Auburn Daily

Auburn relievers John Armstrong, Chase Isbell named to "Stopper of the Year" watch list

Two key relievers for Auburn receive national recognition for their work out of the bullpen

Lindsay Crosby

Auburn relievers John Armstrong, Chase Isbell named to "Stopper of the Year" watch list
Auburn relievers John Armstrong, Chase Isbell named to "Stopper of the Year" watch list /

Sophomore John Armstrong and Senior Chase Isbell were both named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award List, Auburn baseball announced on Tuesday afternoon. 

(NCBWA is the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, founded in 1962. DISCLOSURE: I am a member of the organization and vote on this award at the end of the season.)

On the 2023 season, Armstrong has two appearances covering 4.2 innings with one hit allowed, no runs, and 5 strikeouts to one walk. Isbell has 3.2 innings with three hits, one earned, one walk, and six strikeouts over his two appearances on the season. 

The Stopper of the Year award is presented to the top relief pitcher in Division 1 Baseball, and has been around for 18 years. The updated midseason watch list will be released on March 26th, and the finalists are announced on June 7th. Ballots will go out at that time, and the Stopper of the Year Award Winner is announced on June 16th at the College World Series. 

Armstrong and Isbell are on the initial watch list; Carson Skipper and Blake Burkhalter represented Auburn on the initial watch list in 2022; Burkhalter also made the cut for the Midseason update and was one of the ten finalists for the award, which was ultimately awarded to Texas State closer Tristan Stivors. No Auburn player has ever won the award, with Burkhalter being the only finalist in Auburn history.  

Of the 81 entries on the preseason watch list, 17 are from the SEC, which is best in the country. The Pac-12 has nine players represented, followed by 6 for the ACC and six for the Big 12. 

Here is the full list: 

  • Matt Ager, UC Santa Barbara, So.
  • Jordy Allard, Northeastern, Gr.
  • Peter Allegro, Portland, Gr.
  • John Armstrong, Auburn, So.
  • Cade Austin, South Carolina, R-So.
  • John Bakke, Morehead State, Gr.
  • Christian Becerra, Cal, So.
  • Carter Benbrook, UC Santa Barbara, R-Jr.
  • Ryan Brown, Oregon State, R-So.
  • Ryan Bruno, Stanford, Jr.
  • Cam Clark, Towson, Gr.
  • Jack Collins, Binghamton, Sr.
  • Kirby Connell, Tennessee, Sr.
  • Blake Corsentino, Kansas State, Jr.
  • Sean Culkin, James Madison, R-Jr.
  • Brandon Decker, Oakland, Jr.
  • Cade Denton, Oral Roberts, Jr.
  • Zach DeVito, Georgia, So.
  • Nate Dohm, Mississippi State, Jr.
  • Jack Dougherty, Ole Miss, Jr.
  • Jay Driver, Harvard, Jr.
  • Triston Dixon, Texas State, Sr.
  • German Fajardo, Kansas State, Jr.
  • Ben Ferrer, Oregon State, Jr.
  • Jack Findlay, Notre Dame, So.
  • Bennett Flynn, Davidson, Sr.
  • Kyle Greenler, Georiga, Sr.
  • Alex Goff, Samford, Sr.
  • Chase Grillo, Washington State, Jr.
  • Stephen Halstead, North Florida, Sr.
  • Nate Hardman, Evansville, Sr.
  • Jared Hart, Illinois State, Sr.
  • Kiernan Higgans, Virginia Tech, Gr.
  • Ryan Higgins, Duke, So.
  • Carson Hobbs, Samford, Jr.
  • Max Huffling, Abilene Christian, Jr.
  • Chase Isbell, Auburn, Sr.
  • Luke Jewett, UCLA, So.
  • Will Johnston, Texas A&M, Jr.
  • Jacob King, UC Irvine, R-Jr.
  • Sam Klein, Ball State, Jr.
  • Trevor Long, Arizona, Jr.
  • Nick Maldonado, Vanderbilt, Sr.
  • Alden Mathes, Richmond, R-Jr.
  • Reid McLaughlin, BYU, Sr.
  • Nolan McLean, Oklahoma State, Jr.
  • Jakob Meyer, Evansville, Sr.
  • Jarrett Miller, Morehead State, Gr.
  • Kyle Miller, Southeast Missouri, Jr.
  • Simon Miller, UTSA, Jr.
  • Camden Minacci, Wake Forest, So.
  • Josh Molerus, Oregon, Sr.
  • Braden Montgomery, Stanford, So.
  • Mason Nichols, Ole Miss, So.
  • Aaron Nixon, Mississippi State, So.
  • Jack Pawloski, Massachusetts, Gr.
  • William Privette, Charleston, Jr.
  • Blake Purnell, Florida, R-So.
  • Nik Pry, North Carolina, Sr.
  • Dalton Rhadans, Georgia, Sr.
  • River Ridings, TCU, Jr.
  • Zane Robbins, Eastern Illinois, Sr.
  • Andrew Ronne, East Tennessee State, So.
  • Garrett Saylor, East Carolina, Sr.
  • Thomas Schultz, Vanderbilt, Sr.
  • Camden Sewell, Tennessee, Gr.
  • Daniel Shafer, UTSA, Jr.
  • Noah Short, West Virginia, Sr.
  • Jonah Smith, UAB, Gr.
  • Noah Stants, Oakland, Sr.
  • Matthew Steidl, Southern Illinois, Sr.
  • Luke Stephens, Wofford, Sr.
  • Jett Thielke, Belmont, Jr.
  • Jay Thompson, Georgia Southern, Sr.
  • Brady Tygart, Arkansas, So.
  • Crawford Wade, Wake Forest, Jr.
  • Andrew Walters, Miami (Fla.), Jr.
  • Holden Wilder, Wofford, Jr.
  • Jay Woolfolk, Virginia, So.
  • Garrett Wright, TCU, Jr.
  • Jack Zalasky, Sacramento State, Sr.

Engage with Auburn Daily on Socials!

Join the Discord

Follow Auburn Daily on Twitter

Like Auburn Daily on Facebook

Subscribe to Locked On Auburn on YouTube

Buy Auburn Daily Merch

Published
Lindsay Crosby
LINDSAY CROSBY

Senior Writer, covering Auburn Tigers baseball Also: Host of Locked on MLB Prospects (on twitter at @LockedOnFarm), Managing Editor of @Braves_Today, member of the National College Baseball Writers Association and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America

Home/Baseball