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New Jersey baseball fans dubbed the 2022 high school season as the Year of Kranzler.
As a junior, Alex Kranzler had one of the best overall seasons in recent memory for Old Tappan.
The 6-foot-3 right-hander went 11-0 on the mound with with 115 strikeouts in 73 1/3 innings.
He also drove in 26 runs and compiled 36 hits.
That type of dominance led to Kranzler earning NJ.com Player of the Year honors, which turned to a commitment to national power Vanderbilt.
In three seasons down in Nashville, Kranzler struck out 118 batters across 101 1/3 total frames.
His fastball was electric, but his slider became one of the most iconic pitches in the country.
All that led to him getting drafted on Sunday by the Boston Red Sox in the 17th round 514th overall.
The 2026 season was the return of YOK though it went to a different Old Tappan ace.
Senior Selden Kolkebeck earned NJ.com Pitcher of the Year honors after going 12-0 en route to a Group 3 state title, but perhaps there was still room for both pitchers this year.
Kranzler getting drafted certainly made a strong case for 2026 being another Year of Kranzler.
His dream certainly became a reality.
Overall, he is the 15th player from New Jersey taken in the 2026 draft, joining: First round - No.
9: AJ Gracia, Ranney (Virginia) - Braves - No.
22: Cameron Flukey, Egg Harbor (Coastal Carolina) - Tigers Second round - No.
58: Eric Becker, Don Bosco Prep (Virginia) - Reds Third round - No.
90: Peyton Bonds, Franklin (Rutgers) - Giants - No.
97: Ryan Lynch, Moorestown (North Carolina) - Padres Sixth round - No.
166: Alex Weingartner, St.
Augustine - White Sox 10th round - No.
309: Reece Moroney, Rumson-Fair Haven (Rhode Island) - Phillies - No.
311: Andrew Gaines, St.
Augustine (Saint Josephs) - Brewers 11th round - No.
317: Aidan Teel, Mahwah (Mississippi State) - Twins 12th round - No.
369: Christian Coppola, Cedar Creek (Saint Josephs) - Phillies 14th round - No.
406: Zack Konstantinovsky, North Brunswick (Rutgers) - Nationals - No.
420: Zach Crotchfelt, Jackson Memorial (Troy) - Mets 16th round - No.
470: Brayden Fry, Cranford - Orioles 17th round - Duke McCarron, Ocean City (Saint Josephs) - Marlins - The 2026 MLB Draft is this weekend.
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