Baseball 2023 Recruiting Class
11/10/2022
Rutgers baseball and head coach Steve Owens announced the program's class of 2023 signing class on Wednesday. RHP Zach Konstantinovsky (North Brunswick, N.J.), RHP Jack Kirchner (Moorestown, N.J.), RHP Justin Sweeney (Egg Harbor Township, N.J.) and C Jackson Natili (Pittsburgh, Penn.) all signed their National Letters of Intent to join the Scarlet Knights for the 2023-24 academic year.
RHP Zack Konstantinovsky
6-2 | 200 | North Brunswick, N.J. (North Brunswick Township HS)
Ranked No. 322 recruit nationally and No. 6 prospect in New Jersey by Prep Baseball Report … 2022 NJ.com Baseball Pitcher of the Year … NJ.com First Team All-State … Home News Tribune Greater Middlesex Conference Baseball Player of the Year … Greater Middlesex County Pitcher of the Year … Central Jersey Player of the Year … Led North Brunswick Township HS to Greater Middlesex County Tournament Championship … Has played varsity baseball all three years at NBTHS … High Honor Roll Student … Plays travel baseball for Baseball Warehouse … Son of Boris Konstantinovsky and Rochelle Sirota … Has an older brother, Victor Konstantinovsky, who played four years of collegiate baseball at St. John Fisher College.
The coaching staff is one of the best in college baseball, the quality of the academics and I wanted to represent and play for NJ.Zack Konstantinovsky on why he chose Rutgers
RHP Jack Kirchner
6-3 | 235 | Moorestown, N.J. (Bishop Eustace)
Ranked No. 20 overall prospect in New Jersey by Prep Baseball Report … Named Northeast All-Region by Perfect Game … Pitched to a 2.31 ERA for Bishop Eustace in junior season, striking out 59 batters in 42.1 innings … Played travel baseball with eXposure Baseball … Son of Andrew and Elizabeth Kirchner … Has three sisters, Lyla, Ava and Kate
The coaching staff’s drive to get better and compete. Also being able to represent New Jersey, staying close to home and the great academics.Jack Kirchner on why he chose Rutgers
RHP Justin Sweeney
6-2 | 205 | Egg Harbor Township, N.J. (Egg Harbor Township HS)
Ranked No. 12 overall prospect and No. 6 RHP in New Jersey by Prep Baseball Report … Named to 2022 Northeast All-Region 1st Team by Perfect Game … Named Third Team All-Group in 2022 by NJ.com … Struck out 75 batters in 49.2 innings of work to go with a 2.40 ERA in junior season for Egg Harbor Township HS … Batted .347 with three home runs as a two-way player … Two-time selection to prestigious Carpenter Cup … Plays travel baseball for South Jersey Young Guns … National Honor Society student … Son of Michael and Melinda Sweeney … Older brother Jordan Sweeney is junior 1B on Rutgers baseball team.
I chose Rutgers so I could have the opportunity to compete for my state while receiving a good education.Justin Sweeney on why he chose Rutgers
C Jackson Natili
6-3 | 190 | Pittsburgh, Pa. (Peters Township HS)
Ranked No. 44 overall prospect and No. 3 catcher in state of Pennsylvania by Prep Baseball Report … Did not compete in 2021-22 season due to injury … 2022 Honorable Mention All-Atlantic Region by Perfect Game … Two-year varsity starter at Peters Township HS … Named all-conference selection in 2021 … Son of Colleen and Rich Natili … Has a brother, Trey, and a sister, Kaitlin
I chose Rutgers because I liked the coaching staff and believed they had a plan for me to develop. I wanted to be a part of a growing program that is eager to win. I also was interested in the wide variety of majors to choose from.Jackson Natili on why he chose Rutgers
RHP John Goodes
6-4 | 220 | Fair Haven, N.J. (Rumson-Fair Haven HS)
Ranked No. 21 overall and No. 13 RHP in New Jersey by Prep Baseball Report … 9-1 with a 1.62 ERA, 0.839 WHIP and 52 strikeouts in 47.2 innings of work as a junior … named First Team All-Shore Conference by Asbury Park Press … First Team All-Group 2 by NJ.com … 2022 Honorable Mention Northeast Region by Perfect Game … four-year member of varsity baseball team at Rumson-Fair Haven … plays travel ball for 9ers Baseball Club … Honor Roll student with 4.0 GPA … also played three years of basketball … son of Dave and Beth Goodes … has a brother, Andrew, and a sister, Rebecca
The combination of academic and athletic opportunities, with the competitive edge Coach Owens and his staff bring everyday. There is not a better opportunity in the country.John Goodes on why he chose Rutgers
OF RJ Johnson Jr.
5-10 | 185 | Franklinton, N.C. (Kerr-Vance Academy/Gulf Coast State College)
Transfer who will play 2023 season at Gulf Coast State College after spending 2022 at Appalachian State … played in 45 games, making 33 starts as a true freshman for the Mountaineers in 2022 … had 20 hits and 20 RBIs, collecting four multi-hit games and two games with three hits … had a .512 batting average for Kerr-Vance Academy, added 17 RBIs, four home runs, scored 29 runs and stole 35 stolen bases as a senior in 2021, helping Kerr-Vance win fourth straight state title ... named First Team All-State Named by HighSchoolOT … 2021 Baseball Player of the Year by Tar River Preps … also played basketball in high school and was honor roll student … son of Ebony and Reggie Johnson … has a brother, Evan Johnson, and a sister, Jasmine Baskett
Coach Owens and his staff have a long history of developing their recruits into great players and they have an even better history of winning. Those were the two biggest things I was looking for in my recruitment: winning and development. It was everything I was looking for in a program, in all aspects -- great education, great conference and competition, and the staff made me feel wanted. The feeling I got from that visit was nothing like I ever had.RJ Johnson on why he chose Rutgers
RHP Justin Shadek
6-6 | 230 | Kinnelon, N.J. (Seton Hall Prep)
Made five starts on the mound as a junior at Seton Hall Prep, while also picking up a save in his lone appearance out of the bullpen … had a 0.84 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in 25.0 innings, striking out 33 batters and walking just seven … named a junior all-star … plays travel ball for Morris County Cubs … named to Seton Hall Prep honor roll all nine trimesters of high school … member of school Math Team and Math Honors Society … plans to major in mechanical engineering … son of Ken and Kim Goodes … has a brother, Daniel, and a sister, Gabriella
The engineering school is great, the baseball program is great as well with great coaches and it’s close to home.Justin Shadek on why he chose Rutgers
INF Ty Doucette
6-2 | 235 | L/R | Dartmouth, Nova Scotia (Foothills Composite)
Member of Canadian Junior National Team … was teammates with current Scarlet Knight Hugh Pinkney with Team Canada … Ranked No. 1 at his position in Canada by Perfect Game … Currently playing with prestigious TNXL Academy in Florida after graduating from Foothill Composite School … Plays Summer ball with Okotoks Dawgs, hit .316 with 1 HR, 24 RBI, 22 BB and an .855 OPS in 2021 … Son of Alana and Darren Doucette … Darren was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1992 MLB draft and played three years in the organization and seven years total of professional baseball … Has a brother, Mitchell … also played hockey growing up
I loved the campus and I felt like this was the perfect spot to get better and continue my baseball career while still being relatively close to home.Ty Doucette on why he chose Rutgers
