LUBBOCK, Texas — With just about a month until the postseason rolls around, the National College Baseball Hall of Fame announces its watch list for the 2015 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, which honors the nation’s top player both on the mound and at the plate.
A total of 36 players representing conferences and schools large and small are on the watch list. Included on the list are players from traditional powers such as Arizona, Virginia and Louisville, as well as smaller schools such as Bradley, Akron and Austin Peay.
“This year’s Olerud watch list is shaping up to be a competitive group of talented players from across the nation,” Olerud Award co-chairman Chris Curbo said. “It will be exciting to watch.”
The award is named for the former Washington State University standout who achieved success both as a first baseman and left-handed pitcher during the late 1980s, and who was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. The award will be presented as part of the Hall of Fame’s Night of Champions celebration, June 28-29 in Lubbock.
The wide-open field has some very talented players putting up incredible numbers. In terms of offense, Wake Forest’s slugging infielder Will Craig leads the way, topping the rest of the field in batting average (.407), home runs (12) and RBIs (58) in games played through April 15. Hot on his heels, however, is Arizona infielder Bobby Dalbec, with 10 home runs and a .343 average.
In terms of pitching, Bradley’s Elliot Ashbeck and Oklahoma’s Robert Tasin pace the field with seven wins each, followed closely by Brandon Gold at Georgia Tech and Brendan McKay at Louisville, who are 5-1. Cole Hallum at Campbell has a miniscule 0.52 ERA, ahead of St. Bonaventure’s Thad Johnson at 0.58.
“This year’s watch list includes some tremendously talented players who are putting up incredible numbers,” Olerud award co-chair George Watson said. “It’s going to be extremely difficult paring this list down to find an eventual winner, as everyone is deserving of the recognition that comes with the award.”
For more information on the Olerud Award or the College Baseball Hall of Fame’s Night of Champions, visit www.collegebaseballhall.org.
JOHN OLERUD TWO-WAY PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST
| Name | School | Conference |
| Elliot Ashbeck | Bradley | Missouri Valley |
| Carmen Benedetti | Michigan | Big Ten |
| Trenton Brooks | Nevada | Mountain West |
| Jeff Campbell | North Dakota | WAC |
| Quinn Carpenter | Texas Tech | Big 12 |
| Austin Christiansen | Nebraska | Big Ten |
| Conor Costello | Oklahoma State | Big 12 |
| Will Craig | Wake Forest | ACC |
| Jacob Cronenworth | Michigan | Big Ten |
| Bobby Dalbec | Arizona | Pac-12 |
| Kevin Doherty | Virginia | ACC |
| Matt Fielder | Minnesota | Big Ten |
| Anthony Gonsolin | St. Mary’s | West Coast |
| Brandon Gold | Georgia Tech | ACC |
| Josh Graham | Oregon | Pac-12 |
| Cole Hallum | Campbell | Big South |
| Anthony Herrera | Louisiana-Monroe | Sun Belt |
| Thad Johnson | St. Bonaventure | Atlantic 10 |
| Curtis Jones | Houston Baptist | Southland |
| Jake Kalish | George Mason | Atlantic 10 |
| Sean Keselica | Virginia Tech | ACC |
| Kenny Koplove | Duke | ACC |
| Matt LaRocca | Akron | Mid-American |
| Adam Lau | Alabama-Birmingham | Conference USA |
| Andrew Lee | Tennessee | SEC |
| Kyle Marsh | Central Florida | AAC |
| Brendan McKay | Louisville | ACC |
| Alex Perez | Virginia Tech | ACC |
| Tyler Peyton | Iowa | Big Ten |
| Alex Robles | Austin Peay | Ohio Valley |
| Jayson Rose | Utah | Pac-12 |
| Anthony Sequera | Oral Roberts | Summit |
| Logan Sherer | UNC-Charlotte | Conference USA |
| Robert Tasin | Oklahoma | Big 12 |
| Andrew Utterbeck | Alabama A&M | SWAC |
| J.C. Wilhite | Alabama | SEC |
