Prep Baseball Report

Updated and Expanded 2023 Rankings


TJ Hunt
Director, PBR New Jersey

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Though we have not been able to scout players in this strange and difficult spring, there is still plenty to talk about, including an update to the 2023 New Jersey Rankings. This talented group had 8 players represent the state in the recently released PBR Overall Rankings. After four successful events this winter and a massive amount of new information gathered by our scouts with their boots on the ground, we expanded our 2023 NJ State Rankings to 70 players. Along with some talented newcomers, the rankings also see some big risers throughout. Let’s take a look at some highlights from this edition of the rankings.

CLICK HERE for a look at the full list of NJ 2023 Rankings

At the Top

+ The No. 1 player in the 2023 class in NJ remains Duke recruit LHP AJ Gracia (Ranney HS, NJ). Gracia's easy delivery and length project him to continue to add velocity as he matures. He is also a gifted offensive threat, a LHH with gap to gap power.

+ No. 2 and No. 3 remain the same in LHP Stanley Cedeno (St. Joseph's Montvale HS, NJ) and Virginia recruit RHP Aidan Teel (Mahwah HS, NJ). Both have high end ability on the mound with fastballs that have late life in the mid to upper 80s.

Risers

+ Two players that really benefitted from huge performances in the offseason were No. 4 RHP Griffin Seibel (Glen Ridge HS, NJ) and No. 5 RHP Matt Augustin (Bishop Eustace HS, NJ). Seibel is an athletic 6-foot 160-pounds with a fast, easy arm action at 84-86. The spin is there at 73-76 and 11/5 break with the curveball and has some feel for a changeup at 70-72 as well. Seibel is a major riser into the top 10 and expect him to be a big name to watch this summer when we get back to baseball.

SEIBEL VIDEO


 

+ Augustin is more of a newcomer to the rankings, but nonetheless, impressed this winter with his performance on the mound. Lanky, 6-foot-1 165-pound frame, Augustin has the makings of the next top arm from South Jersey. Fastball sits in the low to mid 80s right now at 82-84 - it's effortless and the ball jumps late. 

AUGUSTIN VIDEO


 

+ 3B Ryan Jaros (Cranford HS, NJ) has middle of the order pop from the right side and a physical 6-foot-3 200-pound frame. Jaros' power from the right side is evident, and possesses a quick, controlled stroke. 

+ RHP Ben Schild (Middletown South HS, NJ) comes in at No. 9 in the updated rankings. Broad shouldered 6-foot-2 210-pound frame, Schild's fastball is 82-84 from a high-3/4 slot and long, easy arm action. Expect his velocity to continue to tick upward as he fills into his frame and continues to mature.

The Top 10

RANK   NAME STATE SCHOOL CLASS POS COMMITMENT
1 AJ Gracia NJ Ranney School 2023 OF Duke
2 Stanley Cedeno NJ St. Joseph’s Montvale 2023 LHP  
3 Aidan Teel NJ Mahwah 2023 RHP Virginia
4 Griffin Seibel NJ Glen Ridge 2023 RHP  
5 Matt Augustin NJ Bishop Eustace Prep 2023 RHP  
6 Luca Reyes NJ Bergen Catholic 2023 OF Miami
7 Ryan Jaros NJ Cranford 2023 3B  
8 Justin Sweeney NJ Egg Harbor Township 2023 RHP Rutgers
9 Ben Schild NJ Middletown South 2023 RHP  
10 Zachary Konstantinovsky NJ North Brunswick 2023 RHP

To see a complete list of the updated 2023 rankings, click HERE

Risers & Top Performers

+ I really like No. 12 SS Griffin Mills' (Delbarton HS, NJ) game. 7.01 runner right now with a compact, explosive swing at the dish - Mills stood out this winter as a top performer in the middle infield. His twitchy actions in the infield and live arm across the diamond bode well for him in the future. Delbarton doesn't rebuild - it reloads and Mills will be a big part of the lineup and middle infield come next spring.

+ No. 13 C Mark Gialluisi (St. Joseph's Metuchen HS, NJ) has one of the best catch-and-throw abilities of any catcher in any grad class right now. It's routinely sub-2.00 in a showcase format at 76 mph out of the shoot - which is certainly advanced for his age. Compact, muscular build at 5-foot-11 175-pounds, Gialluisi's athleticism and strength stand out.

