By Joe Zedalis | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Kyle Craig | For lehighvalleylive.com
Mashers, rakers and slashers
If 2016 was the Year of the Pitcher, then 2017 is the Year of Revenge for New Jersey hitters. Across the state hitters with patience and power are ready to take their cuts. NJ.com looks at the top 30 hitters statewide. Read the slideshow to meet the best hackers and share it with your baseball-loving friends
William Perlman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Chris Brito, Perth Amboy
• Junior
• 6-1, 190
• Rutgers recruit
• A relative unknown at the statewide level, but known has a masher in the Greater Middlesex Conference, Brito earned his scholarship to Rutgers University with his bat. Brito is a tough out with gap-to-gap power and the occasional long ball. Blessed with excellent speed, Brito is also a threat to steal or take an extra base.
George McNish | For NJ Advance Media
Joey Castellanos, St. Mary (Ruth.)
• Senior
• 5-10, 165
• UMass-Lowell recruit
• The senior shortstop battle a worried .552 with a state-leading 53 hits in 96 at-bats. A patient hitter who makes contact. Castellanos had nine doubles, four triples, two homer and 43 RBI.
Drew Compton, Gov. Livingston
• Sophomore
• 6-2, 190
• Georgia Tech recruit
The third baseman sprays the ball to all fields with power. He will be a force in the middle of the line-up. He also has a good eye at the plate.
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Tyler Dearden, Rancocas Valley
• Senior
• 6-2, 185
• Penn State recruit
• Could blossom into one of the state's better power hitters this spring. Has home run potential, can drive the ball to the opposite field and is athletic. He can play first base or the outfield. Last season had nine doubles, three triples and a .481 average. Had a .631 on-base percentage and scored 22 runs with 18 RBI.
David Gard | For NJ Advance Media
Nick Decker, Seneca
• Junior
• 6-0, 200
• Maryland recruit
A powerful lefty-hitter, who is also a hard thrower on the mound, Decker has long-ball power. Last season he cracked three homers, batted .313 with a .456 on-base percentage. He finished 2016 with 21 RBI.
William Perlman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Darius Diaz, Perth Amboy
• Junior
• 6-0, 190
• Kennesaw State recruit
A powerful left-handed hitter who drives the ball to all fields. After returning to Perth Amboy from the Dominican Republic, Diaz batted .535 with a .774 slugging percentage. He scored 16 runs, knocked in 16 runs and stole a team-high 11 bases.
James Kratch | For NJ Advance Media
Nick Egnatuk, Immaculata
• Senior
• 6-2, 185
• Pittsburgh recruit
The shortstop-third baseman is one of New Jersey's blossoming stars this spring after a monster summer and fall. Has patience at the plate and a back-through-the-middle approach.
David Gard | For NJ Advance Media
Alex Gattinelli, Washington Township
• Senior
• 5-11, 165
• The catcher batted .373 last spring with 26 hits and 22 RBI. He had three doubles and three home runs.
Larry Murphy | For NJ Advance Media
Brian Gerber, Moorestown
• Senior
• 6-1, 190
• Pittsburgh recruit
Has flown under the radar, but could be in for a big season. The outfielder has power to all fields with home run potential.
Joe Warner | For NJ Advance Media
Evan Giordano, Gloucester Catholic
• 6-0, 180
• Junior
• Stony Brook recruit
A scrappy player, who is always a tough out, Giordano is a rally starter for Gloucester Catholic. Last season, he had 40 hits and scored 32 runs. A spray hitter who smacks the ball to all fields, Giordano has excellent speed and is an aggressive base runner. He drew 16 walks and knocked in 17 runs. Batted .377 in 2016.
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Dave Haberman, Morristown
• Junior
• 6-0, 210
• A dive-in hitter with a powerful upper body, Haberman appears ready to make a name for himself this spring.
Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Justyn Henry-Malloy, St. Joseph (Mont.)
• Junior
• 6-2, 210
• Vanderbilt recruit
• One of the state's premier power hitters who will be on MLB draft boards next spring, Malloy .batted 437, with seven home runs, 31 hits and 21 RBI.
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Jack Herman, Eastern
• Junior
• 6-0, 190
• Maryland recruit
Considered by some scouts to be the best pure hitter in the state, the athletic outfielder has a repeatable swing. The ball explodes off his bat. Herman batted .553 with nine homers, 38 RBI and 42 runs scored.
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Nick Hohenstein, Christian Brothers
• Junior
• 6-1, 210
The lefty-hitting outfielder could come into his own this spring with the graduation of Luca Dalarti and Brandon Martorano. Hohenstein batted .521 last spring with three home runs.
Keith Muccilli | For NJ Advance Media
Luke Jacobi, J.P. Stevens
• Senior
* 5-11, 175
• Batted .322 last season with 31 hits -- 10 of those for extra bases. Has the ability and approach to hit for both power and average.
