New Jersey’s Best Baseball Players

For a lot of people where we are from is a point of pride. When we meet someone who hales from the same place as us there is often a sense of comradery. Below is a list of the best players born in the state of New Jersey.

1. Mike Trout – Vineland, NJ



• Age: 19 – 27
• Years: 2011 – 2019
• Pos: CF, LF
• Team(s): Los Angeles Angels

Mike Trout

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
72.6	172	1199	5273	4340	903	1324	251	46	285	752	200	36	803	1118	.305	.419	.581	1.000

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2. Derek Jeter – Pequannock, NJ



• Age: 21 – 40
• Years: 1995 – 2014
• Pos: SS
• Team(s): New York Yankees

Derek Jeter

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
72.5	119	2747	12602	11195	1923	3465	544	66	260	1311	358	96	1082	1840	.310	.377	.440	.817

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3. Goose Goslin – Salem, NJ



• Age: 20 – 37
• Years: 1921 – 1938
• Pos: LF
• Team(s): Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns, Detroit Tigers

Goose Goslin

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
66.3	127	2287	9822	8656	1483	2735	500	173	248	1609	175	89	949	585	.316	.387	.500	.887

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4. Joe Medwick – Carteret, NJ



• Age: 20 – 36
• Years: 1932 – 1948
• Pos: LF
• Team(s): St. Louis Cardinals, Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Giants, Boston Braves

Joe Medwick

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
55.7	133	1984	8142	7635	1198	2471	540	113	205	1383	42		437	551	.324	.362	.505	.867

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5. Al Leiter – Toms River, NJ



• Age: 21 – 39
• Years: 1987 – 2005
• Pos: SP
• Team(s): New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Florida Marlins, New York Mets

Al Leiter

WAR	ERA-	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	ShO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	K%	WHIP
42.7	89	419	382	162	132	3.80	2391	16	10	2	1101	1010	1163	1974	19.1%	1.39

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6. Andy Messersmith – Toms River, NJ



• Age: 22 – 33
• Years: 1968 – 1979
• Pos: SP
• Team(s): California Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees

Andy Messersmith

WAR	ERA-	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	ShO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	K%	WHIP
37.6	83	344	295	130	99	2.86	2230.1	98	27	15	812	709	831	1625	17.8%	1.14

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7. Jason Heyward – Ridgewood, NJ



• Age: 20 – 29
• Years: 2010 – 2019
• Pos: RF
• Team(s): Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs

Jason Heyward

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
36.9	107	1377	5580	4920	711	1286	243	34	144	579	110	39	576	964	.261	.343	.412	.755

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8. Bill Hands – Hackensack, NJ



• Age: 25 – 35
• Years: 1965 – 1975
• Pos: SP
• Team(s): San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers

Bill Hands

WAR	ERA-	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	ShO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	K%	WHIP
30.1	88	374	260	111	110	3.36	1951	72	17	14	834	728	492	1128	13.9%	1.22

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9. Don Newcombe – Madison, NJ



• Age: 23 – 25, 28 – 34
• Years: 1949 – 1951, 1954 – 1960
• Pos: SP
• Team(s): Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians

Don Newcombe

WAR	ERA-	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	ShO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	K%	WHIP
29.1	88	344	294	149	90	3.56	2154.2	136	24	7	956	852	490	1129	12.7%	1.20

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10. Joe Cunningham – Paterson, NJ



• Age: 22, 24 – 34
• Years: 1954, 1956 – 1966
• Pos: 1B, OF, RF
• Team(s): St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators

Joe Cunningham

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
22.5	124	1141	4061	3362	525	980	177	26	64	436	16	27	599	369	.291	.403	.417	.820

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11. Todd Frazier – Point Pleasant, NJ



• Age: 25 – 33
• Years: 2011 – 2019
• Pos: 3B
• Team(s): Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, New York Mets

Todd Frazier

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
26	109	1186	4737	4200	585	1019	202	14	214	624	72	37	424	1037	.243	.320	.450	.770

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12. Johnny Romano – Hoboken, NJ



• Age: 23 – 32
• Years: 1958 – 1967
• Pos: C
• Team(s): Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals

Johnny Romano

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
20.8	122	905	3256	2767	355	706	112	10	129	417	7	9	414	485	.255	.354	.443	.797

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13. Johnny Briggs – Paterson, NJ



• Age: 20 – 31
• Years: 1964 – 1975
• Pos: LF, CF, 1B
• Team(s): Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins

Johnny Briggs

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
24.0	121	1366	4837	4117	601	1041	170	43	139	507	64	49	663	784	.253	.355	.416	.771

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14. Johnny Vander Meer – Prospect Park, NJ



• Age: 22 – 28, 31 – 36
• Years: 1937 – 1943, 1946 – 1951
• Pos: SP
• Team(s): Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians

Johnny Vander Meer

WAR	ERA-	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	ShO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	K%	WHIP
26.7	94	346	285	119	121	3.44	2104.2	131	29	2	915	805	1132	1294	14.3%	1.39

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15. John Montefusco – Long Branch, NJ



• Age: 24 – 36
• Years: 1974 – 1986
• Pos: SP
• Team(s): San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, New York Yankees

John Montefusco

WAR	ERA-	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	ShO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	K%	WHIP
21.6	98	298	244	90	83	3.54	1652.1	32	11	5	728	650	513	1081	15.5%	1.28

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16. Erik Hanson – Kinnelon, NJ



• Age: 23 – 33
• Years: 1988 – 1998
• Pos: SP
• Team(s): Seattle Mariners, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays

Erik Hanson

WAR	ERA-	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	ShO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	K%	WHIP
22.2	95	245	238	89	84	4.15	1555.1	26	5	0	776	717	504	1175	17.7%	1.36

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17. Danny Green – Burlington, NJ



• Age: 21 – 28
• Years: 1898 – 1905
• Pos: RF, CF
• Team(s): Chicago Orphans, Chicago White Sox

Danny Green

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
16.9	127	656	2795	2432	373	706	87	46	14	291	134		256		.290	.365	.381	.746

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18. Al Downing – Trenton, NJ



• Age: 20 – 36
• Years: 1961 – 1977
• Pos: SP
• Team(s): New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers

Al Downing

WAR	ERA-	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	ShO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	K%	WHIP
22.5	95	405	317	123	107	3.22	2268.1	73	24	3	938	811	933	1639	17.2%	1.27

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19. Sean Casey – Willingboro, NJ



• Age: 22 – 33
• Years: 1997 – 2008
• Pos: 1B
• Team(s): Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox

Sean Casey

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
16.7	109	1405	5644	5066	690	1531	322	12	130	735	18	8	477	577	.302	.367	.447	.814

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20. Steve Braun – Trenton, NJ



• Age: 23 – 37
• Years: 1971 – 1985
• Pos: LF, 3B
• Team(s): Minnesota Twins, Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays, St. Louis Cardinals

Steve Braun

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
17.5	113	1425	4295	3650	466	989	155	19	52	388	45	27	579	433	.271	.371	.367	.738

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21. Rick Porcello – Morristown, NJ



• Age: 20 – 31
• Years: 2009 – 2019
• Pos: SP
• Team(s): Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox

Rick Porcello

WAR	ERA-	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	ShO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	K%	WHIP
19.9	101	343	339	149	118	4.36	2037.1	10	3	0	1081	988	474	1507	17.4%	1.31

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