By TJ Hunt
Director of Scouting, New Jersey

 

It is the eve of the 2017 High School Baseball season in New Jersey, and what better time to release the Preseason State Power Rankings. Last year New Jersey saw some unforgettable runs in county and state tournaments from up and down the state, and teams are chomping at the bit to get the season underway.

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1. Seton Hall Prep
The Pirates are the reigning Parochial A State Champions, and with one of the top pitching staffs in the state (and country, for that matter), Seton Hall is the favorite to win it again. Harvard recruit 2017 RHP Jack Mahala, Vanderbilt recruit 2019 RHP Nick Maldonado, and Campbell recruits Jamil and Jermaine Vanheyningen highlight a staff with incredible depth. Notre Dame recruit 2018 OF Jack Zyska will lead the offense.

 

2. St. Joseph's Montvale
The Knights lost to Seton Hall Prep in the Parochial A North tournament, and are out to complete some unfinished business in 2017. After a successful run in the Bergen County Tournament which led to their record 11th BCT Championship, the Green Knights return Virginia-bound No. 2 ranked 2017 RHP/SS Devin Ortiz as well as Marist-bound senior RHP/OF Nick Cantone and Vanderbilt recruit 3B Justyn-Henry Malloy. Transfer switch hitting catcher Raul Ortega will provide some pop when he returns to the lineup and big time football and baseball recruit 2018 1B Matthew Alaimo returns as well. Expect senior OF Connor Kolich to produce timely hitting in one of the most feared lineups in the state.

 

3. Eastern Regional
Eastern returns Rutgers-bound senior 3B Davis Schneider and Maryland recruit - 2018 OF Jack Herman to a squad that is reeling off a Diamond Classic Championship in 2016. Herman and Schneider are two of the top players in the state, and will provide the offense along with Rider recruit Lou Priolo.

 

4. Gloucester Catholic
The Rams will try to avenge their losses to Eastern in the Diamond Classic and St. Augustine in the Parochial A South Tournament with a slew of talented underclassmen, highlighted with junior Stony Brook commit, SS Evan Giordano and Albany-bound senior 1B Chris Turco. Sophomore Florida State recruit OF Lilo Paxia will provide pop in the middle of the order as well. Look for transfer LHP/1B Brendan Bean (UPenn recruit) to provide depth on the hill and in the lineup once he is eligible. Up and coming junior LHP Andrew Vail burst onto the scene this winter after a strong showing at the Preseason All-State Showcase and junior UMass-Lowell recruit RHP Drew Guldin rounds out a solid pitching rotation.

 

5.  Delbarton
The Green Wave has some depth in its pitching staff with Virginia recruit junior LHP Billy Price, Delaware-bound senior RHP Winston Allen, Seton Hall recruit - senior Hunter Waldis, and sophomore RHP Jack Leiter. With No. 6 ranked 2017 SS Andrew Papantonis (Virginia recruit) on the shelf with an injury, the lineup will look to sophomore SS and Vanderbilt recruit Anthony Volpe to provide some spark.

 

6. St. Augustine Prep
The Hermits have a trio of returning players on the mound that they will rely on to bring them back to the Parochial A Finals: UNC-Asheville-bound senior RHP Jake Catalano, UPenn recruit junior RHP Kevin Eaise, and uncommitted RHP Jack Billings.  

 

7. Governor Livingston
The Highlanders offense certainly rivals that of Eastern as the top public school lineup on paper - led by junior St. John's recruit SS Danny Serretti, junior Iona recruit OF Will Jennings, and sophomore Georgia Tech recruit 3B Drew Compton. Expect big things from uncommitted sophomore OF Stephen Reid as well.

 

8. Don Bosco
The Ironmen will rely on seniors Seton Hall-bound 3B Casey Dana and Seton Hall-bound RHP Ryan McLinskey for leadership this spring. Top uncommitted junior RHP Matthew Semon, junior Iona recruit LHP Drew Helmstetter, and senior Pepperdine-bound RHP Jeremy Farraye round out the rotation. Top sophomores up the middle SS Danny Helfgott and 2B Anthony Petrosino will provide some spark to the lineup, along with speedy OF Tommy Courtney.

 

9. Millburn
Coach Brian Chapman returns Maryland-bound senior OF Richie Schiekofer and junior Rutgers recruit, catcher Peter Serruto to a strong lineup that will look to avenge its loss to Watchung Hills in the North II Group IV Tournament.

 

10. Bergen Catholic
Coach Bob Muggeo and the Crusaders are looking at unfinished business after a tough losses to St. Joseph's (Mont.) in the finals of the Bergen County Tournament and to Seton Hall Prep in the Parochial A North Semifinals. The Crusaders will return Maryland recruit junior LHP/OF Chris Gerard Davidson-bound senior RHP Andrew DeRubertis. Expect big contributions from uncommitted junior RHP Gerry Siracusa, who was 82-84 touching 85 earlier in March. The offense will rely on senior Notre Dame commit, catcher David LaManna.

