Lots of states are known for being hotbeds of baseball talent. You know, the usual suspects: Florida, California, Arizona, Georgia. Wisconsin is having kind of a moment the last couple years, and Texas produces at least one hard-throwing right-handed high school pitcher in every draft, it seems like. “Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Wood, it’s a stereotype!”
On the other hand, New Jersey is nobody’s idea of a hotbed, except for the best gabagool this side of heaven. Sure, Rick Porcello was a big deal nearly a decade and a half ago, and oh yeah, Mike Trout comes from the Garden State, but on balance, Jersey isn’t the first place a scout is going to go if he’s looking for top talent most years.