Following are MyCentralJersey.com’s ranking of Home News Tribune Baseball Player of the Year selections for the last decade.
The rankings are based solely on each player’s respective performance during the season in which he earned Greater Middlesex Conference Player of the Year honors
Five players on the list went on to play at Rutgers University, where three are still members of the Scarlet Knights’ program.
No. 1: 2017, Harry Rutkowski, Woodbridge
Rutkowski posted a 9-1 record with a 0.59 ERA while fanning 113 batters and walking 19 in 70 innings. He batted .483 with 43 hits including a state-leading 11 homers and a team-leading 39 RBI. With the southpaw, who also played first base, leading the way, Woodbridge finished with the best record (25-6) in school history, won its first division title in 20 years and ended a 30-year sectional championship appearance drought. Rutkowski concluded his brilliant scholastic career tied with three others as the winningest pitcher in league history (27-6). Bobby Brownlie (Edison), Willie Beard (Spotswood) and Tommy Marcinczyk (Middlesex) are the only other GMC aces to win 27 career games. During his career, Rutkowski fanned 348 batters over 244 innings and threw 26 complete games including 10 shutouts. Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds as a senior, Rutkowski opted to accept a scholarship offer from Rutgers University, where he enters his junior year this spring as the staff ace.
No. 2: 2014, Brandon Bielak, St. Joseph
Bielak capped an outstanding career with one of the finest all-around seasons of any player in league history. He compiled an 8-1 record with one save and a 0.58 ERA. Bielak fanned 87 batters, walked 13 and allowed just five earned runs in 60 and two thirds innings. He earned victories in the conference tournament opening-round, semifinals and finals while leading St. Joseph to its fifth conference tournament championship in a decade. Bielak's numbers were equally impressive at the plate, where he topped the Falcons in seven key offensive categories including RBI (24), slugging percentage (.625), on-base percentage (.495), doubles (eight), homers (two) and walks (12). The lefty slugger batted .420 (37 for 88) and fanned just six times in 103 plate appearances. Bielak earned a full scholarship to Notre Dame, out of which the Houston Astros drafted him. One of the organization’s top prospects, Bielak ended last season at Triple A with the Round Rock Express.
No. 3: 2013, Tommy Marcinczyk, Middlesex
Marcinczyk graduated as the school’s career leader in hits (164) and remains tied for the most victories (27) as a pitcher in league history. In 2013, he batted .563 with seven triples, 49 hits and 35 RBI. On the mound, he fashioned an 11-0 record with a 1.11 ERA while helping the Blue Jays post a 26-4 record en route to winning the Group I title. As a junior, Marcinczyk helped Middlesex win a conference tournament crown. Marcinczyk graduated in 2017 from Rutgers University, where he was a four-year starter and ranked among the Top 10 at the time in school history in several offensive categories including triples (third with 13), at-bats (sixth with 735), walks (seventh with 113) and total bases (ninth with 333). Marcinczyk concluded his college career with 19 homers, 126 RBI, 123 runs, 30 stolen bases and as one of 17 Scarlet Knights to collect 200 or more hits with 208. After college, he enjoyed a brief stint with the Somerset Patriots.
No. 4: 2012, Christian Campbell, Sayreville
The pitcher and shortstop posted a 9-1 record with a 0.95 ERA and batted a team-leading .443 with 40 runs scored while leading the Bombers to the league tournament final. Campbell combined power (his 47 hits included seven doubles, six triples and six homers) with speed (nine stolen bases in 10 attempts) and managed to plate 19 runs from the leadoff spot. On the mound, the hard-throwing righthander fanned 87 batters and walked just 25 in 66 innings. He made 15 appearances including 10 starts and five trips to the hill as a closer, recording three saves. Opponents batted a mere .182 against him. Campbell graduated as Sayreville’s career victory leader (23-10), breaking Chuck Frobosilo’s the27-year-old record. Campbell enjoyed a stellar college career at Rutgers University, for which he pitched (26 appearances) and played all four infield positions while collecting 154 hits in 188 games.
