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Who gets your vote for MyCentralJersey.com Reader’s Choice Baseball Player of the Year for 2026?
Unfortunately, we had to leave off some stars but here are 22 headliners in the Greater Middlesex Conference and area Skyland and Union County conferences (we limited one player per team).
The poll closes Wednesday, July 1, at noon.
More: Baseball index, with links to our entire 2026 All-Area honors package
Please note that the votes don't always show up immediately. There are lags for the votes to register and a winner isn't declared until hours after the poll closes.
IF POLL DOESN’T SHOW, PLEASE REFRESH THIS PAGE
Ryan Auten, Immaculata, Sr.
The 6-foot-6 lefty, Wake Forest-commit and two-time All-Area first team player was as dominant as billed. Immaculata won seven of his nine starts. His only losses came against Winter Park (FL), where he fanned 12 in five innings, and 1-0 in the Somerset County Tournament final against Watchung Hills, where he struck out 15. Auten pitched to a 0.74 earned run average with 114 strikeouts, 12 walks, one hit batter and 30 hits allowed in 57 innings. As a junior, he struck out 69, walked 32 and allowed 28 hits in 40 innings pitched with a 2.80 ERA.
Mike Basile, Governor Livingston, Sr.
He’ll be playing for Lehigh next season after being such a steadfast Highlander performer. He hit .361 this season with 27 walks, 27 runs scored, 36 RBIs, 11 doubles and five homers. He had a 5-for-5 game against Oratory with four RBIs in the third game of the season to signal what laid ahead. He finished with a .358 career batting average.
Hunter Brown, North Hunterdon, Sr.
The Penn State commit was 6-1 with a 0.81 ERA after being a second team All-Area player last year. This spring, he struck out 90 in 43 innings. One of his gems was a complete game, three-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts in the North 2 Group 3 quarterfinal in North’s 6-0 win over Millburn.
Rob Centamore, Watchung Hills, Sr.
The Ramapo-bound righty went 8-0 with a team-leading 0.97 ERA. When not pitching, he played first base and hit .353 (second on the team to Jacob Jaconski’s .460). Centamore also drove in 22 runs and led the Warriors with three homers. He struck out 13, allowed two hits and three walks in a 4-2 win over Ridge in a Somerset County Tournament semifinal.
Matt Chin, Old Bridge, So.
Chin showed glimpses as a freshman starter in 2025. This spring, the talented shortstop had a full-fledged breakout campaign, nearly tripling his hit total from the previous season. He batted .407 (37-for-91) with 22 RBIs, 18 runs scored and walked 16 times. He showed some pop with two home runs, nine doubles and a triple in helping the Knights reach the GMCT and the Central Group 4 finals.
Danny Contiliano, Hunterdon Central, Sr.
He capped his outstanding scholastic career by leading the Central Group 4 champions in plate appearances (134), hits (50), home runs (five), RBIs (29), runs (42) and batting average (.459) and tied for the lead in doubles (nine) and triples (two). He also stole 17 bases. The College of New Jersey commit went 8-for-15 in the Red Devils’ four sectional playoff wins. He finished his career with 107 hits.
Jake Dolan, Ridge, Sr.
He was a crucial part to the North 2 Group 4 champion’s attack. Dolan led the Red Devils in batting (.436) and RBIs (36). That was the most for a Red Devil since 2011 and the fourth-best single season total in program history. He was also a reliable relief pitcher and threw the final 1 2/3 innings in the 3-2 sectional final win over Watchung Hills. The Seton Hall commit allowed only three runs in nine relief appearances. He will spend the summer playing for the Perfect Game Collegiate League in upstate New York.
Ben Faigin, Monroe, Jr.
Faigin relishes pitching in big moments and doesn’t shy from the pressure. The left-hander certainly delivered to help the Falcons win the Jim Muldowney GMC Tournament. He went 3-0 allowing one earned run in 21 innings with 38 strikeouts, including a one-hit shutout in the final. For the spring, Faigin was 7-1 with a 1.01 ERA and struck out 86 in 48 2/3 innings. He also hit .463 (38-for-82) with 17 RBIs, two home runs, eight doubles, four triples and walked 22 times. Faigin flashed his speed with 22 steals and scored 23 times.
Alex Famolari, North Hunterdon, Sr.
