- Experienced teams hold down the top spots in the preseason Top 25 rankings.
The 2026 North Jersey Top 25 baseball rankings begin the same way the 2025 final rankings ended: with Don Bosco at the top.
Don Bosco, which last season swept the Big North United Division, Bergen County, North-Non-Public A sectional and Non-Public A state titles, is No. 1. The Ironmen return a deep and talented roster that includes senior catcher Chase Bagley and senior outfielder Michael Hanna.
DePaul, last year’s Passaic County and North Non-Public A runner-up, is ranked No. 2. The Spartans feature senior pitcher/infielder Jason Amalbert and senior pitcher/infielder Aiden Ogando, and they have a new coach, veteran Joe Gambardella.
Passaic Tech, which defeated DePaul in last year’s Passaic final and went on to win the North 1, Group 4 sectional, is No. 3. The Spartans, like Don Bosco and DePaul, also bring back a pair of All-North Jersey selections in senior catcher Mickey Gilligan and junior pitcher Jackson Burger.
Ramapo, with 19 seniors including senior first baseman/catcher Brody Barber, sits at No. 4. Rounding out the top 5 is Pascack Valley, which will ride the arm of senior pitcher/outfielder Brendan Gaskin, who was 7-0 last season.
The small-school North Jersey Interscholastic Conference has realigned based on success and five of the six teams from the top-tier Colonial Division are in the Top 25:
Glen Rock, with senior pitcher/first baseman Sean Spitaleri, is No. 9. Rutherford, behind senior pitcher Andrew Erickson, is No. 13. Lyndhurst, led by senior pitcher/infielder Tyler Herman, is No. 18. Rounding out that heavyweight handful: No. 23 Hasbrouck Heights and No. 24 St. Mary.
Here are the preseason Top 25 rankings, based largely on preview information provided by coaches, with last season’s final records in parentheses.
Preseason Top 25 rankings
1. Don Bosco (26-2)
2. DePaul (21-7)
3. Passaic Tech (24-7)
4. Ramapo (25-5)
5. Pascack Valley (22-7)
6. St. Joseph (17-10)
7. Old Tappan (18-8)
8. Bergen Catholic (17-8)
9. Glen Rock (24-6)
10. Westwood (16-10)
11. Ramsey (18-8)
12. Ridgewood (21-8)
13. Rutherford (18-8)
14. Northern Highlands (13-13)
15. Paramus Catholic (12-13)
16. Pascack Hills (13-12)
17. Wayne Hills (17-11)
18. Lyndhurst (17-10)
19. Mahwah (17-10)
20. West Milford (16-10)
21. Fort Lee (17-9)
22. Indian Hills (13-11)
23. Hasbrouck Heights (17-9)
24. St. Mary (17-9)
25. Cresskill (15-11-1)
Also considered: Midland Park (21-9-1), Passaic Valley (15-10), Waldwick (12-15), Wayne Valley (11-11), Wood-Ridge (17-12).