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Buddy Kennedy, Millville
• Senior
• 6-0, 190
• North Carolina recruit
One of the state's true mashers, last season's NJ.com First-Team All-State selection brings power to the table. Kennedy batted .536 last spring with nine homers and 38 RBIs. He had 45 hits including nine doubles and two triples. Also a selective hitter, Kennedy walked 25 times.
George McNish | For NJ Advance Media
Connor Kolich, St. Joseph (Mont.)
• Senior
• 5-10, 165
It's doubtful any player in New Jersey has had a better scrimmage season than Kolich, a hard-hitting outfielder. "He's like 14-for-16, there are college guys lighting up my phone asking about him," one National League scout said. "What's he's done so far is sick. He was flying under the radar until this year."
George McNish | For NJ Advance Media
David LaManna, Bergen Catholic
• Senior
• 5-11, 170
• Notre Dame recruit
The catcher has strong hands, excellent bat speed, gap-to-gap power. Batted .429 last season with six doubles and two triples. He knocked in 20 runs and scored 13.
David Gard | For NJ Advance Media
Joe Loperfido, Haddonfield
• Senior
• 6-4, 195
• Duke recruit
Powerful hitter who slashes balls gap-to-gap and occasionally shows some pop. The shortstop batted .431 last year with 28 hits and led South Jersey with six triples. Loperfido also had three doubles, two home runs and knocked in 28 runs. A solid baserunner, he scored 26 runs.
Stephanie Maksin | For NJ Advance Media
Tripp McCaffrey, Clearview
• Senior
• 6-0, 170
• UMass-Lowell recruit
Speed is the name of McCaffrey's game. The quick outfielder batted .369 last season. He he had six doubles and two triples. McCaffrey stole nine bases and scored 27 runs. He had 18 RBI.
Larry Murphy | For NJ Advance Media
Ryan Mostrangeli, Steinert
• Senior
• 5-11, 185
Perhaps the best all-around player in Mercer County, Mostrangeli generates lift with a short, quick stroke. Last spring he batted 386 with 32 hits, 24 runs, 27 RBI and two home runs to power his team to the Mercer County Tournament and CVC-Valley Division titles.
Steve Hockstein *
Andrew Papantonis, Delbarton
• Senior
• 6-2, 190
• Virginia recruit
• After a brilliant sophomore season that elevated him to elite status, Papantonis suffered through and injury-plagued 2016. Still a tremendous hitter with a repeatable swing. The ball jumps off his bat.
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Devin Ortiz, St. Joseph (Mont.)
• Senior
• 6-3, 190
• Virginia recruit
"He's Alex Rodriguez," said one National League scout. "His stock is going to just rise and rise all season long." The pitcher-shortstop has power to all fields.
Lori M. Nichols | For NJ Advance Media
Lou Priolo, Eastern
* Senior
The All-Group 4 outfielder is part of Eastern's Murder's Row that includes Jack Herman and Davis Schneider in one of the state's hardest hitting lineups.
Joe Warner
Sam Punzi, Gloucester Catholic
• Senior
• 5-10, 190
• Iona recruit
• One National League scout said Punzi, a catcher, "can flat out hit." He's powerfully built with a short, quick, uppercut swing. Punzi hit .429 last spring with 12 RBI and 15 runs scored.
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Davis Schneider, Eastern
• Senior
• 5-10, 190
• Rutgers recruit
• The smooth-feilding Schneider has a solid approach at the plate with a short quick stroke with the ability to elevated pitches. Schneider batted .439 with a South Jersey-best 16 doubles with 28 RBI and 21 runs scored.
James Kratch | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Rich Schiekofer, Millburn
• Senior
• 6-0, 175
• Maryland recruit
The lefty-swinging outfielder is one of the state's best all-around players and helped Millburn win a group title in 2015. Batted .435 last season with 37 hits, 36 runs scored and 19 RBI. Showed some pop with seven doubles, two tripes and three homers.
Submission by Joe Turkey
Joe Turek, Johnson
• Junior
• 6-1, 210
• Batted .522 with 24 hits and 24 RBI. Had six doubles and two triples.
William Perlman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
JT Vento, Spotswood
• Senior
• 6-2, 180
• Coastal Carolina recruit
A line drive hitter who sprays the ball to all fields, Vento led the Greater Middlesex Conference in extra base hits last season with 21 -- that included 12 doubles, five triples and four home runs. He batted .412 with 35 hits and 22 RBI.
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Tucker Voelbel, Roxbury
• Senior
Look for Voelbel to have a breakout spring. A contact hitter with excellent speed, Voelbel has the potential to be an extra base hit machine taking extra bases whenever possible.
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Joe Zedalis may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @josephzedalis. Like NJ.com HS sports on Facebook.
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