Former New Jersey High School Baseball Stars Make Their Mark at the 2026 World Baseball Classic
The 2026 World Baseball Classic is set to begin on March 5, and the excitement is palpable as rosters for all 20 teams have been unveiled. New Jersey is proud to showcase its talent, with several former high school stars earning spots on the teams.
Let's take a closer look at the New Jersey alums participating in this year's tournament.
Team Israel
Rob Kaminsky
High School: St. Joseph (Mont.)
MLB Team: Free Agent
2025 Stats: 17.2 IP, 5.60 ERA, 0-3, 2.208 WHIP (with Staten Island)
Kaminsky had a busy 2025 season, pitching in various leagues. He made one appearance with the Memphis Redbirds, the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, and two with the Florida Complex League Cardinals. He also pitched six games for the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League. The 31-year-old was drafted by the Cardinals in the first round, 28th overall, in 2013 from St. Joseph (Mont.). In his senior season, he pitched 64 innings, struck out 128 batters, and allowed just one earned run, finishing with a 9-0 record. He is a two-time NJ.com Player of the Year.
Jason Marquis (COACH)
Marquis, from Staten Island, New York, has strong ties to New Jersey. He is currently an assistant coach at Middletown South, where he contributed to the Eagles' 15-11 record last spring. Marquis played in the MLB for 15 seasons with nine different franchises. His impressive career includes a 4.61 ERA and a 124-118 record, with 1,174 strikeouts.
He will take on the role of pitching coach for Team Israel at the WBC.
Team Italy
Kyle Teel
High School: Mahwah
MLB Team: Chicago White Sox
2025 Stats: .273 AVG, 8 HR, 35 RBI, 11 2B, .786 OPS
Teel, who graduated from Mahwah in 2020, was a Second-Team All-State honoree as a shortstop in 2019. He was also named New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020, earning First-Team All-State honors. In 2023, he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox 14th overall in the MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut on June 6, 2025, and recorded his first hit in his second at-bat.
Gordon Graceffo
High School: Cranford
MLB Team: St. Louis Cardinals
2025 Stats: 43 IP, 3-1, 6.28 ERA, 40 K, 1.47 WHIP
Graceffo made his MLB debut during the 2024 season and appeared in 26 games in 2025. He pitched just under 175 innings in his career at Cranford before graduating in 2018, with 128 strikeouts. The Cardinals drafted him in the fifth round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Villanova.
Ron Marinaccio
High School: Toms River North
MLB Team: San Diego Padres
2025 Stats: 10.2 IP, 0.84 ERA, 12 K, 0.938 WHIP
Marinaccio began his MLB journey as a 26-year-old in the Bronx. He was DFA'd by the Yankees in September 2024 after nearly three seasons with the club and was claimed by the White Sox but never played for them. He spent 2025 with the Padres, appearing in seven games.
Andrew Fischer
High School: Wall
2025 Team: University of Tennessee/Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (A+)
2025 Stats: 65 GP, .341 AVG, 74 H, 70 R, 25 HR, 65 RBI, 1.227 OPS (with Tennessee); 19 GP, .311 AVG, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 8 R
Fischer was a Second-Team All-State honoree as a senior at Wall in 2022. That spring, he hit .382 with 22 runs and 27 RBI in 76 at-bats. He excelled in three seasons at the University of Tennessee, hitting .307 with 155 runs, 155 RBI, and 56 homers in 167 games. The Milwaukee Brewers drafted him in the first round, 20th overall, in the 2025 draft. He concluded his 2025 season with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the Midwest League.
