NORTH CALDWELL- He has a very similar trait to his favorite major league player JT Realmuto in that he is one of the fasted catchers in New Jersey high school baseball just as the Philadelphia Phillies’ all-star backstop is as quick on the base paths as anyone at his position in MLB history.
West Essex senior Colin Fogg bats leadoff and is a 3-year starting catcher for one of Essex County’s best teams and one seeking its first Greater Newark Tournament title since 2010. With his impressive .446 batting average, 23 runs and 17 stolen bases, the stalwart veteran leader for the Knights (11-5) is also the latest Parisi Fairfield/Sideline Chatter Athlete of the Week.
The Ursinus-bound Fogg, who will join older brother and former West Essex standout outfielder Devin Fogg at the Collegeville, Pa.-based Centennial Conference school this fall, delivered the game-winning RBI hit in the fifth inning of last Friday’s 2-0 GNT first-round win over Cedar Grove, and he continued a trend of getting key hits and scoring important runs in recent games for the Knights.
He went 2-for-3 with 2 runs and 2 RBI while blasting a double and a home run in a 10-0 independent victory over North Bergen on Wednesday, April 29, scored 2 runs, had an RBI, was hit by two pitches and stole 2 bases in a 6-5 conference win at West Orange on Monday, April 27, was 2-for-5 with a run, an RBI and stolen base in a 15-14 loss at Morristown on April 23, and was 3-for-4 with a run, an RBI and 2 stolen bases when West Essex upset state-ranked Seton Hall Prep, 4-3, on Monday, April 20.
“Colin is having just a tremendous season for us, is an outstanding catcher while doing a great job handling our pitching staff, and he’s having a terrific offensive season while delivering big hits when we need them,” said Knights first-year head coach Anthony Genchi. “Plus, his ability to just get on base - whether it’s a hit or a walk – makes him a perfect lead-off man for us and he’s always a threat to steal a base.”
He might not have a preconceived build for a typical catcher, perhaps including perhaps having a more stocky and even more rounded body type. In fact, Fogg, who stands 6-foot-1, currently weighs just 150 pounds and gives more of an appearance of a fleet-footed outfielder than a traditional catcher physical type; however, regardless of his build, he’s a terrific athlete and the consummate, steady and very reliable receiver for the West Essex pitching staff.
“After my family had moved from Bloomfield Roseland when I was in the fifth grade I was playing for the West Essex Warriors who didn’t have any catchers at the time,” Fogg recalled. “I immediately liked playing the position and to this day I just love being involved in every play.
“We’re a really young team this year with only three guys who have any GNT experience, and It’s fun to work with all our pitchers, whether it’s a Jackson Lodgek, who is a veteran guy, can throw four different pitches and is an ace on our staff, or any one of the younger pitchers who I try to help bring along, and it’s great to see their continued progress since the start of the season!”
Fogg also enjoys the fact that he has an easy method of receiving what the next pitch to be thrown will be from assistant coach Corey Feigenbaum, the Knights’ first-year pitching coach.
“I love wearing the ear piece which makes things super easy as far as receiving and then quickly relaying signs to our pitchers,” added the veteran Knights backstop. “I love everything involved in catching and I look forward to continuing to have the opportunity to play the position in college, which is one of the reasons I chose Ursinus.
“Along with my brother already playing there, I also love the environment of the school and the coaching staff there has been great to deal with.
“I have pretty good ‘pop’ time and I am always working on being as good as I can be in blocking pitches. I also plan on working on getting bigger and stronger for college.”
After having just 11 at bats with the varsity as a freshman, Fogg had a solid sophomore season batting 310 with 17 runs, 13 RBI and 12 stolen bases while hitting in the 9-hole in a deep lineup for a 24-5 West Essex team which upset Ramapo on the road in the North 1, Group 3 state sectional semifinals before falling to state power Morris Knolls, 13-3, in the N1G3 final.
Then last year, batting in the 2-hole he batted .262 with 19 runs and 17 stolen bases for a 16-9 Knights squad also directed by coach Joe Cardinale.
Now hitting in the leadoff spot, Fogg has found a great spot in the batting order and he is flourishing with his varied and proficient offensive game.