The right-hander was the Lions’ center fielder when not pitching. He hit .424 with 17 RBIs, 28 runs scored, 11 doubles, four triples and a team-leading three homers. On the mound, he was 4-1 with a 1.06 ERA for the three-time defending Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament champions. The Yale commit finished his career with a .385 batting average with six homers, 121 hits and 61 RBIs.
James Fenton, Metuchen, So.
The righty turned heads with a great freshman season in 2025 on the mound and at the plate. How’s this for an encore – Fenton got even better. He was 7-2 with 92 strikeouts in 51 innings with a 1.10 ERA giving up a combined 37 hits and walks. Wait, there’s more, as Fenton also hit .406 (26-for-64) with four home runs, 27 RBIs, 19 walks and 10 steals.
Kellan Komline, Bridgewater-Raritan, Sr.
Max Newill, who just completed his 18th season as coach of the Panthers, believes Komline is one of the best players in program history. He was the last remaining starter from the 2024 state Group 4 title team. He played a superb center field and won three games on the mound. The Babson College commit hit .321 from his leadoff spot and led the team in runs (26), walks (28) and steals (nine) and was second with 21 RBIs.
Chris Kozak, Middlesex, Sr.
Kozak was a huge reason the Blue Jays went 45-11 the last two seasons, a state Group 1 title in 2025 included. The right-hander has 226 career strikeouts in 208 2/3 innings with a 1.98 ERA. He posted a career-high of 76 strikeouts this spring in 66 2/3 innings and went 6-2 with a 1.26 ERA. Kozak, who will be attending Clemson and not playing baseball, also hit .324 (23-for-71).
Colin Kroner, Colonia, Sr.
The Patriots star righty was hampered by an injury the last three weeks of the season but still produced awesome stats. Kroner struck out 74 hitters in 48 innings with a 1.75 ERA allowing 48 combined hits and walks. The Seton Hall commit finished his career with 253 strikeouts in 179 1/3 innings with a 1.75 ERA.
Joe LaRosa, Scotch Plains-Fanwood, Sr.
The right fielder raised his average from .347 last season to a career best .439 as the club earned a winning year at 14-12 after a subpar 2025. LaRosa led in at-bats (87), runs (27), hits (36), homers (four) and stolen bases (11). He also improved from 16 RBIs last season to 32 this spring, including four-RBIs games against Union Catholic and Madison. He had 13 multiple-hit games.
Grant Lorentzen, J.F. Kennedy, Sr.
In the age of specializing in one sport, Lorentzen was an old-school type-of-player who excelled in all seasons. In football, he had 1,221 receiving yards and 22 touchdown catches in the fall. In basketball, he had 1,246 career points. He was just as good on the diamond. Lorentzen hit .472 (34-for-72) with four home runs, 18 RBIs, 30 runs, 23 walks with 21 stolen bases. He also had a 1.97 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings. For his career, Lorentzen had 102 hits and a .359 batting average, and has 220 strikeouts in 182 innings with a 1.81 ERA. He committed to The College of New Jersey to play football and baseball.
Dom Massaro, South Plainfield, Sr.
Future South Plainfield baseball players will aspire to be like Dom. Massaro graduates as the program’s all-time leader in hits (156), runs (122) and stolen bases (86) to go along with a .414 batting average. The speedster patrols center field and makes things happen from his leadoff spot. This spring, he hit .524 (54-for-103), walked 13 times, and had 24 RBIs, 39 runs scored, 26 stolen bases, while chipping in two home runs, 19 doubles and a triple. He committed to play at Brookdale.
Connor Murphy, Edison, Sr.
The right-hander was a midseason Player of the Year candidate but injuries down the stretch limited him to 39 innings on the mound. But look at his numbers – 83 strikeouts, an 0.54 ERA and 10 walks with a 5-1 record for the Red Division champions. Murphy, who hit .292, had four double-digit K games in which he whiffed 15, 14, 13 and 12 hitters. The Monmouth commit has 207 strikeouts in 150 1/3 career innings with a 2.05 ERA.
Li Perez, Rutgers Prep, Sr.
The right-hander headed to Seton Hall was a second-team All-Area player last year but made no doubt where he would land as a senior. He went 6-2 with a 1.49 ERA, fanning 102 in 47 innings after striking out 99 in 48 innings last season with a 2.48 ERA. He also hit .356 this spring with 15 RBIs and two homers. He played center field when not on the mound.
