Root, Root, Root For These New Jersey MLB Players Come Opening Day

Baseball Opening Day on Thursday, March 30, is the best day of the year for many.

With the 2023 MLB season set to begin, New Jersey will be represented in the big leagues.
Photo Credit: *Minda Haas Kuhlmann, Keith Allison, Erik Drost, Jeffrey Hyde, Jeffrey Hayes, Pierre Osias, Scott U, Tom Hagerty*

03/28/2023 12:33 p.m.

New Jerseyans have even more of a reason to watch, with several major league players having local ties.

The Garden State is well represented throughout the major leagues with MVPs, All-Stars and World Series champions.

The biggest name might be Mike Trout, a three-time American League Most Valuable Player for the Los Angeles Angels.

Considered one of the best players in baseball, Trout calls Cumberland County home. He recently announced he is opening a golf course in Cumberland with Tiger Woods.

Zac Gallen, who was raised in Camden County, will be the opening day starter for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Gallen shined last year, going 12-4 with a 2.54 ERA and finishing fifth in voting for the National League Cy Young Award.

Brandon Bielak, who was raised in Middlesex County, pitches for the Houston Astros, the reigning World Series Champions. While pitching at St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, Bielak was 8-1 with a .058 ERA.

Matt Thaiss, an Ocean County native, plays catcher for the Los Angeles Angels. A first round pick in 2016, Thaiss shined at Jackson Memorial High School.

Alex Reyes, who was born and raised in Elizabeth, is looking to bounce back in 2023 after missing last season due to injury. Reyes' best season was in 2021 when he made the All-Star Game while pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals. He now plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

You won't have to travel too far to root for Ron Marinaccio, who pitches for the Yankees. The Ocean County native has had a dominant spring training and was recently named to the Opening Day roster.

The San Francisco Giants are lucky to have two New Jerseyans on the team. Anthony DeSclafani, a pitcher, grew up in Monmouth County, while Thomas Szapucki is an Ocean County native.

Tommy LaStella, a Bergen County native, has done it all during his time in the majors, winning a World Series with the Cubs in 2016 and making the All-Star Game in 2019. This year, he is catching for the Seattle Mariners.

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