Baseball – Returning All-Shore and All-Division Hitters in 2023
The Shore Conference has had a steady flow of top-level baseball talent from one year to the next and that trend continues in 2023. Below are the top hitters -- many of them standout pitchers as well -- coming back after earning recognition from Shore Sports Network as either a member of one of the three All-Shore Teams, a winner in the All-Shore Final Vote, or one of the last four players left off the All-Shore Teams last season, when four fifth-year seniors earned All-Shore spots.
Below those players is a list of hitters returning who were named all-division players by the Shore Conference baseball coaches.
All-Shore Teams: First | Second | Third
Returning 2022 Shore Sports Network All-Shore Hitters
First Team
Shane Andrus, Sr., Catcher, Red Bank Catholic
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .337/.400/.568
XBH: 3 doubles, 2 triples, 5 home runs
Runs: 18
RBI: 31
SB: 7
Season Recap: Andrus and Central Regional catcher Cristian Soto were the Shore’s top two defensive catchers by most accounts and early in his junior season, Andrus was one of the area’s most imposing hitters. Even after he cooled off down the stretch, the Caseys backstop closed out the season with 10 extra-base hits while driving in 31 runs for an RBC team that finished 2022 the No. 3 team in the Shore Sports Network Top 10.
Charlie Meglio, Sr., Third Base, Jackson Memorial
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .417/.525/.781
XBH: 11 doubles, 8 home runs
Runs: 30
RBI: 35
SB: 1
Season Recap: Meglio is one of the Shore’s top returning bats after finishing in the top 10 among Shore players in homers, doubles, RBI, and slugging percentage and crushing it in Jackson Memorial’s 12 tournament games (.412, four doubles, four home runs, 14 RBI). The Campbell University commit battled through multiple injuries during basketball season for the 20-win Jaguars, but should be ready to go when his team opens the season at Toms River North on April 4.
A.J. Gracia, Sr., OF/LHP, Ranney
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .527/.688/1.167
XBH: 10 doubles, 12 home runs
Runs: 46
RBI: 43
SB: 40
Pitching Record: 4-3
Innings: 50
Strikeouts-Walks: 59-20
ERA: 2.94
Season Recap: After blasting 12 home runs as a junior – good for second in the conference behind new single-season record-holder Joe Stanzione of Middletown South – Gracia enters his senior season 14 shy of the career record of 31. The Duke commit led the Shore in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, runs scored and stolen bases and finished second in homers, batting average, RBI and walks. Gracia was also Ranney’s No. 1 option on the mound and is another year removed from an elbow injury that kept him from pitching as both a freshman and a sophomore.
Russell Halvorsen, Sr., OF, Howell
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .434/.552/.783
XBH: 9 doubles, 1 triple, 6 home runs
Runs: 33
RBI: 19
SB: 11
Season Recap: A fire-starter at the top of the No. 1 lineup in the Shore Conference, Halvorsen was both a great table-setter and clutch hitter for the Rebels on the way to their first ever Group IV championship. In that Group IV final vs. Hunterdon Central, Halvorsen delivered the go-ahead two-run single in the fifth inning and made a game-saving, sliding catch in the outfield to help Howell secure the championship. With much of that team graduating, Halvorsen will be looked to as a leader for a relatively inexperienced defending champion.
Alex Stanyek, Sr., OF/RHP, Red Bank Catholic
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .375/.447/.585
XBH: 7 doubles, 4 home runs
Runs: 26
RBI: 27
SB: 8
Pitching Record: 3-0
Innings: 34.1
Strikeouts-Walks: 55-19
ERA: 0.82
Season Recap: Stanyek is one of two players returning to the Shore baseball scene this season who already has two All-Shore First Team selections under his belt. Offensively, he wasn’t quite as good by the numbers as he was as a sophomore, but he was still one of the best outfield bats in the conference. On top of that, Stanyek was just about the best big-game pitcher at the Shore. In four starts vs. Top 10 teams in the SSN rankings, he went 2-0 with a 1.12 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 25 innings.
