2025 - GMC Baseball Preview: Talent throughout highlights deep conference

 

• Updated: Mar. 27, 2025, 12:26 p.m.
• |
  Published: Mar. 27, 2025, 12:00 p.m.
  By 
  • Luis Torres | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
  
  The 2025 high school baseball season is officially here.
  The NJ Advance Media baseball staff has started its preparations for the spring season. As part of our baseball preview package, scroll down and take a look at our preview for the Greater Middlesex Conference.
  
  Included are who we figure to be the top teams and even a sleeper that could turn some heads down the line. You’ll also find a handful of players to watch, some early picks in each division race, and a look at what the crystal ball suggests as postseason award winners.
  Greater Middlesex Conference Preview
  
  Top Teams
  Colonia: Colonia is going to be hard to beat this season, especially when ace Cory Pascarella is on the mound. Pascarella had a breakout junior season last season, throwing 56 1/3 innings with 86 strikeouts and a 0.37 ERA. He was downright unhittable at times last season and the Monmouth commit will look to replicate last spring’s performance this season.
  He’s joined by junior Colin Kroner, who is a Seton Hall commit and is coming off a solid sophomore season. He threw 49 innings last season, amassing a 2.00 ERA and 78 strikeouts. Those two will give Colonia a chance in every game they pitch.
  
  Monroe: Monroe head coach Sean Field said he feels good about his team entering this season, even though he will have to replace All-State pitcher Zack Wallace, who graduated. Monroe does bring back senior outfielder Jake Lobue, who has been a constant in the lineup the last few years.
  The Falcons did get a couple of transfers, including Andre Love, a junior pitcher who is committed to Georgia, who Field is high on. Love will likely be the ace of the staff. Benjamin Faigin, who played JV at Red Bank Catholic last season, will slot into the middle of the lineup.
  
  Old Bridge: You can always count on Old Bridge having a good team, and this year should be no different under the tutelage of head coach Matt Donaghue. We’re only two years removed from Old Bridge reaching the Group 4 championship game, and there are still some pieces leftover from that team, namely senior pitcher/infielder Justin Hascup.
  Hascup has been a reliable throughout his career and is in the conversation as the best pitcher in the GMC. He’ll be the workhorse this season as Old Bridge does have to replace Frank Papeo and JT Meyer, who graduated. The lineup brings back John Smith (.412, 35 hits) and Akhil Penkala (.443, 31 hits).
  
  Spotswood: Spotswood is back in the White Division after spending the last two years dominating the Blue Division and has a team that could compete in the White and beyond. Veteran head coach Glenn Fredricks is bullish on his team and what they have returning, which includes standout two-way player Carter Cumiskey.
  Cumiskey had a 1.80 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings pitched last season, while hitting .446 with six homers and 36 hits at the plate. Senior Will Buchan hit .375 last season and will be back on the mound this season after recovering from injury a year ago. Ryan Orth and Tyler Olesky help round out the pitching rotation, while freshman catcher Tyrus Lazar figures to have a big role this spring.
  
  St. Thomas Aquinas: St. Thomas Aquinas had a banner season last season, winning its first sectional championship since 2006 when it defeated Rutgers Prep in the North, Non-Public B final. Head coach Tom D’Agostino will look to build on that this season and does have pieces back from that team last spring.
  Sophomore infielder/pitcher Nikash Patel figures to be the ace of the staff this year after throwing 41 1/3 innings last season and amassing a 1.19 ERA and also hit .301 and played shortstop. Junior Louis Rizzolo was the winning pitcher in relief in the sectional final a year ago and had a 1.74 ERA in 48 1/3 innings with 68 strikeouts. Rizzolo hit .324 at the plate and power hitter Will Bethea returns after hitting four home runs a year ago.
  
  South Plainfield: South Plainfield is coming off a strong year last spring, making it to county tournament final and a sectional final. Head coach Scott Gleichenhaus is looking to build on that campaign this season and has key returners back in the fold.
  Senior pitcher Mike Castagna is coming off a good junior year where he had a 1.70 ERA in 35 innings. The lineup does have to replace the production of Zack Robinson, but Nick Irizarry, Dom Massaro and Dan Kapsch are back after productive seasons a year ago and will help fill the void left by Robinson.
  
  Sleeper Team
  St. Joseph (Met.): There might not be a more intriguing team in the GMC than St. Joseph (Met.), who hired one of the most successful coaches over the last two and a half decades in former Cranford skipper Dennis McCaffery.
  McCaffery ended a brief retirement by taking over at St. Joe’s and will look to get the program back on track after the team struggled last season. But there is still quality left from last year’s roster, including senior Bobby Christensen. Expect St. Joe’s to play well in every phase of the game under McCaffery.
  
