Top South Jersey Baseball Players

by Marc Narducci | Oct 24, 2025

With many of last year’s high school seniors home for the break, the annual tradition of honoring the top South Jersey high school baseball players over Thanksgiving weekend will continue with the 65th Hot Stovers Awards Banquet and the 37th South Jersey Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony to take place on Saturday, Nov. 29 at Adelphia Restaurant in Deptford. The event begins at 1 p.m.

Here is the Hot Stovers All-South Jersey team from the past high school season that will be honored:
Pitchers
1. Frank Cairone, Delsea
2. Henry Radbill, Cherokee
3. Jackson Smallets, Gloucester Catholic
4. Eamon McDermott, Bishop Eustace
5. Jake Lodgek, Mainland
6. Brett Gable, Cherokee

Catchers
1. Braden Lipoff, Gloucester Catholic
2. Liam Velit, Northern Burlington

Infielders

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- Seizing the Moment

After the spring season was canceled last year due to the pandemic, these standout student-athletes from South Jersey are hoping to make the most of their opportunities in 2021.

1. Jake Cagna, Egg Harbor Twp
2. Brett Jackson, Cherokee
3. Luke Guire, Bordentown
4. Vinny Millillo, Eastern
5. Evan Taylor, Ocean City
6. Dante Bell, Bishop Eustace
7. Ethan DuBois, Delsea
8. Jack Mustaro, Gloucester Catholic

Outfielders
1. Nick Drombowski, Northern Burlington
2. Tyler Wiltsey, Audubon
3. Jake Bartletta, Rancocas Valley
4. Chase Burchfield, Pennsville
5. Alex Odud, Cherokee
6. Kyle Shields, Kingsway

Designated Hitters
1. Mason Kelleher, Cherokee
2. Alex Weingartner, St. Augustine

Utility
1. Luca Mannino, Northern Burlington
2. Luke Pokrovsky, Schalick

Of note is Delsea’s Cairone, who was a second-round draft choice of the Milwaukee Brewers and agreed to a signing bonus of $1,097,500. This past season he was 6-1 with a 0.48 ERA, striking out 94 in 44 innings.

The majority of the All-South Jersey players were seniors, but there are several players who we will see this high school season, including Cherokee’s Alex Odud, who is currently a junior and has already committed to Arkansas in college baseball’s deepest conference, the SEC.

State Group 4 champion Cherokee had the most members on this all-star team with five. Besides Odud, the others are current senior infielder Brett Jackson, along with three current college freshmen, pitchers Brett Gable and Henry Radbill and catcher Mason Kelleher, who made this team as a DH.

The three state championship teams will also be honored. Besides Cherokee, the others were Northern Burlington in Group 3 and Gloucester Catholic Non-Public B.

Eastern head coach Rob Christ will be honored for earning his 500th career victory this past season.

Tom McCarville of Tri-State Elite Umpires to receive the 2025 Umpire Service Award. The 2025 Humanitarian Award will be awarded to Adam Crognale (Phillies Batboy).

The Hot Stovers 2025 High School Coach-of-the-Year will be presented as well.

In addition, 2025 South Jersey Baseball Hall of Fame inductees will be. Here are the inductees:

Jim Bintliff- alias "Mudman". Jim operates the Longport-based business that supplies the ball rubbing compound to baseball and football teams.
Ryan Buchter-Highland HS/Gloucester CC and former MLB pitcher.
David Kim-Cherry Hill East/Seton Hall University and former Minor League player.
Billy McCarthy-Washington Township/Rutgers University and former Minor League player.
Rob Valli-current RCSJ-Gloucester head coach, who has guided the Roadrunners to four National championships.
John Yowler-Gloucester Catholic and former Minor League player.

To attend, the donation is $50 a person. For more information contact Joe Smith: at gr4champs@yahoo.com.

Photo: Frank Cairone / Marc Narducci

Author: Marc Narducci

Top South Jersey Baseball Players

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