Collin Perna, South Brunswick, Sr.
Fans might have expected Perna (.446 BA last year) to have a top-tier offensive season but he also stepped up as one of the GMC’s best pitchers this spring. The shortstop hit a blistering .493 (35-for-71) with some power (a home run, seven doubles and two triples), chipping in speed (22 steals, 31 runs). The Manhattan commit, who threw 18 innings in 2025, had 71 strikeouts in 52 1/3 frames with a 2.01 ERA and was 7-3.
Soham Prajapati, J.P. Stevens, Sr.
The righty capped a terrific career by striking out 102 in 67 2/3 innings with an 8-2 record. He carried an 0.93 ERA, allowing 35 hits and walked 18. He also hit .329 (23-for-70) with 18 RBIs as he helped the Hawks have a three-way tie atop the Blue Division standings with Carteret and South River (division champs on a tiebreaker). Prajapati, who will attend Rutgers and not play baseball, had 247 career strikeouts and is the program’s record holder in single season and career strikeouts.
Louis Rizzolo, St. Thomas Aquinas, Sr.
Rizzolo likes to smile and have fun, keeping his teammates loose while providing leadership as a two-way star. He has carried a mature, unflappable presence since he was an underclassmen. The lefty had his best season yet this spring going 8-0 with an 0.90 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 62 1/3 innings, allowing 37 hits and nine walks. He struck out 290 in 188 career innings with a 1.49 ERA. The Marist commit also hit .382 this spring (29-for-76) with three home runs, five doubles, a triple and 12 RBIs.
Gavin Slicner, Woodbridge, Sr.
The balls were flying everywhere when Slicner took his mighty swings. The GMC Coaches Association’s Hitter of the Year had a prolific season from the leadoff spot, while playing a slick shortstop. The Middlesex commit hit .517 (46-for-89) with nine home runs and 32 RBIs, adding 11 doubles and a triple. As the table setter, he scored 37 runs and stole 26 bases. He set the program’s single-season hit record along the way and has 103 career knocks, 62 RBIs and a .395 batting average.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ Baseball Vote for Central Jersey Baseball Player of the Year
Continue reading...
Unfortunately, we had to leave off some stars but here are 22 headliners in the Greater Middlesex Conference and area Skyland and Union County conferences (we limited one player per team).
The poll closes Wednesday, July 1, at noon.
More: Baseball index, with links to our entire 2026 All-Area honors package
Please note that the votes don't always show up immediately. There are lags for the votes to register and a winner isn't declared until hours after the poll closes.
IF POLL DOESN’T SHOW, PLEASE REFRESH THIS PAGE
Ryan Auten, Immaculata, Sr.
The 6-foot-6 lefty, Wake Forest-commit and two-time All-Area first team player was as dominant as billed. Immaculata won seven of his nine starts. His only losses came against Winter Park (FL), where he fanned 12 in five innings, and 1-0 in the Somerset County Tournament final against Watchung Hills, where he struck out 15. Auten pitched to a 0.74 earned run average with 114 strikeouts, 12 walks, one hit batter and 30 hits allowed in 57 innings. As a junior, he struck out 69, walked 32 and allowed 28 hits in 40 innings pitched with a 2.80 ERA.
Mike Basile, Governor Livingston, Sr.
He’ll be playing for Lehigh next season after being such a steadfast Highlander performer. He hit .361 this season with 27 walks, 27 runs scored, 36 RBIs, 11 doubles and five homers. He had a 5-for-5 game against Oratory with four RBIs in the third game of the season to signal what laid ahead. He finished with a .358 career batting average.
Hunter Brown, North Hunterdon, Sr.
The Penn State commit was 6-1 with a 0.81 ERA after being a second team All-Area player last year. This spring, he struck out 90 in 43 innings. One of his gems was a complete game, three-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts in the North 2 Group 3 quarterfinal in North’s 6-0 win over Millburn.
Rob Centamore, Watchung Hills, Sr.
The Ramapo-bound righty went 8-0 with a team-leading 0.97 ERA. When not pitching, he played first base and hit .353 (second on the team to Jacob Jaconski’s .460). Centamore also drove in 22 runs and led the Warriors with three homers. He struck out 13, allowed two hits and three walks in a 4-2 win over Ridge in a Somerset County Tournament semifinal.