Gavin Degnan, Sr., OF, Donovan Catholic
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .407/.495/.714
XBH: 7 2B, 2 HR
Runs: 31
RBI: 25
SB: 20
Season Recap: The stats alone do it justice, but just one live look at Degnan reveals one of the more explosive athletes in the Shore and in the state overall. He finished top 10 in the conference homers, slugging percentage and stolen bases and his speed also made him one of the best defenders at any position in the conference. Donovan Catholic brings back all but one starter and Degnan – whose bat speed also helped him fare well against good pitching – will be at the center of the Griffins’ success.
Second Team
Owen Kenney, Sr., Catcher, Rumson-Fair Haven
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .371/.500/.786
XBH: 5 doubles, 3 triples, 6 home runs
Runs: 26
RBI: 15
SB: 4
Season Recap: After a solid regular season, Kenney was spectacular in the postseason. The Bulldogs backstop homered in each of Rumson’s four wins during the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II championship run, capped by a homer in the championship game vs. Wall.
Cristian Soto, Jr., Catcher, Central
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .313/.367/.485
XBH: 11 doubles, 2 home runs
Runs: 14
RBI: 19
SB: 2
Season Recap: From the time he debuted as a varsity starter during his freshman season, Soto established himself as one of the best defensive catchers in the state. During his sophomore year, the bat started to catch up to his defense, with the 11 doubles placing him tied for fourth in the conference.
Charlie Tallman, Fifth-Year Sr., Shortstop, Rumson-Fair Haven
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .400/.455/.655
XBH: 12 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs
Runs: 24
RBI: 26
SB: 14
Season Recap: Tallman is set to miss this season due to surgery to repair a torn labrum, according to Rumson coach Owen Stewart, which is a big hit for the Bulldogs and to Tallman himself. The fiery shortstop was exercising his bridge-year option, which allows players who already graduated to play for their high school team while attending community college. Last year, Tallman finished second at the Shore in doubles and he delivered the game-winning, walk-off RBI single in the Central Group II title game vs. Wall.
Ryan Frontera, Sr., Shortstop, Middletown North
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .379/.464/.632
XBH: 7 doubles, 3 triples, 4 home runs
Runs: 29
RBI: 21
SB: 10
Season Recap: Frontera hit three homers during a standout junior season for the Group III champions and they were all big ones. The Seton Hall commit went deep in a Monmouth County Tournament loss to Howell, homered in the Central Jersey Group III final at Colts Neck, and clocked his lone regular-season homer off Middletown South ace Ben Schild.
Harrison Campi, Sr., Shortstop, Christian Brothers Academy
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .386/.465/.648
XBH: 11 doubles, 3 triples, 2 home runs
Runs: 29
RBI: 14
SB: 3
Season Recap: Campi is as smooth as they come at shortstop and he complements his great glove with plenty of thunder at the plate. The Wofford commit finished tied for seventh among Shore Conference players with 16 extra-base hits and tied for fourth with 11 doubles – a strong foundation as he heads into his senior year hoping to lead a loaded CBA squad.
Christian Zito, Fifth-Year Sr., INF/RHP, Monmouth
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .403/.565/.537
XBH: 6 doubles, 1 home run
Runs: 18
RBI: 13
SB: 2
Pitching Record: 5-3
Innings: 51
Strikeouts-Walks: 70-15
ERA: 1.37
Season Recap: An do-it-all player for a solid Monmouth squad, Zito played centerfield, shortstop and was the team’s top pitcher by the numbers as a senior in 2022. The Bloomsburg commit, along his talented classmate Aiden Denton, is back for his bridge year with the Falcons and will look to build on a season in which he hit .400 while also finishing in the top 20 of the Shore in innings, ERA and strikeouts.
