Junior Michael Byrne set a school record with 19 saves in 2017. (Photo: Tim Casey)
Byrne Headlines Award Watch List
Wednesday, February 14, 2018 | Baseball
Florida junior Michael Byrne headlines a list of 52 players named to the Preseason Watch List for the 14th 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 this week.
Byrne, North Carolina's Josh Hiatt and Oregon's Kenyon Yovan were all finalists from a year ago for an award that was captured in 2017 by Louisville's Lincoln Henzman. In total, 18 conferences are represented on this list with at least two players coming from 12 different leagues.
The Southeastern Conference had the most representation with eight players finding their names on the watch list. That group is led by Byrne, who registered a nation-leading 19 saves while sporting a 1.67 ERA in 38 appearances.
More than a third of the players on this list recorded double-digit saves a season ago and 15 were named to the 2018 NCBWA Preseason All-American team.
The Gators have never had a player win the Stopper of the Year Award, although Byrne and Shaun Anderson (2016) made the list of finalists over the past two seasons.
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.
Byrne, North Carolina's Josh Hiatt and Oregon's Kenyon Yovan were all finalists from a year ago for an award that was captured in 2017 by Louisville's Lincoln Henzman. In total, 18 conferences are represented on this list with at least two players coming from 12 different leagues.
The Southeastern Conference had the most representation with eight players finding their names on the watch list. That group is led by Byrne, who registered a nation-leading 19 saves while sporting a 1.67 ERA in 38 appearances.
More than a third of the players on this list recorded double-digit saves a season ago and 15 were named to the 2018 NCBWA Preseason All-American team.
The Gators have never had a player win the Stopper of the Year Award, although Byrne and Shaun Anderson (2016) made the list of finalists over the past two seasons.
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.
Players Mentioned
RHP
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