South Jersey High School Baseball 2025: Full Season Breakdown, Top Players, and Key Dates

The 2025 South Jersey high school baseball season is officially underway. After six required practices starting from March 10, most teams waited until this week to begin playing games. Although the earliest possible start date was March 17, programs used the extra time to get ready.

This spring, many top programs return with strong rosters and the goal of winning sectional and state titles. The season runs on a tight timeline. The state tournament cutoff date is May 17. Teams that qualify will start first-round games on May 27 at the higher seed’s field. Sectional quarterfinals follow on May 29, with semifinals on June 3. The sectional finals are set for June 5.

As the season begins, South Jersey again features a large group of standout players. Many have already committed to playing college baseball and return with impressive statistics from last year.

Starting with catchers, Trent Bantle from Audubon hit .400 with 32 hits and 27 RBIs. He is committed to Rutgers-Camden. Anthony Cataldo of Eastern batted .310 with 29 RBIs and two home runs. In last year’s Group 4 semifinal, he went 2-for-4 and scored two runs. Haddonfield’s Griffin Clarke, now a senior, had a .345 average and a .558 on-base percentage. He is committed to Babson College.

Gavin Dillard of Glassboro, who was named third-team All-South Jersey, hit .463 with 12 doubles and 16 RBIs. He has 94 career hits and is a three-year team captain. Dillard will play for Misericordia next year. Northern Burlington senior Nick Filliponi hit .305, played both catcher and outfield, and stole eight bases. He is committed to Rider.

At Gateway, Sean Greene hit .453, scored 28 runs, and stole 16 bases. He also struck out 56 batters in 41 innings pitched. Braeden Lipoff from Gloucester Catholic, a junior and East Carolina commit, hit .389. He was a key player in the team’s Non-Public B state title last season.

Palmyra senior Steve Peltz hit .390 with four doubles, nine RBIs, and 11 steals. He also pitched 21.1 innings and struck out 38 batters. GCIT’s Willie Popoff had a .423 average, a .511 on-base percentage, and a .507 slugging percentage. He helped his pitching staff strike out 200 batters — the most in school history.

Highland’s Ian Robeson, a junior captain, batted .371 with 13 RBIs. Schalick’s sophomore Ricky Watt had a strong first year with a .435 average, 37 hits, and 40 RBIs.

In the infield, Hammonton’s Kole Bagnell hit .419 with 25 runs scored and now has 82 career hits. Bishop Eustace third baseman Dante Bell, a junior, hit .437 with two home runs, 25 RBIs, and 25 runs. He also stole seven bases.

Egg Harbor Township’s Jacob Cagna hit .359 and drove in 25 runs. He is committed to Canisius. Gloucester Catholic’s Noah Danza, a junior shortstop and Virginia commit, hit .438 with three home runs and 27 RBIs.

St. Augustine senior Joey Erace hit .357 with nine doubles and two triples and scored 33 runs — the most on the team. He is committed to Rutgers. Eastern’s Logan Dawson hit .364 and had a 1.97 ERA in 64 innings. He earned first-team All-South Jersey honors and is committed to Boston College.

Bordentown’s Luke Guire, a senior shortstop and Delaware commit, has a .385 career average and 87 career hits. Cinnaminson’s Noah Harvey, also a senior shortstop, hit .400 with 13 extra-base hits. He is committed to Richmond.

Eastern junior Sean Karbach hit .400 with two home runs and 14 RBIs. In the South Jersey Group 4 final, he went 2-for-3. Vineland’s Kyle Lamenteer hit .367 with 25 RBIs and pitched 25.1 innings with 32 strikeouts. He is committed to Rider.

Gloucester Catholic third baseman Guy Lynam, an Auburn commit and first-team All-South Jersey pick, hit .405 with seven doubles, one home run, 30 RBIs, and 11 steals.

Cole Marchetti of Northern Burlington, a Rutgers commit, hit .400 with 19 RBIs and pitched 19.1 innings with a 1.81 ERA. West Deptford’s Cole McKenna hit .429 with two home runs, eight steals, and 19 RBIs. He is committed to Old Dominion.

Collingswood’s Jairo Mendoza, a sophomore shortstop, hit .439 with 36 hits and made first-team all-Colonial Conference. He will also pitch. Jack Mustaro from Gloucester Catholic hit .352 with 23 RBIs. He pitched 14.2 innings with a 0.48 ERA.

Shawnee’s Chase Roberts batted .288 with 12 walks and is committed to Penn State. Cherry Hill West’s Aiden Ryder hit .353 with 24 RBIs and is committed to Rowan. Evan Taylor of Ocean City hit .353 with five home runs and 23 RBIs. He is committed to Alabama and will also pitch.

Tyler Wiltsey from Audubon hit .391 with 34 hits and 27 RBIs. Though he played shortstop last year, this spring, he may shift to the outfield. He is committed to Rutgers.