“As a sophomore hitting in the 9-hole I think I saw more first-pitch fast balls which helped, and then in the 2-hole last year I probably took more pitches and also saw more off-speed stuff,” said the Knights’ veteran backstop. “Now, I just love hitting leadoff.
“I’m not a big power hitter for the most part and I try to focus on driving the ball to right center and I’m fine to get a single, steal second, and anything else I can do to help build a run for our team.
It's all coming together very well for the West Essex senior leader who has also enjoyed plying his trade on the diamond with the new coaching staff.
“After last season I didn’t expect to have new coaches for my senior year, but I love Coach ‘Gench,’ and how he works with our team and Corey is a terrific pitching coach.
“It’s all coming together for us as our younger guys continue to grow as varsity players and I work with (senior center fielder and No. 3 hitter) Cayden (Lozito) and Jackson (Lodgek) to try and help lead this team.
“We have a lot of big games remaining and we’re just taking them one at a time while looking to win GNT and (North 2, Group 2) state championships.”
NOTES- Fogg’s dad, Derek, is a 1991 graduate of Seton Hall Prep where he was an outstanding swimmer and also swam and played water polo at Penn State…Fogg’s favorite subjects include statistics and history and he maintains a 3.4 gpa…He plays his travel ball for the NJ Rising Rebels out of the Delbarton School and picturesque Fleury Field in Morris Township. His coaches include Delbarton Athletic Director Tony Negrin and Ramapo College coach Joe Maugeri, and his teammates include current high school senior standouts such as Delbarton’s Hamilton College-bound pitcher Noah Morales and Wayne Valley’s Iona College-bound slugger Michael Kamper.
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The GNT continues Wednesday with four games including third-seeded West Essex hosting 11th-seeded St. Benedict's after its hard-fought win vs. 14th seeded Cedar Grove which received solid pitching from junior Jack Velonas while Lodgek hurled a 1-hitter with 10 K's over 6 1/3 IP with a 2-out save by junior DAniel Gorab.
“Seeds don’t mean anything in the GNT and it’s important to recognize that right away and just focus on performing as well as you can in the game in front of you that day,” added Genchi. “Cedar Grove is a good team and their kid pitched well.
“We have to continue to come ready to compete at a high level each day and hopefully we can continue to advance in what is always a very competitive tournament.”
93rd Greater Newark Tournament
First round, Friday, May 1:
(1) Seton Hall Prep 10 (16) Barringer 0 (in 5 inn.)
(8) Verona 6 (9) Livingston 1
(5) West Orange 13 (12) MKA 3 (in 6 inn.)
(4) Columbia 14 (13) Glen Ridge 4
(3) West Essex 2 (14) Cedar Grove 0
(11) St. Benedict’s 7 (6) Montclair 4
(7) Nutley 5 (10) Millburn 2
(2) Caldwell 10 (15) Newark Tech 0 (in 6 inn.)
Quarterfinals, Wednesday, May 6:
(8) Verona at (1) Seton Hall Prep
(5) West Orange at (4) Columbia
(11) St. Benedict’s at (3) West Essex
(7) Nutley at (2) Caldwell
Semifinals: 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Saturday, May 9, at Seton Hall Prep’s Porcello Field; final: noon, Saturday, May 16, at Verona’s Doc Goeltz Field
Follow Steve Tober on 'X' @Chattermeister
GREATER NEWARK TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES:
2025: Seton Hall Prep 6 Livingston 0
2024: Seton Hall Prep 6 Livingston 0
2023: Millburn 3 Seton Hall Prep 0
2022: Seton Hall Prep 15 Bloomfield 0 (in 5 inn.)
2021: Millburn 6 Seton Hall Prep 5 (in 11 inn.)
2020: No tournament due to covid-19
2019: Montclair 10 Seton Hall Prep 0
2018: Livingston 8 Nutley 3
2017: Seton Hall Prep 4 Millburn 2
2016: Seton Hall Prep 11, Nutley 1
2015: Seton Hall Prep 12, Millburn 6
2014: Seton Hall Prep 7, Cedar Grove 6
2013: Seton Hall Prep 4, Montclair 2
2012: Montclair 2, Nutley 1
2011: Seton Hall Prep 8, Millburn 2
2010: West Essex 5, Columbia 4
2009: Livingston 5, Nutley 4
2008: Seton Hall Prep 8, Millburn 7 (8 inn.)
