Union City catcher LJ Santiago was voted the top senior in NEw Jersey high school baseball for the 2025 season.
Santiago, who is batting .405 entering May 1, garnered 19.15 percent of the vote. He has drawn 12 walks, scored 13 times, and driven in 14 runs for a Soaring Eagles squad that is 12-4 in the standings
Dominick Terranova of Hightstown received the second most votes, garnering 15.2 percent.
Kaden Frei of Seton Hall Prep rounds out the Top 3 vote-receivers, tallying 11.55 percent.
Scroll down to see the full results of this season’s poll.
Luis Santiago (8) of Union City swings during the baseball game between St. Peter’s Prep and Union City at Cochrane Stadium at Caven Point in Jersey City on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.Matt Kipp | For NJ Advance Media
The talent on this list is off the charts.
Over the next four weeks, NJ Advance Media will take a deep dive into each grade and highlight some of the top players along the way.
The seniors are up first.
Some of these players have been taking the state by storm for years and some are enjoying their breakout campaigns.
Our baseball writers have compiled a comprehensive list of some of the top seniors in New Jersey and are asking you, the fans, to vote for who you think is the best of the best.
The poll is now open and will close at noon on Thursday, May 1.
Here are this year’s nominees for the top senior in New Jersey, with a two-player cap per team.
Jake Alfano, Westfield, UTL
Ryan Barber, Summit, P/INF
Jake Bartletta, Rancocas Valley, OF
Nick Becker, Don Bosco Prep, SS
DePaul slugger Derek Brand takes a cut against Passaic Tech in Monday's high school baseball season opener in Wayne. The Spartans leashed the Bulldogs with a 5-4 victory. 03/31/2025Steve Hockstein | For NJ Advance
Derek Brand, DePaul, 1B
Sean Budis, Brearley, P/1B
Chase Burchfield, Pennsville, OF
Jacob Cagna, Egg Harbor, P/SS
Frank Cairone, Delsea, P
Lorenzo Camilleri, St. Peter’s Prep, 1B
Quinn Carlesimo, Montclair Kimberley, INF
Anthony Carrea, Midland Park, P/2B
Matt Caruso, Passaic Tech, 1B
Max Casazza, Hoboken, SS/P
Eliezer Cepeda, Elizabeth, INF/P
Marco Christopher, St.. Augustine, OF
Blayze Conte, St. Mary (Ruth.), INF/P
Connor Crowley, Lawrence, INF/P
Middlesex and Spotswood square off in a Greater Middlesex Conference showdown in Spotswood. 4/22/25Brian Bobal | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Carter Cumiskey, Spotswood, 1B/P
Quinn Dashefsky, Ridge, UTL
Logan Dawson, Eastern, P/SS
Jake Delaney, Passaic Valley, P
Anthony DeNora, Gov. Livingston, OF/P
Collin Denton, Monmouth, P/INF
Andrew DePaul, Verona, OF
JT DeRiso, Pascack Valley, P
Connor Detrick, Midland Park, P
Gavin Dillard, Glassboro, C
Matty Diskin, Gov. Livingston, 1B/P
Nick Donofrio (14) of Pascack Valley swings during the baseball game between Bergen Catholic and Pascack Valley at Breslin Field in Lyndhurst on Thursday, April 17, 2025.Matt Kipp | For NJ Advance Media
Nick Donoforio, Pascack Valley, UTL
Nick Dromboski, Northern Burlington, P/OF
Joey Dwek, Gill St. Bernard’s, OF/P
Ayden Ellis, High Point, C
Joe Erace, St. Augustine, SS
Matthew Ferrara, Toms River East, SS
Dylan Fitzsimmons, Morris Knolls, OF/P
Grant Fournier, Cherry Hill West, OF
E.J. Frayne, Livingston, OF
Kaden Frei, Seton Hall Prep, INF
Brett Gable (99) of Cherokee pitches during a baseball game against Bishop Eustace at Bishop Eustace Preparatory School in Pennsauken, Tuesday, April 1, 2025.Joe Warner | For NJ Advance Media
Brett Gable, Cherokee, P
Nick Gilpin, Don Bosco Prep, INF/P
Chris Gioia, Rutherford, P/OF
Soren Gregor, Hunterdon Central, INF/P
Luke Guire, Bordentown, SS
Finn Haines, Mainland, P
Bernie Hargadon, Holy Spirit, OF
Marcelo Harsch (18) of Seton Hall Prep warms up in the bullpen before the baseball game between Livingston and Seton Hall Prep at Livingston High School in Livingston, NJ on 4/3/25.Scott Faytok | NJ Advance Media
Marcelo Harsch, Seton Hall Prep, P
Noah Harvey, Cinnaminson, SS