No. 5: 2010, Victor Diaz, St. Joseph
Diaz compiled a 7-3 record with a 1.77 ERA. He fanned 58 and walked eight in 59 innings. Diaz did not surrender an earned run in 25 innings pitched against GMC Red Division foes while leading the Falcons to the division title. He went the distance in five consecutive starts including a 4-0 victory over Hillsborough, regarded as one of the state's top hitting clubs. A slick-fielding shortstop with outstanding range and a strong arm, Diaz also exceled offensively. He led St. Joseph with 35 RBI, 10 doubles and five homers. He was among the team leaders in slugging percentage (.648), on-base percentage (.451), hits (30), runs (24) and batting average (.330). Diaz hit safely in 20 games and drove home at least one run in 18 contests. Diaz homered three times in three sectional tournament games. He belted grand slams against Christian Brothers Academy and Bishop Eustace and clubbed a three-run homer against Notre Dame. St. Joseph played what many regarded as the most difficult regular-season schedule in the state. Diaz earned a scholarship to Mississippi State, becoming the first GMC player to sign a National Letter of Intent with an SEC school. Diaz is currently an assistant coach at Embry-Riddle University, where is in charge of the pitching staff and assists with recruiting.
No. 6: 2016, Tyler Burnham, East Brunswick
The junior pitcher and first baseman led East Brunswick with a 9-1 record and a 1.91 ERA while batting a team-leading .398 with 24 RBI. With Burnham and teammate Nick Clemente forming one of the state’s top pitching tandems, East Brunswick (21-3-1) set a single-season school record for victories while winning the conference tournament championship and Red Division title. He was moved to the cleanup spot to protect teammate Juan Ganzaroli, a four-year starter with nearly 120 career hits who opposing teams were starting to pitch around to the tune of a team-high 24 walks. Burnham batted around .430 over the second-half of the season. Now a junior at Seton Hall University, Burnham has appeared in 27 games and thrown 63 innings for the Pirates.
No. 7: 2015, Eric Reardon, North Brunswick
Reardon compiled a 5-2 record and a 1.63 ERA with victories over reigning state Group III champion South Plainfield and state Group I finalist Middlesex. He relied predominantly on a fastball and devastating changeup to strike out 41 batters while walking 16 in 38 and two-thirds innings. Opponents batted .221 against Reardon. He was even more impressive, however, at the plate, leading North Brunswick in batting average (.406), hits (26), RBI (25), extra-base hits (15), on-base percentage (.519) and slugging percentage (.875). He and Middlesex’s Matt Carovillano tied for the Greater Middlesex Conference lead with seven homers. Reardon was second on the club in doubles (7) and walks (11), finishing just one shy of the team lead in each department. He had eight multiple-hit games and reached base safely in all but two contests. Reardon is currently a senior at Rutgers University, where he has appeared in 59 games and thrown 81 and two thirds innings.
No. 8: 2019, Chris Shine, South Plainfield
Shine led all GMC starting pitchers in ERA (0.40) and strikeouts (84) and was among South Plainfield’s leading hitters. The senior righthander allowed just three earned runs, 16 walks and 27 hits over 52 and a third innings while compiling a 7-1 record. Shine fanned a career-high 15 batters in a victory over Perth Amboy. He fielded his position flawlessly, handling 32 defensive chances cleanly. Shine also topped the Tigers in slugging percentage (.513) and doubles (nine). He was second on the club in on-base percentage (.484) after drawing 13 walks and getting hit with six pitches. Shine was also second on the team with 19 RBI. He batted .355 with 27 hits and 14 runs. Shine signed a National Letter of Intent with Seton Hall University, where he is currently a freshman.
No. 9: 2011, Emilio Calderon, Perth Amboy
The ace struck out 153 batters and walked 33 in 87 innings while compiling an 11-2 record with a 2.08 ERA. Calderon accounted for half of Perth Amboy's wins as the Panthers finished 22-5 while winning the White Division title. Calderon started 15 games, going the distance in five. He opened the year with consecutive shutouts and fanned 10 or more batters seven times. Calderon fanned a season-high 15 batters against Monroe. Opponents batted .191 against him. At the plate, Calderon hit safely in 16 of 17 games and batted .338. Calderon went on to play at Kean University. With the Division III power Cougars, Calderon compiled a 2.71 career ERA.
No. 10: 2018, Chris Brito, Perth Amboy
Opposing hurlers often attempted to pitch around Brito, one of the state’s most feared sluggers. The philosophy resulted in Brito drawing 23 walks or in him being unintentionally hit 12 times with pitches that missed their mark, making the senior infielder the conference leader in both departments. When the Rutgers University signee did get an opportunity to swing the bat, he often made opponents pay, delivering a team-high 22 RBI and belting a club-best four homers while leading Perth Amboy to its first ever conference tournament final appearance. Brito, who ended his career with more than 100 hits after batting .387 in 2018 with a .608 on-base percentage, was also named the GMC Baseball Coaches Association’s Player of the Year. He fanned just five times in 97 plate appearances and was third on the club with 21 runs scored. Brito is currently a sophomore at Rutgers University, where he batted .242 with 36 hits and 17 RBI while starting 43 games as a true freshman.
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