In the outfield, Rancocas Valley’s Jake Barletta hit .471 with 48 hits and 18 RBIs. He is committed to Rowan and has 85 career hits. Delsea’s Austin Buchanan hit .430 with 11 doubles, three home runs, and 33 RBIs. He is committed to La Salle.

Pennsville’s Chase Burchfield hit .476 with three home runs and 39 RBIs. He also enters the season with 85 career hits. Mainland’s Chase Camac hit .350 with 23 RBIs and is committed to Quinnipiac.

Collingswood’s Miles DeVincentis hit .377 and pitched 44.1 innings with a 2.21 ERA. He is committed to Rowan. Grant Fournier of Cherry Hill West hit .444 with two home runs, seven doubles, and 28 RBIs. He plays centerfield and is committed to Delaware.

Moorestown’s Chase Kroberger hit .415 with 21 RBIs and 29 runs. He is committed to Alabama. Paul VI’s Mason Myers hit .315 with nine doubles, four triples, two home runs, and 21 RBIs. He is committed to Coastal Carolina.

Charlie Neal of Camden Catholic hit .413 with nine doubles, one home run, and 18 RBIs. He had the highest slugging percentage on the team at .635. Gloucester Catholic’s Henry Pancoast hit .282 with six doubles and 16 RBIs. He also stole six bases.

Haddonfield’s James Rowe hit .471 with nine doubles, two triples, and a 1.216 OPS. Luke Wood of Pennsville hit .410 with 18 runs and has 87 career hits. He also pitched to a 1.65 ERA and went 3-0 with 27 strikeouts in 17 innings.

Among pitchers, Kingsway’s Nate Bott went 5-3 with a 1.53 ERA in 45.2 innings and is committed to Delaware. Frank Cairone of Delsea struck out 100 batters in 64 innings with a 2.62 ERA. He is a Coastal Carolina commit.

Clearview’s Tyler Dell posted a 2.97 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 33 innings. He is committed to Montclair State. Shawnee’s Tim Dougherty had a 1.73 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 32.1 innings. He is committed to West Virginia.

Cherokee’s Brett Gable struck out 58 in 42.1 innings with a 2.31 ERA. He is committed to Harvard. Audubon’s Nick Kalogiros went 6-1 with a 0.30 ERA over 46 innings. He is committed to Rutgers-Camden.

Ocean City’s Travis Large, a Monmouth commit, had a 2.53 ERA and struck out 53 batters in 38.2 innings. Jake Lodgek of Mainland, a Miami commit, struck out 40 batters in 22.2 innings with a 1.54 ERA.

Northern Burlington’s Luca Mannino had a 2.14 ERA with 55 strikeouts and hit .347. He is committed to Rowan. Eamon McDermott of Bishop Eustace had a 3.23 ERA over 13 innings and is committed to Georgetown.

Cherokee’s Henry Radbill, a Rutgers commit, went 5-0 with a 1.82 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 42.1 innings. Schalick’s Luke Pokrovsky hit .500 with six home runs and 27 RBIs. On the mound, he struck out 122 in 57 innings and had a 1.09 ERA. He is committed to Penn.

Gloucester Catholic’s Jackson Smallets pitched only 10 innings last year but performed well during summer events like the Carpenter Cup and American Legion. He is committed to Coastal Carolina.

Logan Shumard of Rancocas Valley had a 1.58 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 44 innings. He is committed to Montclair State. Vineland’s Mario Toro had the team’s best ERA at 2.37 and struck out 35 in 38.1 innings.

GCIT’s Alex Valay, a 6-foot-3 junior lefty, struck out 25 in 15.1 innings. He is committed to Rhode Island. His teammate and brother, Andrew Valay, a 6-foot-5 righty, struck out 47 batters in 38.2 innings and already has 95 career strikeouts. He is committed to Notre Dame.

While high school teams are just getting started, South Jersey baseball fans are also watching the Phillies. The team opened their season by taking two out of three games from the Washington Nationals — their best start since 2021.

The Phillies return home to Citizens Bank Park on Monday for their home opener against the Colorado Rockies at 3:05 p.m. Christopher Sanchez will start the game. He earned a four-year contract extension after a strong 2024 season.

Philadelphia hopes to bounce back after a disappointing playoff loss to the Mets last October. With key players like Trea Turner and JT Realmuto already dealing with small injuries, fans are watching closely.

Still, the energy is high, and Citizens Bank Park is expected to be full. The Phillies will stay home all week, and the Rockies and Dodgers will visit.

As the pros battle in the city, South Jersey’s high school players are beginning a season filled with talent, expectations, and opportunities to shine. With top players across every position, strong teams, and packed spring schedules, baseball in South Jersey is in full swing.