With 16 of the nation’s premier high school programs descending on Cary in less than a month, the 2026 National High School Invitational (NHSI) is set to deliver another week of elite competition. Perhaps no quadrant of the bracket brings more excitement than Pod 1, which features third-ranked Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.), perennial powerhouse Regis Jesuit (Aurora, Colo.), reigning runner-up Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.), and up-and-coming Edmond Memorial (Edmond, Okla.).

Together, these four programs boast 21 Power Four commits and 12 previous NHSI appearances — both the most of any pod in the tournament. Read more below about what these squads bring to the table and why each has a legitimate shot of hoisting the trophy on March 28.

Orange Lutheran

Headlining Pod 1 is three-time NHSI champion Orange Lutheran, who boasts more wins than any other program in NHSI history (20). Orange Lutheran last appeared in Cary in 2024, when its streak of three straight NHSI crowns came to an end in the title game. They return this year with a field-leading nine Power Four commits, giving Head Coach RJ Farrell no shortage of game-changing weapons. The roster also features seven players who have either played for a USA Baseball national team or gone through a USA Baseball developmental program, giving the Lancers some added familiarity with the National Training Complex fields.

Right-handed power pitchers Gary Morse and Cooper Sides (both on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 2026 MLB Draft Prospects) form a dynamic duo for the Lancers on the bump, where they will pitch to two-time USA Baseball national team alum Brady Murrietta (Texas commit). The lineup is somehow equally formidable, as it features Murrietta, CJ Weinstein (LSU), Marcus Greis (TCU), Hamilton Friedberg (UCLA), Gavin Hottle (USC), Jordan Kurz (South Carolina), and Bear Calvo (Arkansas). With a pitching staff full of pro arms and a lineup stacked with Division I sluggers, the program that produced Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole and College World Series champion Derek Curiel will look to ride its latest wave of talent to a fourth NHSI title.

Regis Jesuit

Facing off with the Lancers in round one are the Regis Jesuit Raiders, who will make their third appearance in the NHSI. Regis Jesuit is 4-3 in its two previous trips to Cary and coming off a quarterfinal appearance in 2025. The Raiders followed up their NHSI appearance with another stellar showing last season, posting a 22-8 record en route to a second straight 5A state runner-up finish. With a roster that features six Division I commits and experience in Cary, Head Coach Matt Darr has a group that looks primed and ready to break through.

Senior RHP and Vanderbilt commit Hudson Alpert highlights the group of returning Raiders. A participant in USA Baseball’s 2024 National Team Development Program (NTDP), Alpert pitched a seven-inning gem against Trinity Christian in the quarterfinals last year, allowing one earned run and striking out five. Seniors Jacob Olson (Oregon) and Chase Massey (Boston College) will anchor an experienced lineup for Regis Jesuit that also features WCC commits Carter Rathbun (San Francisco) and Diesel Bernosky (Gonzaga). With Alpert toeing the rubber and a dangerous lineup behind him, Regis Jesuit will have as good a chance as anyone to take down Orange Lutheran and advance from Pod 1.

Trinity Christian Academy

Perhaps no roster looks as dangerous as that of the Trinity Christian Conquerors, who return to Cary for a third straight year after just missing out on the trophy last season. It was a run for the ages for the four-time NHSI participant, as the Conquerors knocked off the likes of Regis Jesuit and former NHSI champion Huntington Beach (Calif.) en route to the title game. There they fell to Venice High School on a walk-off thriller after relinquishing an early lead. This defeat, experienced by 10 returning seniors who are all committed to play at elite colleges next year, is sure to make Trinity Christian one of the hungriest teams in the field. The Conquerors are coming off a 30-5 season in 2025 that finished with a state runner-up, and they have already outscored their Florida opponents 53-10 in eight games this season. What’s more, Head Coach Jon Murphy just might have the most talented squad too.

It’s difficult to choose where to start with this roster, which features six SEC commits in the senior class alone. Centerfielder Brady Harris headlines the group, as the former 15U National Team star ranks ninth among high school batters on the MLB Top 100 Draft Prospects list. Harris is joined in his commitment to Florida by two future Gator pitchers, right-hander Ethan Wheeler and southpaw Tyler Ellis. Wheeler earned All-Tournament honors last year after outdueling Regis Jesuit’s Hudson Alpert in the quarterfinals, where he struck out 11 Raiders in a seven-inning, one-run masterclass. He and Ellis will pitch to future Alabama backstop Gage Petrutz, who is joined in a power-packed lineup by future LSU Tigers Parker Loew and Jordan Martinez. Needless to say, there will be no easy matchups for Trinity Christian’s opponents. The Conquerors will count on their experience and talent to break through to an NHSI title.

Edmond Memorial

Last in Pod 1, but certainly not least, are the proud Oklahomans of Edmond Memorial High School. Appearing in the NHSI for the first time, the Bulldogs bring a winning tradition from a state that has produced two of the last four No. 1 overall MLB Draft picks. Notable alumni of Edmond Memorial include former MLB ace Garrett Richards and a host of talent dotting the collegiate ranks. This will be the first time a team from Oklahoma has appeared in the NHSI since 2013, leaving Head Coach JP Holman with somewhat of a mission: “What we would like everybody to walk away from this tournament thinking is that those guys from Oklahoma get after it,” he says.

Edmond Memorial certainly has the talent to leave an impression, with Nebraska commit Cooper Kardokus anchoring the Bulldogs lineup and Tulane commit Laird Williams heading up the pitching staff. Holman describes the switch-hitting slugger Kardokus as the “stoic leader” of the team: “[He is] strong, athletic, competitive, just everything that you want in a ballplayer.” Williams, a 6-foot-8 right-hander, brings 90 MPH heat on the mound as the Bulldogs ace, and he’s joined by another right-handed flamethrower in junior Cole Dunlap, a TCU commit and 2024 NTDP participant. Rounding out the Bulldogs are a handful of JUCO commits who Holman raves about, including four-year starting shortstop Jase Winchester. It’s this depth of experience in one of the country’s toughest baseball states that gives Holman confidence heading into Cary: “Oklahoma high school baseball is no joke,” he says. “We're just looking forward to the opportunity to show as many people as possible what we already know.”

Matchup Breakdowns

Orange Lutheran vs. Regis Jesuit — March 25th, 10:00 am ET

The tournament’s opening matchup in Pod 1 could quickly turn into a pitchers’ duel with Cooper Sides or Gary Morse likely taking the bump for Orange Lutheran and Hudson Alpert likely starting for Regis Jesuit. Orange Lutheran’s stacked lineup will look to get to Alpert early and stop him from getting into a groove like he did in his complete game quarterfinals performance last year. This matchup will feature the most Division I commits of any game in the first-round slate (17).

Trinity Christian vs. Edmond Memorial — March 25th, 2:00 pm ET

Trinity Christian will look to continue their fast offensive start, as the Conquerors are averaging 6.6 runs per game so far this season. They also have options on the mound between Ethan Wheeler and Tyler Ellis — one of these Florida commits will likely take the ball against Edmond Memorial’s Laird Williams or Cole Dunlap. The heavyweight matchup will be the only meeting between 30-win teams in this year’s first round.