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NJ 2019 Player Rankings Released

July 3, 2016

TJ Hunt
Scouting Director, New Jersey

As the summer season gets into full swing, there is no better time to release the preliminary 2019 NJ Player Rankings than now—especially right after a season in which there were a ton of impact freshmen playing at the varsity level.

Coming in at the top spot is RHP/SS Nick Maldonado (Seton Hall Prep, NJ). Maldonado was Seton Hall's starting shortstop and it did not take long for him to make an impact on the mound either. A big part of the Pirates' GNC and Non-Public A State Tournament championships, Maldonado was invited to participate in the recent Garden State Baseball Underclass Games, where he continued to cement his prolific status in New Jersey. He sat 85-86 with a very sharp 11/5 curveball which was arguably the best of the night, a night that included pitchers committed to schools like Rutgers, Oklahoma State, Duke, and Maryland.

+ The No. 2 prospect is SS/2B Anthony Volpe (Delbarton HS, NJ). Volpe is slightly undersized, but makes up for it with outstanding range in the field and a surprisingly explosive bat. Volpe started at second base for the Green Wave this year, with Virginia recruit Andrew Papantonis manning shortstop. 

+ No. 3 is RHP/SS K.C. Hunt (Ramapo HS, NJ). Hunt stands at a lanky, wiry 6-foot-3 and also started for his high school team at shortstop this year. During the high school year, Hunt hit over .350 with 11 doubles. A participant at the recent PBR NJ Futures Preview Showcase, Hunt mashed an 89 mph exit velocity while also sitting 84-86 on the mound. Hunt also recently played for the Louisiana Knights in PBR's inaugural Under Armour Classic. The Knights ended up winning with Hunt starting on the mound in the championship game.

+ No. 4 is OF Lillo Paxia (Gloucester Catholic HS, NJ). Paxia was a key contributor to GC's lineup as a freshman and is widely regarded as one of the top power threats in the 2019 class. He smacked two home runs this year for one of the top teams in the state.

+ No. 5 is RHP Stephen Restuccio (Hammonton HS, NJ). From the mound, this early, there's a ton to like. His fastball is already ranging 82-85 from a clean arm action and he releases the ball from a mid-3/4 slot with a long stride. He has above-average hand speed with a loose, athletic finish. He is also already committed to Wake Forest.

The top 10 

RANK NAME STATE SCHOOL CLASS POS COMMITMENT
1 Nick Maldonado NJ Seton Hall Prep 2019 RHP  
2 Anthony Volpe NJ Delbarton 2019 SS  
3 KC Hunt NJ Ramapo 2019 SS  
4 Lillo Paxia NJ Gloucester Catholic 2019 1B  
5 Stephen Restuccio NJ Hammonton 2019 RHP Wake Forest
6 Joey DeChiaro NJ Hunterdon Central 2019 LHP  
7 Jordan Sweeney NJ Egg Harbor 2019 RHP  
8 Jack Leiter NJ Delbarton 2019 RHP  
9 Chad Cole NJ Passaic Valley HS 2019 RHP  
10 Justin Kapuscinski NJ Marlboro 2019 C 

FULL RANKINGS HERE




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