Rutgers-Camden Athletics

Defending NJAC champion Scarlet Raptors picked for fifth in pre-season baseball poll

2/10/2026 3:05:00 PM

CAMDEN, N.J. (Feb. 10, 2026) – The 2025 season was a magical one for the Rutgers University-Camden baseball team, which captured the first New Jersey Athletic Conference Baseball Championship in program history and won its opening game in the NCAA Regionals before closing its season with a 30-17 record.
 
The Scarlet Raptors saw numerous season records broken or challenged and saw the culmination of some of the top careers ever at Rutgers-Camden, including record-setting designated hitter Jack Murphy, who finished as the program's all-time leader in home runs (23), doubles (49), RBIs (157) and games (184).
 
The Scarlet Raptors' 30 victories marked only the third time in program history that Rutgers-Camden reached the 30-win plateau and was only two wins shy of the program record set in 2002. In winning the NJAC title for the first time, the Scarlet Raptors also played in the NCAA tournament for the second time, following an at-large bid in 2014.
 
Three Scarlet Raptors captured All-NJAC honors, with second baseman Frankie Romond earning NJAC First Team recognition, Murphy capturing a berth on the NJAC Second Team and left fielder Ryan Joseph capturing NJAC Honorable Mention.
 
Despite winning the conference crown with a 4-0 run through the NJAC playoffs, the Scarlet Raptors were predicted to finish fifth in the conference in the Pre-Season Coaches' Poll, released today. Kean University received eight first-place votes to capture the first-place spot, according to the NJAC's 10 coaches. Rowan University held second place in the poll, receiving one first-place vote, followed by Ramapo College, Montclair State University and Rutgers-Camden, respectively. Stockton University was tabbed for sixth place and was named the NJAC's "dark horse" team.
 
Rounding out the top 10 in the poll, in order, were The College of New Jersey, William Paterson University, Rutgers University-Newark and New Jersey City University. The Gothic Knights were selected for 10th place despite receiving one first-place vote.
 
The Scarlet Raptors will field a vastly different team in 2026, as Head Coach Ryan Kulik begins his seventh season without many of the key pieces from the championship squad. Gone are the bats of Romond (.363, eight home runs, 45 RBIs), Murphy (.358, three home runs, 52 RBIs), right fielder Brandon Petrick (.310, 31 RBIs), third baseman Ryan Nutley (.293, 37 RBIs), center fielder Steven Shaffer (.278, 27 RBIs) and first baseman Diego Salazar (.276). The team also lost its top four starting pitchers in Ethan Carpenter, Chase Cooper, Daniel Robeson and Ryan Rumsey,  covering 39 starts, a combined 19-10 record and 230.1 innings. Another graduate is closer Jacob Shapley, who worked 37 innings, posting a 4-2 record and five saves.
 
Joseph returns with sophomore eligibility, coming off a breakout season in which he hit .292 with 20 RBIs in only 89 at bats. He broke into the lineup after a season-ending injury to left fielder Jacob Watson, who returns with junior eligibility. Watson, a speedy leadoff hitter, owns a .329 career batting average and has already blown away the old program record for stolen bases. He'll enter the season with 87 steals in his 93 career games. Another key veteran is junior outfielder Matt McAleer (.308).
 
Sophomore Chris Smith is back to anchor the shortstop position he solidified last season, when he hit .281 and made numerous spectacular plays. Junior second baseman/outfielder Austin Dubler returns after hitting .275 and leading the team with 25 stolen bases.
 
Behind the plate, Rutgers-Camden features one of the top catching duos in the NJAC in senior Evan Carbone and junior Julian Gonzalez,  who both captured All-NJAC honors in 2024, while sophomore Mason Blizzard showed plenty of potential in his brief appearances in 2025.
 
Junior southpaw John Ormsby IV is the Raptors' most experienced returning starter, making five starts and hurling 21 innings last season. Junior Anthony Angelo Jr. made two starts.
 
The bullpen, meanwhile, will get a boost with the return of junior Gavin Cunard, who missed last season after collecting five saves over his first two seasons. He'll team with senior Dylan Oliver (1-0, 3.72 ERA in 19.1 innings) and juniors Sean Glenn (2-0, 3.86, 11.2 innings) and D.J. Juliano (1-0, 3.86, 14 innings), who combined for 35 relief appearances last season.
 
Overall, the Scarlet Raptors feature 21 lettermen who will team with 17 newcomers. The Raptors' four captains will be Glenn, Gonzalez, Oliver and Watson.
 
Rutgers-Camden is scheduled to open its season on Feb. 21 with a non-conference home game against DeSales University at 12 p.m. The Scarlet Raptors' first NJAC action is a doubleheader at William Paterson University on March 28, after they return from an eight-game spring break trip to Florida.