  Players to Watch
  B
  Will Bethea, St. Thomas Aqunas, INF, Sr. - Player profile
  Noah Borreo, South River, C, Jr. - Player profile
  Will Buchan, Spotswood, INF/P, Sr. - Player profile
  C
  Nomar Carreras, East Brunswick Magnet, INF/P - Player profile
  Anthony Calantoni, Edison, INF, Sr. - Player profile
  Chase Cannan, Sayreville, INF, So. - Player profile
  Mike Castagna, South Plainfield, Sr., P - Player profile
  Dylan Chiera, Colonia, UTL/P, Jr. - Player profile
  Bobby Christensen, St. Jospeh (Met.), OF - Player profile
  Davyn Ciriaco, North Plainfield, UTL/P, Sr. - Player profile
  Jack Clements, East Brunswick Magnet, UTL/P - Player profile
  Diego Colon, South Amboy, INF, Jr. - Player profile
  Dorian Crocco, Highland Park, INF/P, So. - Player profile
  Carter Cumiskey, Spotswood, P/INF, Sr. - Player profile
  D
  Tim DeGaetano, North Brunswick, UTL, Sr. - Player profile
  Dev Desai, J.P. Stevens, INF, Sr. - Player profile
  Xavier Diaz, Woodbridge, INF, Jr. - Player profile
  Hayden Dziubeck, East Brunswick, Sr., P/OF - Player profile
  F
  Matthew Ferber, St. Joseph (Met.), INF, Sr. - Player profile
  Justin Foy, Perth Amboy, P, Sr. - Player profile
  G
  Connor Glynn, East Brunswick, INF/P, Sr. - Player profile
  H
  Justin Hascup, Old Bridge, P/INF, Sr. - Player profile
  Luis Hernandez, Carteret, P/OF, So. - Player profile
  Ryan Hutchins, Dunellen, UTL/P, Sr. - Player profile
  I
  Nick Irizarry, South Plainfield, OF, Sr. - Player profile
  K
  Dan Kapsch, South Plainfield, Sr. - Player profile
  Nick Kee, Carteret, P/INF, Sr. - Player profile
  Chris Kozak, Middlesex, Jr., OF/P - Player profile
  Colin Kroner, Colonia, P, Jr. - Player profile
  L
  Ryan Leach, Woodbridge, INF/P, Sr. - Player profile
  Zachary Lenardo, Perth Amboy Magnet, INF Sr. - Player profile
  Jake Lobue, Monroe, OF, Sr. - Player profile
  Grant Lorentzen, Iselin Kennedy, P/UTL, Jr. - Player profile
  Colton Lyerly, Piscataway Magnet, INF/P, So. - Player profile
  M
  Seamus MacKinnon, Highland Park, Sr., C/P - Player profile
  Kyle Malchiodi, Piscataway Magnet, So., P/INF - Player profile
  Billy Mansfield, Woodbridge, P, Jr. - Player profile
  Lucas Malmalug, Metuchen, P/UTL, Jr. - Player profile
  Dom Massaro, South Plainfield, OF, Jr. - Player profile
  Connor Murphy, Edison, INF/P, Jr. - Player profile
  N
  Micah Nemeth, South Amboy, P, So. - Player profile
  O
  Tyler Olesky, Spotswood, P, Sr. - Player profile
  Tommy O’Neill, East Brunswick Magnet, OF, Sr. - Player profile
  Ryan Orth, Spotswood, INF/P, Jr. - Player profile
  P
  Cory Pascarella, Colonia, P, Sr. - Player profile
  Nikash Patel, St. Thomas Aquinas, INF/P, So. - Player profile
  Carlos Paredes, New Brunswick, UTL/P - Player profile
  Dom Parenti, Middlesex, INF, Sr. - Player profile
  Wily Pena, North Brunswick, INF, So. - Player profile
  Akhil Penkala, Old Bridge, INF, Sr. - Player profile
  Collin Perna, South Brunswick, UTL/P, Jr. - Player profile
  R
  Owen Reynolds, Middlesex, INF, Sr. - Player profile
  Louis Rizzolo, St. Thomas Aquinas, OF/P - Player profile
  Michael Robinson, Sayreville, C, Sr. - Player profile
  Chris Rodriguez, Perth Amboy, UTL, Sr. - Player profile
  Robert Roma, Edison, P/INF, Jr. - Player profile
  Julius Rosado, South River, INF/P, Sr. - Player profile
  Cole Russomanno, Somerset Tech, P, Jr. - Player profile
  Logan Russomanno, Somerset Tech, UTL, Jr. - Player profile
  S
  Will Sassman, South Brunswick, UTL/P, Jr. - Player profile
  Thomas Schlaline, Sayreville, INF/P, Sr. - Player profile
  Gavin Slicner, Woodbridge, INF, Jr. - Player profile
  John Smith, Old Bridge, INF, Sr. - Player profile
  Joe Spinello, East Brunswick, OF, Jr. - Player profile
  Mark Stein, Dunellen, OF/P, Sr. - Player profile
  T
  Eric Thompson, Carteret, OF/P, Sr. - Player profile
  Zach Tyler, Iselin Kennedy, OF/P, Sr. - Player profile
  W
  Riley Wingate, Piscataway, UTL/P, Sr. - Player profile
  Z
  Richard Zangara, St. Joseph (Met.), P, Sr. - Player profile
  Tommy Zotollo, North Plainfield, P/UTL, Sr. - Player profile
  James Zsorey, South River, P/INF, Sr. - Player profile
  
  Division Breakdowns
  Blue Division: Carteret; Iselin Kennedy; J.P. Stevens; Metuchen; North Plainfield; Piscataway; South Amboy; South River
  Gold Division: Dunellen; East Brunswick Magnet; Highland Park; New Brunswick; Perth Amboy Magnet; Piscataway Magnet; Somerset Tech; Timothy Christian; Wardlaw-Hartridge
  Red Division: East Brunswick; Edison; Monroe; Old Bridge; South Brunswick; South Plainfield; St. Joseph (Met.); Woodbridge
  White Division: Colonia; Middlesex; North Brunswick; Perth Amboy; Sayreville; Spotswood; St. Thomas Aquinas
  
  Divisional Picks
  
  Blue: South River
  Gold: East Brunswick Magnet
  Red: Old Bridge
  White: Spotswood
  
  Postseason Award Predictions
  
  Player of the Year: Julius Rosado, South River
  Coach of the Year: Matt Donaghue, Old Bridge
  Team of the Year: Old Bridge
  
  GMC Baseball Preview, 2025: Talent throughout highlights deep conference - nj.com