From many, there will be one. While there’s no guarantee contending athletes will win their own state at this point in the season, a number of elite performers are making a case for Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year consideration. Here’s the scoop the latest top candidate.

Robert Kaminsky
Senior left-handed pitcher, St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.)

Greatness Present: It’ll be tough for Kaminsky to best his 0.20 ERA last season as a junior, but the returning Gatorade New Jersey Baseball Player of the Year won’t let that stop him from trying this spring.

In his season opener, the 6-foot, 190-pound senior southpaw hurled a five-inning no-hitter in a 10-0 mercy rule win over defending North Jersey, Non-Public A champ Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) last week. His eight strikeouts against just two walks delivered St. Joseph head coach Frank Salvano a Bergen County record 556th career victory.

Greatness Past: Also the returning Star-Ledger Player of the Year, Kaminsky didn’t allow an earned run in 2012 until the final inning of his junior season, when Don Bosco touched him for a pair of runs in the sixth frame of a 2-0 loss in the North Jersey, Non-Public A semis.

A top-10 prospect in the Class of 2013, Kaminsky recorded 103 strikeouts against 20 walks while allowing just 12 hits in 53 innings pitched as a junior last season. He tossed three no-hitters in 2012.

Greatness Future: Kaminsky has signed with North Carolina but is expected to be selected early in the amateur baseball draft in June.

Make no mistake: The Gatorade State Baseball Player of the Year races aren’t over, and the National POY race is heating up. Time remains for one standout student-athlete among thousands to rise to the top of our list.Check back for daily updates on the top contenders making their case.