GREENVILLE, N.C. (NCBWA) – Seventy-five players have been named to the initial Watch List for the 15th annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I Baseball, the association announced Monday.
Sophomores Jack Little (Stanford) and Chris Mauloni (Jacksonville) headline this year’s list after being named finalists a year ago for an award that was captured by Florida’s Michael Byrne. Little notched 16 saves while sporting a 0.60 ERA in 25 games in 2018, while Mauloni tied for the national lead last year (20 saves) and posting a 2.97 ERA in 29 contests – both were tabbed as first-team preseason All-Americans.
The Southeastern Conference had the most representation with 12 players finding their names on the watch list. That group is headlined by preseason All-America selection Parker Caracci (Ole Miss/second-team), who registered 10 saves with a 2.25 ERA in 27 appearances. Little and Jake Mulholland (Oregon State/first-team) led seven Pac-12 members on the list, while the Colonial Athletic Association had six hurlers including Layne Looney (Richmond/third-team) who logged eight saves in 23 games posting with a 0.60 ERA.
Fourteen players recorded double-digit saves a season ago with nine of those earning inclusion to the 2019 NCBWA Preseason All-America team. Other preseason All-America notables include Matt Cronin (Arkansas/third-team), Brandon Eisert (Oregon State/third-team), Casey Legumina (Gonzaga/second-team), Max Meyer (Minnesota/second-team), Zach Schneider (Florida Atlantic/thirdteam) and Dylan Thomas (Hawai’i/second-team).
In total, 26 conferences are represented on this list with at least two players coming from 17 different leagues.
| 2019 NCBWA STOPPER OF THE YEAR PRESEASON WATCH LIST | ||
| Andrew Abbott, Virginia | Sam Kessler, West Virginia | Todd Peterson, LSU |
| Cody Allen, UIW | Zach King, Vanderbilt | Holden Powell, UCLA |
| Brett Ayer, James Madison | Kent Klyman, NC State | Spencer Price, Mississippi State |
| John Barr, New Orleans | Joe LaSorsa, St. John’s | Austin Roberts, Sacramento State |
| Fineas Bonta-Smith, San Jose State | Cody LeCompte, TAMU-CC | Nick Robertson, James Madison |
| Kyle Brennan, Belmont | Casey Legumina, Gonzaga | Henry Ryan, UNCW |
| Saywer Bridges, South Carolina | Zach Linginfelter, Tennessee | Zach Schneider, Florida Atlantic |
| Jordan Buster, The Citadel | Jack Little, Stanford | Brian Schrimmer, Bradley |
| Parker Caracci, Ole Miss | Layne Looney, Richmond | Aaron Schunk, Georgia |
| Matt Cronin, Arkansas | Connor Lunn, USC | Connor Sechler, Missouri State |
| Matt Eardensohn, Coastal Carolina | Grey Lyttle, High Point | Chase Smith, Pitt |
| Christian Edwards, Jacksonville State | Reeves Martin, New Orleans | Shane Smith, Miami (Ohio) |
| Brandon Eisert, Oregon State | John Matthews, Kent State | Nick Spear, Mercer |
| Ryan Erickson, Lamar | Chris Mauloni, Jacksonville | Carson Spiers, Clemson |
| Braidyn Fink, Oklahoma | Max Meyer, Minnesota | Colton Springs, Presbyterian |
| Will Frank, Canisius | Andrew Misiaszek, Northeastern | Dean Stramara, Towson |
| James Giambalvo, ETSU | Nikoh Mitchell, Fresno State | Aaron Stretch, SE Missouri State |
| Jackson Gillis, Vanderbilt | Jake Mulholland, Oregon State | T.J. Stuart, Manhattan |
| Cole Gordon, Mississippi State | Ryne Nelson, Oregon | Dylan Thomas, Hawaii |
| Tyler Grauer, Indiana State | Caden O’Brien, North Carolina | Corey Treyes, Coppin State |
| Zach Greene, South Alabama | Aaron Ochsenbein, Eastern Kentucky | Trey Vickery, FGCU |
| Cody Greenhill, Auburn | Nathan Ocker, College of Charleston | Chase Wallace, Tennessee |
| Carter Henry, Houston | Cam Opp, Army | Jacob Wallace, UConn |
| Kyle Hill, Baylor | Seth Owens, Charleston Southern | Brock Whittlesey, New Mexico State |
| Gavin Hollowell, St. John’s | Jacob Palisch, Stanford | Jack Zimmerman, Kent State |
Texas hurler J. Brent Cox won the inaugural Stopper of the Year Award in 2005, with Don Czyz of Kansas claiming the honor in 2006 and Luke Prihoda of Sam Houston State winning it in 2007. Georgia’s Joshua Fields topped the field in 2008, San Diego State’s Addison Reed grabbed the honor in 2009 and Texas’ Chance Ruffin earned the honor in 2010. The Longhorns’ Corey Knebel won in 2011, with Southeastern Louisiana’s Stefan Lopez picking up the honor in 2012. UCLA’s David Berg was crowned the winner in 2013, Louisville’s Nick Burdi took home the 2014 honor and Berg became the award’s first two-time winner in 2015. Miami (Fla.)’s Bryan Garcia was honored as the 2016 recipient followed the Cardinal’s Lincoln Henzman in 2017 and Byrne last year.
The NCBWA, founded in 1962, presents the Dick Howser Trophy to the nation’s top player. It also selects All-America Teams for all Divisions, a Division I Freshman All-American team, Division I, II and III Players of the Week and Division I, II and III Players of the Year.