2007: Seton Hall Prep 5, Newark East Side 1
2006: West Essex 5, Seton Hall Prep 2
2005: Seton Hall Prep 11, Nutley 0
2004: Nutley 3, Seton Hall Prep 2
2003: Seton Hall Prep 3, Nutley 0
2002: Nutley 6, Seton Hall Prep 2
2001: Nutley 5, Seton Hall Prep 3
2000: Seton Hall Prep 3, Livingston 1
1999: Seton Hall Prep 4, Columbia 3
1998: Seton Hall Prep 6, Essex Catholic 4
1997: Seton Hall Prep 5, Bloomfield 2
1996: Bloomfield 3, Livingston 0
1995: Columbia 1, Belleville 0
1994: East Side 4, Glen Ridge 3
1993: Nutley 10, West Essex 3
1992: East Side 5, Seton Hall Prep 2
1991: Livingston 7, Cedar Grove 6
1990: Seton Hall Prep 13, Columbia 0
1989: Glen Ridge 7, Livingston 0
1988: Cedar Grove 5, Livingston 3
1987: Glen Ridge 3, Irvington 0
1986: Columbia 9, Belleville 8 (8 inn.)
1985: Cedar Grove 2, Caldwell 1 (8 inn.)
1984: Millburn 4, Nutley 3
1983: Seton Hall Prep 3, Glen Ridge 1
1982: Caldwell 4, Glen Ridge 1
1981: Belleville 10, Glen Ridge 4
1980: Livingston 8, Belleville 6
1979: Columbia 5, Livingston 4
1978: Columbia 3, Our Lady of the Valley 2
1977: Livingston 9, Seton Hall Prep 1
1976: Livingston 6, Essex Catholic 4
1975: Essex Catholic 5, Irvington 1
1974: Livingston 5, Verona 1
1973: Our Lady of the Valley 3, Bloomfield 1
GNT has been Essex County teams only since 1973.
GNT also included teams from outside Essex County from 1933-1972.
1972: Ewing 7, Bloomfield 3
1971: Seton Hall Prep 7, Haddonfield 2
1970: Union 5, Ewing 1
1969: Morristown 12, Montclair 3
1968: Morristown 2, Piscataway 1
1967: Morristown 5, Roselle Catholic 4
1966: Union 2, Parsippany 1
1965: Parsippany 5, Westfield 3
1964: St. Benedict’s Prep 6, Montclair 5
1963: Montclair 6, St. Benedict’s 3
1962: Garfield 6, Nutley 0
1961: South River 5, Linden 3
1960: New Brinswick 3, East Side 0
1959: Bayonne 14, Verona 8
1958: St. Peter’s Prep 3, Hanover Park 1
1957: Rahway 3, Irvington 2
1956: New Brunswick 11, Barringer 0
1955: Jefferson 7, Montclair 6
1954: Montclair 8, Englewood 0
1953: Englewood 9, Irvington 4
1952: Bloomfield 3, Nutley 0
1951: Linden 8, Jefferson 3
1950: Rahway 9, East Side 7
1949: Bayonne 3, Montclair 2
1948: Montclair 1, Irvington 0
1947: Irvington 6, Columbia 0
1946: East Side 4, Roselle Park 2
1945: Bloomfield 5, Columbia 0
1944: Caldwell 9, Bloomfield 0
1943: Kearny 6, Hillside 3
1942: Montclair 3, Irvington 2
1941: Hillside 9, Kearny 5
1940: Irvington 2, Trenton 0
1939: Irvington 4, Woodbridge 3
1938: Irvington 6, South River 1
1937: Hillside 8, Bloomfield 4
1936: Hillside 11, Nutley 2
1935: Bloomfield 4, Hillside 3
1934: Hillside 5, Barringer 1
1933: Irvington 1, Kearny 0
*GNT historical information from Jeff Goldberg