+ Knocking on the door of the Top 10 is talented C Braden Connors (Bergen Catholic HS, NJ) at No. 14. Connors, a left handed hitter - has all the makings of the next great backstop for the Crusaders. Legitimate gap to gap power - Connors' stroke is compact and controlled, but the ball sounds different coming off. 

CONNORS VIDEO

 

+ RHP Steven Echavarria (Millburn HS, NJ) was a top performer from the Wladyka Baseball Pitcher's Showcase in early March. With the whippiness and late life on his fastball, it's no wonder why. Wiry, athletic at 5-foot-11 143-pounds, Echavarria is just cracking the surface to his projection. His fastball is routinely 80-84 with heavy life and spins a slider with late breaking 11/5 action at 66-68.

ECHAVARRIA VIDEO


 

+ Duke McCarron (Ocean City HS, NJ) is listed as a primary OF'er, but his future might be filling in the shoes of the top end pitching talent coming out of O.C. McCarron a lanky 5-foot-10 145-pounds, possesses a fastbal at 81-83 with some life and a long, easy arm stroke. His curveball has strike out pitch qualities at 67-70 and 11/5 break. Expect McCarron to make a big jump this summer.

+ RHP Jacob Ruiz (Ferris HS, NJ) is a fast arm to take note of. 5-foot-11, 152-pound athletic frame. High ¾ angle. Up-tempo type pitcher with some effort on finish. Fastball was 81-82 with some late armside life in the winter. Showcased a breaking ball with 11/5 tilt at 65-67 with late break.

+ LHP Tanner Nolan (Gloucester Catholic HS, NJ) is a name to highlight. Lanky 5-foot-11 150-pounds with room to fill out, Nolan fastball is in the upper 70s and low 80s - but the velocity isn't what struck our National Crosschecker at the Future Games Trials in February. What was more impressive was the effortless command of all of his pitches and how clean the arm worked. Nolan has been up to 82 earlier this spring so the velocity continues to trend upward.

+ This winter we saw an interesting amount of twins attending events - and none stood out like the Gilligan brothers from Wayne Hills. No. 21 C Jace Gilligan possesses a live arm from behind the plate (79 mph) and sub-2.00 pop time in a showcase setting. Athletic 5-foot-10 165-pound frame, the right handed hitter has some line drive pop to his game at the plate. His twin brother, No. 26 Jonny Gilligan possesses a live arm across the diamond. 84 mph from SS, Gilligan possesses some whippiness to his arm action in the infield. At the plate, LHH with similar line drive pop to his brother - it's an easy, yet explosive swing.

+ No. 27 RHP Kyle Hard (St. Joseph's Montvale HS, NJ) has some upside at the plate and on the mound. Topped at 80 mph in the winter, Hard has the bloodlines working for him - with his older brother Sean (Boston College commit). The younger Hard has a long, easy arm action from a high-3/4 slot. Spins his breaker for strikes at 66-67. It will be interesting to see where he ends up as he continues to fill out his frame.

+ SS Frankie Panissidi (St. Joseph's Montvale HS, NJ) was another top talent to come out of the Future Games Trials - so much so that he caught the eye of National Crosschecker Shooter Hunt at the event. Panissidi - brother of 2018 Future Games Anthony Panissidi (Rhode Island signee), is physically imposing at 6-foot-1 175-pounds. In the box, quiet, athletic with controlled movements, Panissidi projects as a top of the order type bat - similar to his brother.

Names to Follow

+ Zaine Toneske (Jackson Liberty HS, NJ) - strong, broad shouldered frame with big time pop.

+ Allen Hernandez (Don Bosco Prep HS, NJ) - middle of the order bat.

+ 3B/RHP Jack Kirchner (Bishop Eustace Prep HS, NJ) - corner INF with pop and easy, projectable arm on the bump.

+ Aidan Paradine (Bayonne HS, NJ) - gap to gap pop at the plate with advanced catch and throw capabilities.

+ RHP Trevor Sundvik (Don Bosco Prep HS, NJ) - 80-82 on the mound - physical 6'0/180-lbs

+ RHP/OF Alex Kranzler (Old Tappan HS, NJ) - 6'2/190lbs, 81-82 on the mound with a live arm

+ SS Connor Watson (Morristown HS, NJ) - 7.0 runner, physical frame with twitch at 5'11/160-lbs

+ SS Robert Schneider (Millburn HS, NJ) - rangey, athletic INF with high upside; still filling out frame