be trying to knock off top-seeded St. John Paul II.

"There's not a matchup in districts where one team can't beat the other," Mills said. "I think it's up for grabs."

Suncoast coach Jimmy Beno is in a similar situation in District 14-4A, where the district champion will move on and the other two teams will likely pack up their uniforms.

"I think districts are more important this year because there's way more parity among the teams," Beno said. "When you look around, outside of St. John Paul, there's not as many dominant teams as in years past. ... Nobody's really separated themselves to where they can get away with not winning districts."

Here's a look at the county's 10 district tournaments:

7A-District 11

Host: Higher seed, April 14 and 16

Favorite: Jupiter

Seeds:

1. Jupiter (15-9)
1. Palm Beach Central (14-10)
1. Wellington (7-13)
1. John I. Leonard (11-5)

What to know: Jupiter, the county's preseason No. 1 team, ended the season on a three-game losing streak, scoring only one run in that stretch. Outfielder Griffin Miller, a Wake Forest signee, hopes to be back in the lineup after missing about a third of the season with injuries. Clemson-bound left-hander Ethan Trivison (0.82 ERA, 51 strikeouts) is a bona fide ace, but pitching depth has been a concern for the Warriors all season. Palm Beach Central beat Jupiter in the teams' only meeting and is on the bubble for an at-large bid.

7A-District 12

Host: Higher seed, April 14 and 16

Favorite: Park Vista

Seeds:

1. Park Vista (15-5)
1. Boca Raton (13-8)
1. Spanish River (7-15-1)
1. Santaluces (2-15)

What to know: Park Vista coach Larry Greenstein has a knack for developing surprise stars. This year, it's junior outfielder Hunter Bruce, who had only five at-bats in 2025 but is now among the team leaders in batting average (.357), runs (16) and RBIs (12). The Cobras went 9-1 over the second half of the season. Spanish River played well down the stretch, beating West Boca Raton and Dwyer, and will provide a tough test for Boca Raton in the semifinals.

6A-District 8

Host: Higher seed, April 14, 15 and 17

Favorite: Dwyer

Seeds:

1. Martin County (17-6)
1. Dwyer (14-7)
1. Forest Hill (11-10)
1. Royal Palm Beach (9-13)
1. Seminole Ridge (9-12)
1. Palm Beach Gardens (3-16)

What to know: Martin County nudged ahead of Dwyer in the final week to claim the top seed, earning home-field advantage if both teams make it to the championship game. That would be a rematch of the 2025 final, which Dwyer won on the road. Two sophomores, first baseman/outfielder Owen Hewitt and pitcher Kole Griffin, could hold the key to the Panthers' success. The other four teams face the long-shot task of winning three games in four days.

6A-District 14

Max McDougall (8) waits on the pitcher's mound as the Boca Raton visited West Boca Raton for FHSAA varsity baseball action in unincorporated Palm Beach County, Fla., on February 26, 2025.

Host: Higher seed, April 14, 15, and 17

Favorite: West Boca Raton

Seeds:

1. Coral Springs (14-6)
1. West Boca Raton (15-10)
1. Olympic Heights (10-10)
1. Fort Lauderdale (10-8)
1. Piper (7-11-1)
1. Monarch (4-17-1)
1. Deerfield Beach (4-12)

What to know: West Boca appears to be peaking at the right time, beating four top 10 teams (Park Vista, St. Andrew's, Boca Raton and Jupiter) down the stretch. Max McDougall is one of the county's best two-way players, excelling on the mound (1.46 ERA, 39 strikeouts) and at the plate (.346, 5 HRs, 22 RBIs). Olympic Heights has been one of the county's surprise teams after going 3-18 in 2025.

5A-District 14

Host: Higher seed, April 15 and 17

Favorite: Plantation

Seeds:

1. Plantation (3-5)
1. Atlantic (2-10)
1. Boyd Anderson (5-5)

What to watch: This is possibly the weakest district in the state, but someone has to win it. Atlantic's only victories came against Glades Central and Lake Worth.

4A-District 14

Host: Higher seed, April 14 and 16

Favorite: Jensen Beach

Seeds:

1. Jensen Beach (14-9)
1. Dr. Joaquin Garcia (12-11)
1. Suncoast (11-10)

What to watch: All three teams have a shot, but Jensen Beach's first-round bye gives the Falcons a decided advantage. Dr. Joaquin Garcia and Suncoast will face off in the semifinals. Since a 6-1 start, Garcia has been hit hard by injuries, including the loss of ace Hunter Butler for the season. Suncoast has been inconsistent but has shown it's capable of beating top teams (Dwyer, King's Academy).

3A-District 12

Host: Higher seed, April 14, 15 and 17

Favorite: North Broward Prep

Seeds:

1. North Broward Prep (16-6)
1. Coral Springs Charter (8-11)
1. American Heritage-Delray (10-15)
1. Clewiston (12-12)
1. Somerset Academy-Canyons (4-16)
1. Glades Central (2-13)

What to watch: North Broward Prep, a three-time state champion, has owned this district in recent years. Heritage-Delray has one of the county's top pitchers in right-hander Noah Garfinkel, but he'll likely be needed in the semifinals if the Stallions hope to face the Eagles for the title.

2A-District 13

Host: Higher seed, April 14, 15 and 17

Favorite: St. John Paul II

Seeds:

1. St. John Paul II (21-3)
1. St. Andrew's (13-8-1)
1. King's Academy (14-10)
1. Cardinal Newman (12-12)
1. Benjamin (11-10)
1. Oxbridge Academy (8-6)

What to watch: St. John Paul II reached the regional finals the past two years as an underdog, but the Eagles have been the county's No. 1 team most of this season. Jack Wilhoit, a 6-foot-4 right-hander headed for North Florida, has led the Eagles on the mound (5-1, 1.35 ERA, 67 strikeouts) and at the plate (.408, 13 RBIs). Catcher Campbell Harrison and shortstop Tommy Ciaccio are other standouts. St. Andrew's edged out King's Academy for the No. 2 seed, earning a valuable first-round bye. Cardinal Newman-Benjamin may be the best 4 vs. 5 matchup in the state.

1A-District 14

Host: Higher seed, April 14 and 16

Favorite: Atlantic Christian

Seeds:

1. Atlantic Christian (13-2)
1. Jupiter Christian (8-8)
1. Lake Worth Christian (12-3)
1. Berean Christian (7-8)

What to watch: After earning an at-large bid last season, Atlantic Christian appears poised to win a district title under second-year coach Miguel Cuello. The Sharks, led by slugging outfielders Micah Herring and Bryan Zuniga, won all four games against district opponents. The semifinal between Jupiter Christian and Lake Worth Christian could decide an at-large berth.