Justin Hascup, Old Bridge, P/INF
Ryan Holman, Delbarton, P/IF
Tyler Huzzy, Jackson Memorial, C/UTL
Jack Ilaria, Mountain Lakes, INF/P
Tommy Kowaliwskyj, Ocean Township, P
Chase Kroberger, MoorestownKevin Minnick | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Chase Kroberger, Moorestown, OF
Nolan Lachall, Haddon Heights, SS
Evan Lagemann, Glen Rock, SS
Kyle Lamanteer, Vineland, P/SS
Ryan Leach, Woodbridge, P/INF
Matthew Lehberger, Bridgewater-Raritan, UTL
Jake Lodgek, Mainland, P/OF
Ryan Lundari, Hunterdon Central, P
Luca Mannino, Northern Burlington, P/INF
Eamon McDermott, Bishop Eustace, P
Cole McKenna (21) of West Deptford pitches during a NJSIAA South Jersey Group 2 Playoff at Spicer Field in Haddonfield, NJ on Wednesday, May 22, 2024.Dave Hernandez | For NJ Advance
Cole McKenna, West Deptford, P/INF
Luke Norman, Ridgewood, P
Jackson Osmond, Brick Memorial, UTL/INF
Nick Palumbo, Nutley, 2B/3B
Andrew Parisi, Ranney, INF
Cory Pascarella, Colonia, P
Dylan Passo (12) of Red Bank Catholic defends at first base during the baseball game between Red Bank Catholic and Ranney at Count Basie Park in Red Bank, NJ on 4/10/25.Scott Faytok | NJ Advance Media
Dylan Passo, Red Bank Catholic, 1B
Shane Patten, DePaul, 1B
Luke Pokrovsky, Schalick, P/INF
Ryan Prior, Red Bank Catholic, P
Chris Quick, Brick Township, 1B
Henry Radbill, Cherokee, P/OF
Owen Reynolds, Middlesex, INF/P
Ben Robinson, Ocean Township, UTL
Julius Rosado, South River, SS/P
Hudson Rue, Pitman, P/INF
Daniel Russo, Christian Brothers, INF
Nick Russo, Cedar Grove, C
LJ Santiago, Union City, C
Mike Shipula, Notre Dame, C/INF
Bennett Siegel, West Windsor-Plainsboro South, P/OF
Gloucester Catholic and Delbarton go toe-to-toe on the diamond at Brian E. Fleury Field in Morristown. 4/19/25Brian Bobal | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Jackson Smallets, Gloucester Catholic, P
Jack Sponheimer, Scotch Plains-Fanwood, CF
Benjamin St. Pierre, Montclair, OF/P
Aidan Stieglitz, Ridge, P
Vinnie Stigliano, Pompton Lakes, SS/P
Daniel Storch, Point Pleasant Beach, UTL
Evan Taylor, Ocean City, P/INF
Dominick Terranova, Hightstown, P
AJ Terry, Randolph, SS
Anthony Tetto, Bergen Catholic, OF
Braeden Trajkovski, Westfield, INF
Danny Tsimbinos, Christian Brothers, C/1B
Alan Warren, Raritan, P
Tyler Wiltsey, Audubon, SS/OF
Charlie Wingfield (11) of Ramapo tries to put the ball in play during the baseball game between Ramapo and St. Joseph (Mont.) at Ramapo High School in Franklin Lakes, NJ on 5/9/24.Scott Faytok | NJ Advance Media
Charlie Wingfield, Ramapo, P/UTL
Jamie Zee, Bergen Catholic, SS
We know you take these polls seriously. We do, too. We ask that you operate by these guidelines. Organized voting campaigns consisting of friends, family and school communities are OK. Please note, the poll will view rapid-fire voting from any individual IP as an attack and will put that IP in a time out. Use of automation, technical enhancements or other unnatural tactics designed to skew results may result in voiding of votes.
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more statewide baseball coverage
- Baseball: Group and conference rankings for April 30
- The Super Six: These N.J. baseball teams have yet to taste defeat this spring
- Meet the members of N.J. baseball’s 100-hit club over the last 15 years
- N.J. baseball: Players of the Week in all 15 conferences, April 21-27
- Weekly baseball stat leaders from April 21-27
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Kevin Minnick covers South Jersey baseball. He can be reached at kminnick@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @kminnicksports
PJ Potter covers Central and North Jersey baseball. He can be reached at ppotter@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @PJ_Potter
Brian Bobal covers Central and North Jersey baseball. He may be reached at bbobal@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X at @BrianBobal.
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