Matt Chin, Old Bridge, So.
Chin showed glimpses as a freshman starter in 2025. This spring, the talented shortstop had a full-fledged breakout campaign, nearly tripling his hit total from the previous season. He batted .407 (37-for-91) with 22 RBIs, 18 runs scored and walked 16 times. He showed some pop with two home runs, nine doubles and a triple in helping the Knights reach the GMCT and the Central Group 4 finals.
Danny Contiliano, Hunterdon Central, Sr.
He capped his outstanding scholastic career by leading the Central Group 4 champions in plate appearances (134), hits (50), home runs (five), RBIs (29), runs (42) and batting average (.459) and tied for the lead in doubles (nine) and triples (two). He also stole 17 bases. The College of New Jersey commit went 8-for-15 in the Red Devils’ four sectional playoff wins. He finished his career with 107 hits.
Jake Dolan, Ridge, Sr.
He was a crucial part to the North 2 Group 4 champion’s attack. Dolan led the Red Devils in batting (.436) and RBIs (36). That was the most for a Red Devil since 2011 and the fourth-best single season total in program history. He was also a reliable relief pitcher and threw the final 1 2/3 innings in the 3-2 sectional final win over Watchung Hills. The Seton Hall commit allowed only three runs in nine relief appearances. He will spend the summer playing for the Perfect Game Collegiate League in upstate New York.
Ben Faigin, Monroe, Jr.
Faigin relishes pitching in big moments and doesn’t shy from the pressure. The left-hander certainly delivered to help the Falcons win the Jim Muldowney GMC Tournament. He went 3-0 allowing one earned run in 21 innings with 38 strikeouts, including a one-hit shutout in the final. For the spring, Faigin was 7-1 with a 1.01 ERA and struck out 86 in 48 2/3 innings. He also hit .463 (38-for-82) with 17 RBIs, two home runs, eight doubles, four triples and walked 22 times. Faigin flashed his speed with 22 steals and scored 23 times.
Alex Famolari, North Hunterdon, Sr.
The right-hander was the Lions’ center fielder when not pitching. He hit .424 with 17 RBIs, 28 runs scored, 11 doubles, four triples and a team-leading three homers. On the mound, he was 4-1 with a 1.06 ERA for the three-time defending Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament champions. The Yale commit finished his career with a .385 batting average with six homers, 121 hits and 61 RBIs.
James Fenton, Metuchen, So.
The righty turned heads with a great freshman season in 2025 on the mound and at the plate. How’s this for an encore – Fenton got even better. He was 7-2 with 92 strikeouts in 51 innings with a 1.10 ERA giving up a combined 37 hits and walks. Wait, there’s more, as Fenton also hit .406 (26-for-64) with four home runs, 27 RBIs, 19 walks and 10 steals.
Kellan Komline, Bridgewater-Raritan, Sr.
Max Newill, who just completed his 18th season as coach of the Panthers, believes Komline is one of the best players in program history. He was the last remaining starter from the 2024 state Group 4 title team. He played a superb center field and won three games on the mound. The Babson College commit hit .321 from his leadoff spot and led the team in runs (26), walks (28) and steals (nine) and was second with 21 RBIs.
Chris Kozak, Middlesex, Sr.
Kozak was a huge reason the Blue Jays went 45-11 the last two seasons, a state Group 1 title in 2025 included. The right-hander has 226 career strikeouts in 208 2/3 innings with a 1.98 ERA. He posted a career-high of 76 strikeouts this spring in 66 2/3 innings and went 6-2 with a 1.26 ERA. Kozak, who will be attending Clemson and not playing baseball, also hit .324 (23-for-71).
Colin Kroner, Colonia, Sr.
The Patriots star righty was hampered by an injury the last three weeks of the season but still produced awesome stats. Kroner struck out 74 hitters in 48 innings with a 1.75 ERA allowing 48 combined hits and walks. The Seton Hall commit finished his career with 253 strikeouts in 179 1/3 innings with a 1.75 ERA.
Joe LaRosa, Scotch Plains-Fanwood, Sr.
The right fielder raised his average from .347 last season to a career best .439 as the club earned a winning year at 14-12 after a subpar 2025. LaRosa led in at-bats (87), runs (27), hits (36), homers (four) and stolen bases (11). He also improved from 16 RBIs last season to 32 this spring, including four-RBIs games against Union Catholic and Madison. He had 13 multiple-hit games.