 

11. Nottingham
The Northstars return a duo of pitchers that were two of the top in Mercer County. Senior RHP and Mercer CC commit Ronnie Voacolo and top uncommitted RHP/OF Nick Houghton will lead the way again to hopefully avenge its Mercer County Tournament loss to Steinert.

 

12. Hunterdon Central
Uncommitted sophomore and top LHP in the 2019 class Joey DeChiaro is back after a stellar campaign last season. Together with returning Lehigh-bound senior RHP Peter Woltersdorf, the Red Devils are in good shape to make a run at repeating as Central Group IV Champions.


13. Toms River North
The Mariners lost Shore Conference Player of the Year and 5th Round Draft Pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks, 3B Joey Rose - but the 2016 Ocean County Tournament  Champions return some young yet experienced talent led by a trio of junior pitchers and Division I recruits: RHP Brendan Mullins (Penn State) RHP Anthony Sasso (Villanova), and LHP Jared Bellissimo (Rutgers). Junior SS Mike Nyisztor (Rutgers recruit) and Craig Larsen provide some depth in the field. 

 

14. Monroe Township
Coach Pat Geroni returns 2015 GMC Pitcher of the Year, Rutgers-bound LHP Eric Heatter and top uncommitted junior RHP Nick Payero to lead the pitching staff. Senior SS and Neumann College recruit Chris Perdoni and uncommitted junior 3B Shawne Eldridge will provide some pop to the lineup.

 

15. St. Peter's Prep
No. 3 Ranked 2018, Duke recruit RHP Jack Carey returns after a masterful showing in the Hudson County Tournament in 2016. The Marauders will get their offense from William & Mary-bound senior SS Matt McDermott, senior Cisco CC commit Finn Hodgins, and junior Correll Caddle. Look for uncommitted 1B Ryan Dorneo to have a big year in the middle of the order, after a successful summer and fall.

 

16. Pope John XXIII
One of the most under the radar teams in the state, the Lions have loads of depth coming back in 2017. The pitching staff will be led by a trio of Division I recruits with RHP Sean Miller (Seton Hall), RHP Sean Roberts (Marist), and LHP Trevor Backman (Marist) leading the way. 2016 New Jersey State Games Top Performer 3B Justin Provost (Rowan recruit), senior C Hunter Silvernail (Lafayette recruit), and 1B Daiven Sanchez (Hood College recruit) will provide some juice in the lineup.

 

17. Bishop Eustace
The Crusaders have tremendous young talent coming back this year that deserves attention heading into 2017.  Junior Pittsburgh recruit 2B Sky Duff, sophomore Maryland recruit SS Matt Orlando, sophomore OFs Johnny Piacentino and Mike Guzzardo  will all be tough on South Jersey pitchers this spring. Guzzardo has some power to his bat from the left side, and was one of the top performers from February's Preseason All-State Showcase.

 

18. Steinert
Steinert always seems to have a tough team year in and year out in the state, and last year's successful run to a Mercer County Tournament TItle certainly shows this. OF Ryan Mostrangeli will be the go-to bat in the lineup this spring with Mercer CC recruit David Stec heading the pitching staff.

 

19. Washington Township
Washington Township has a nice mixture of veteran and young talent that will make them a tough out come tournament time. Senior RHP Rich Racobaldo will lead the way on the mound this spring. Racobaldo has a big, athletic frame and can rev his fastball up to 88-90 mph. Junior Charleston Southern recruit, RHP Eric Cartafalsa will be a solid compliment to Racobaldo. Cartfalasa was a top performer at the Preseason All-State Showcase, showing command of three pitches for strikes.  Their battery mate will be Alex Gattinelli. Gattinelli has a strong build behind the dish and possesses plus arm strength and a quick release for his age. Misericordia recruit SS Ryan Swift will provide some stability up the middle. What is unique about Washington Township is their very talented freshmen class - led by RHP Nick Hammer, who was up to 88 mph in scrimmages this spring. Other key contributors will be freshman C Greg Rossi, sophomore 1B Luke Kaschak, freshman Jake Kerr, and freshman Christian Kane.

 

20. Cherokee
Cherokee returns some underclassmen talent in junior RHP/OF and Charleston Southern recruit Matthew Stil and uncommitted junior RHP Jimmy Franchetti to compliment senior RHP and Richmond recruit Jarrad Delarso on the mound. Speedy senior SS and Rowan commit Nick Schooley provides consistency up the middle and at the plate with a compact and simple left handed swing. Junior RHP/INF Connor Cheeseman provides some experience to the lineup and the pitching staff as well.