Third Team
Sean Griggs, Jr., Third Base, Red Bank Catholic
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .374/.500/.659
XBH: 9 doubles, 4 triples, 3 home runs
Runs: 30
RBI: 24
SB: 8
Season Recap: The Alabama commit has been a starter for one of the state’s top programs since his freshman year and as a sophomore, Griggs introduced some power into his profile with 16 extra-base hits, including the second-highest triples total in the Shore Conference.
Dom Masino, Sr., Shortstop, Central
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .376/.453/.604
XBH: 8 doubles, 5 home runs
Runs: 37
RBI: 19
SB: 21
Season Recap: Masino broke the single-season runs-scored record at Central by crossing home plate 37 times and also hit .400 (14-for-35) with three home runs and nine RBI in 10 postseason tournament games for the Golden Eagles.
Brett Wehringer, Fifth-Year Sr., Shortstop, Ranney
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .413/.505/.587
XBH: 6 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs
Runs: 27
RBI: 24
SB: 17
Season Recap: You would be hard-pressed to find a better glove anywhere in the state than the one Wehringer wields at shortstop for the Non-Public B champions. Another fifth-year senior, the Georgetown commit will hit at the top of the order for a loaded Panthers lineup after putting up an average over .400 and on-base percentage north of .500 in 2022.
Ryan Costello, Jr., 1B/OF/LHP, Ranney
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .325/.422/.530
XBH: 11 doubles, 2 home runs
Runs: 17
RBI: 20
SB: 4
Pitching Record: 3-3
Innings: 38.1
Strikeouts-Walks: 31-17
ERA: 2.56
Season Recap: Freehold Township was the most inexperienced team in the Class A North division heading into last season and yet, the Patriots climbed into the SSN Top 10 during the season thanks to players like Costello stepping up. Over the summer, Costello transferred to Ranney and will bring another two-way talent to the Panthers while slotting into the middle of a scary lineup.
Brett Patten, Sr., OF, Manasquan
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .390/.490/.537
XBH: 7 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run
Runs: 27
RBI: 13
SB: 27
Season Recap: A standout on both the football field and the baseball diamond, Patten is a hard-nosed player who plays an exceptional centerfield while also using that speed to steal the second-most bases in the conference in 2022. A St. John’s baseball commit, Patten will hit at the top of the lineup for a Manasquan team on the cusp of a potential redemption season after missing out on a promising 2020 campaign, then going into a rebuild for 2021 before an up-and-down 2022.
Alex D’Ambrosio, Sr., 1B/RHP, Marlboro
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .342/.489/.589
XBH: 2 doubles, 5 triples, 2 home runs
Runs: 12
RBI: 17
SB: 1
Pitching Record: 1-1
Innings: 24.1
Strikeouts-Walks: 32-12
ERA: 2.59
Season Recap: D’Ambrosio served as both a starter and a closer for the Mustangs a year ago and in addition to closing out three key wins over Middletown North, St. John Vianney and Hamilton West, the Seton Hall commit also hit .526 (10-for-19) with four of his Shore-Conference-leading five triples, a home run and 11 RBI in seven tournament games.
Final Vote Winners
Nick Quagliato, Sr., Catcher, Neptune
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .366/.438/.592
XBH: 1 double, five home runs
Runs: 11
RBI: 13
SB: 1
Season Recap: Neptune will have one of the Shore’s best catchers after Quagliato belted five homers a season ago – two of which came in a state tournament win over Jackson Liberty and left-handed ace Chris Sasso and another off West Virginia commit and St. John Vianney ace Aiden Cody.
Joe Zito, Jr., Third Base, Howell
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .326/.438/.500
XBH: 9 doubles, 2 home runs
Runs: 25
RBI: 19
SB: 3
Season Recap: In his varsity debut season, Zito got off to a scorching start and after cooling off in May, caught fire again in the playoffs for the Group IV champions. Zito drove in a run in three straight Howell state tournament wins, including a home run vs. East Brunswick in the Central Jersey Group IV championship game.