Grant Lorentzen, J.F. Kennedy, Sr.
In the age of specializing in one sport, Lorentzen was an old-school type-of-player who excelled in all seasons. In football, he had 1,221 receiving yards and 22 touchdown catches in the fall. In basketball, he had 1,246 career points. He was just as good on the diamond. Lorentzen hit .472 (34-for-72) with four home runs, 18 RBIs, 30 runs, 23 walks with 21 stolen bases. He also had a 1.97 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings. For his career, Lorentzen had 102 hits and a .359 batting average, and has 220 strikeouts in 182 innings with a 1.81 ERA. He committed to The College of New Jersey to play football and baseball.
Dom Massaro, South Plainfield, Sr.
Future South Plainfield baseball players will aspire to be like Dom. Massaro graduates as the program’s all-time leader in hits (156), runs (122) and stolen bases (86) to go along with a .414 batting average. The speedster patrols center field and makes things happen from his leadoff spot. This spring, he hit .524 (54-for-103), walked 13 times, and had 24 RBIs, 39 runs scored, 26 stolen bases, while chipping in two home runs, 19 doubles and a triple. He committed to play at Brookdale.
Connor Murphy, Edison, Sr.
The right-hander was a midseason Player of the Year candidate but injuries down the stretch limited him to 39 innings on the mound. But look at his numbers – 83 strikeouts, an 0.54 ERA and 10 walks with a 5-1 record for the Red Division champions. Murphy, who hit .292, had four double-digit K games in which he whiffed 15, 14, 13 and 12 hitters. The Monmouth commit has 207 strikeouts in 150 1/3 career innings with a 2.05 ERA.
Li Perez, Rutgers Prep, Sr.
The right-hander headed to Seton Hall was a second-team All-Area player last year but made no doubt where he would land as a senior. He went 6-2 with a 1.49 ERA, fanning 102 in 47 innings after striking out 99 in 48 innings last season with a 2.48 ERA. He also hit .356 this spring with 15 RBIs and two homers. He played center field when not on the mound.
Collin Perna, South Brunswick, Sr.
Fans might have expected Perna (.446 BA last year) to have a top-tier offensive season but he also stepped up as one of the GMC’s best pitchers this spring. The shortstop hit a blistering .493 (35-for-71) with some power (a home run, seven doubles and two triples), chipping in speed (22 steals, 31 runs). The Manhattan commit, who threw 18 innings in 2025, had 71 strikeouts in 52 1/3 frames with a 2.01 ERA and was 7-3.
Soham Prajapati, J.P. Stevens, Sr.
The righty capped a terrific career by striking out 102 in 67 2/3 innings with an 8-2 record. He carried an 0.93 ERA, allowing 35 hits and walked 18. He also hit .329 (23-for-70) with 18 RBIs as he helped the Hawks have a three-way tie atop the Blue Division standings with Carteret and South River (division champs on a tiebreaker). Prajapati, who will attend Rutgers and not play baseball, had 247 career strikeouts and is the program’s record holder in single season and career strikeouts.
Louis Rizzolo, St. Thomas Aquinas, Sr.
Rizzolo likes to smile and have fun, keeping his teammates loose while providing leadership as a two-way star. He has carried a mature, unflappable presence since he was an underclassmen. The lefty had his best season yet this spring going 8-0 with an 0.90 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 62 1/3 innings, allowing 37 hits and nine walks. He struck out 290 in 188 career innings with a 1.49 ERA. The Marist commit also hit .382 this spring (29-for-76) with three home runs, five doubles, a triple and 12 RBIs.
Gavin Slicner, Woodbridge, Sr.
The balls were flying everywhere when Slicner took his mighty swings. The GMC Coaches Association’s Hitter of the Year had a prolific season from the leadoff spot, while playing a slick shortstop. The Middlesex commit hit .517 (46-for-89) with nine home runs and 32 RBIs, adding 11 doubles and a triple. As the table setter, he scored 37 runs and stole 26 bases. He set the program’s single-season hit record along the way and has 103 career knocks, 62 RBIs and a .395 batting average.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ Baseball Vote for Central Jersey Baseball Player of the Year
Continue reading...
