Promotional baseball awards poster with two players, central 'Freshman of the Year' title and Jake Abrams (Ranney School).

2026 Shore Sports Insider Baseball Freshman of the Year: Jake Abrams, Ranney

Matt Manley|June 26, 2026|Last Updated June 26, 2026

The Ranney Baseball team reached an early crossroads during the 2026 season, and to steer toward a winning direction, the Panthers needed a jolt on the mound, particularly a jolt that threw the ball over the plate.

After a lack of strike-throwing nearly sank Ranney’s season before it got off the ground, the Panthers turned it around thanks to a spark from one of its least experienced players at the high school level.

Freshman Jake Abrams began Ranney’s turnaround with a complete-game gem vs. Red Bank Catholic, and while it did not result in a win, it was the start of a mid-season run that yielded the Panthers another championship and Abrams the Shore Sports Insider Baseball Freshman of the Year award.

Following three challenging outings on the mound to begin his varsity career, Abrams found his rhythm for an April 16 showdown with Red Bank Catholic at Count Basie Park. Casey’s senior Glen Popes bested him that day by pitching a shutout, but Abrams threw Ranney’s best game to date by going six innings while allowing two runs on three hits and one walk while striking out 10.

Abrams went on to lead Ranney in innings pitched and still encountered his share of growing pains on the way to posting a 2-5 record with a 4.72 ERA across 43 innings, in which the right-hander allowed 43 hits, 24 walks, and struck out 49. Amid the struggles, however, were several more high points: a three-hit shutout against Rumson in the Monmouth County Tournament semifinals, 6 scoreless innings at Manalapan before the Braves beat him in the seventh for a 3-0 win, and four dominant innings vs. St. Rose in the NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public A quarterfinals.

“We saw the potential in the preseason. He looked like a varsity (number) one,” Ranney coach Pat Geroni said after Abrams shut out Rumson on May 2. “He came out of the bullpen in his first few outings and, to be honest, it’s not something he has done a ton of in his life, and he really struggled. His first start was against Pascack Valley, which is a really tough team, and we didn’t give him much help behind him, but he threw a really good game. Since that Pascack Valley game, he has really been lights-out. The command is unreal. He’s got three pitches he can throw for strikes, and it’s really four because he can throw a slow curveball to go with the hard slider.”

Considering the competition Abrams faced, it is a wonder he posted the numbers he did. Geroni tabbed him for six outings against teams ranked in the final Shore Sports Insider Top 10 (No. 6 Rumson twice, No. 4 Red Bank Catholic, No. 2 Christian Brothers Academy, No. 1 Point Pleasant Beach, and No. 10 Howell) and three more vs. Pascack Valley, perennial New York power Poly Prep and Gloucester Catholic – the No. 2 team in the state to finish the season.

Throwing out his first three rough outings to open the season, Abrams pitched like one of the Class A North division’s top pitchers the rest of the way: 36 innings, 31 hits, 13 walks, 43 strikeouts, and a 2.92 ERA.

Abrams’s work on the mound was the core of his case for the Shore Conference Freshman of the Year, and his bat pushed him over the top against his primary competition – mainly teammate Brody McCorkle, Manalapan’s Josh Sosinov, and Toms River South two-way standout Andrew Schmidt. He hit .387 with six doubles, 15 runs scored, and 12 RBI while playing some third base and first base in the field. Most of Abrams’s starts, however, were either on the mound or as a designated hitter.

With Abrams, McCorkle, and fellow freshman starter David Cantin, Ranney is again set up with a strong future core, and next season, those sophomores are primed to complement a loaded senior group that has Ranney positioned for a big 2027 season.

Ranney freshman Jake Abrams. (Photo: Tom Smith | tspsportsimages.com) - Ranney Jake Abrams

Ranney freshman Jake Abrams. (Photo: Tom Smith | tspsportsimages.com)

 

2026 Shore Sports Insider All-Freshman Team

 

Catcher

Brian Cabreja, Keyport

 

First Base

Brody McCorkle, Ranney

 

Infield

Mason Sesny, 2B, Point Pleasant Beach

Andrew Schmidt, 3B/RHP, Toms River South

Jack Byers, 3B, Middletown North

Michael Mendes, 3B, Toms River East

Isaiah Locklear, 2B, Henry Hudson

 

Outfield

Josh Sosinov, Manalapan

Tristan Garcia, Donovan Catholic

Sawyer Hodgdon, Pinelands

Ryan Lasko, Matawan

 

Designated Hitter

Brendan Corbett, 1B/RHP, Matawan

David Cantin, OF, Ranney

 

Utility

A.J. Deo, 2B/RHP, Matawan

Leonardo Arcos Jr., C/RHP, Long Branch

 

Pitchers

Jake Abrams, RHP, Ranney

Owen Hart, RHP, Point Pleasant Boro

Evan Mazzola, RHP, Middletown North

Shaun Wood, RHP, Jackson

Jackson Brosonski, RHP, Raritan

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