First Four Out
Cristian Bernardini, Sr., Outfield, Manalapan
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .380/.474/.634
XBH: 9 doubles, 3 triples, 1 home run
Runs: 16
RBI: 24
SB: 3
Season Recap: The St. John’s commit got off to a red-hot start on the way to hitting .380 with a slugging percentage over .600 while playing in the always-challenging Class A North division.
Reece Moroney, Sr., Shortstop, Rumson-Fair Haven
AVG/OBP/SLUG: .475/.507/.576
XBH: 4 doubles, 1 triple
Runs: 20
RBI: 13
SB: 7
Season Recap: A hand injury stalled out what likely would have been an All-Shore season, but the Rhode Island commit was still an impactful player on the Central Group II champions and is set to take over at shortstop after moving around the diamond during his first two varsity seasons.
Returning 2022 Coaches’ All-Division Hitters
Class A North
Ryan Kopf, Sr., Catcher, Freehold Twp.
Zaine Toneske, Sr., First Base, Christian Brothers Academy
Harrison Campi, Sr., Shortstop, Christian Brothers Academy
Ryan Frontera, Sr., Shortstop, Middletown North
Russell Halvorsen, Sr., Outfield, Howell
Hunter Del Guercio, Sr., Outfield, Christian Brothers Academy
Cristian Bernardini, Sr., Outfield, Manalapan
Louis D’Alessio, Jr., Outfield, Middletown South
Joe Zito, Jr., 3B, Howell
Alex D’Ambrosio, Sr., 1B/RHP, Marlboro
Ryan Costello, Jr., Utility, Ranney (With Freehold Twp. in 2022)
Will Christopher, Sr., Utility, Middletown South
Class A Central
Shane Andrus, Sr., Catcher, Red Bank Catholic
Joe Esposito, Sr., Catcher, Monmouth
Cole Stefanelli, Jr., First Base, Shore
Reece Moroney, Sr., Third Base, Rumson-Fair Haven
Sean Griggs, Jr., Third Base, Red Bank Catholic
John Dunleavy, Sr., Second Base, Shore
Alex Stanyek, Sr., Outfield, Red Bank Catholic
George Krenkel, Sr., Outfield, Ocean
Tim Haggerty, Sr., Outfield, Holmdel
Shane Garrett, Sr., Utility, Ocean
Christian Zito, Fifth-Year Sr., Utility, Monmouth
Class A South
Cristian Soto, Jr., Catcher, Central
Charlie Meglio, Sr., Third Base, Jackson Memorial
Dom Masino, Sr., Shortstop, Central
Jake Verndon, Sr., Outfield, Toms River East
Ray Mulhern, Jr., Outfield, Southern
Mike Erli, Sr., Outfield, Toms River South
Aidan O’Donnell, Sr., Catcher, Jackson Memorial
Brady Leach, Sr., Utility, Brick Memorial
Class B North
Nick Quagliato, Sr., Catcher, Neptune
Gabe Cavazzoni, Sr., Shortstop, Wall
Brett Batten, Sr., Outfield, Manasquan
Nate Ruth, Sr., Utility, Red Bank
Class B Central
Lou Spadafora, Fifth-Year Sr., Catcher, Ranney
Nate Clayton, Jr., Catcher, Point Pleasant Beach
Glen Cantalupo, Sr., First Base/Outfield, Ranney
Brett Wehringer, Fifth-Year Sr., Shortstop, Ranney
Diego Tavarez, Sr., Second Base/Third Base, Ranney
Bryan Matuschat, Jr., Third Base, Point Pleasant Beach
Jack Tallent, Sr., Second-Base/Third Base, Ranney
A.J. Gracia, Sr., Outfield, Ranney
Ricky Nagy, Sr., Outfield, Ranney
Class B South
Carson Gudzak, Sr., Catcher, Lacey
Connor Cilento, Sr., Shortstop, Point Pleasant Boro
Jio Genao, Sr., Utility, Lakewood
Gavin Degnan, Sr., Outfield, Donovan Catholic
Rocco Scarpiti, Sr., Outfield, Donovan Catholic
Click Here for Returning All-Shore and All-Division Pitchers
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