Clemson reliever Carson Spiers makes mid-season cut for Stopper of the Year

NCBWA ANNOUNCES 2019 STOPPER OF THE YEARMIDSEASON UPDATE

GREENVILLE, N.C. (NCBWA) – As the calendar gets ready to turn to May for the 2019 collegiate baseball season, 45 of the sports top relief pitchers have been named to the Midseason Update for the 15th annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, members of the associationannounced Wednesday.

Five of the 45 players were on the preseason watch list released in February, including Stanford’s Jake Little, who is the only returner among last year’s five finalists for an award given annually to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball. After registering 16 saves as a freshman in 2018, Little has eight on the year in 15 appearances.

Among the newcomers to the watch list are the nation’s top three saves leaders. UT Arlington’s Andrew Gross has a NCAA-best 16 saves as senior, while Illinois’ Garrett Action (13) and Harvard’s Kieran Shaw (12) round out the Top 3. Twelve players on the list have already registered double-digit saves, according to the latest NCAA stats.

There are 23 conferences represented on the list with the Southeastern Conference leading the way with seven relief pitchers. The Big Ten, Mountain West Conference and Pac-12 each have three on the list, while 30 of the 45 on the watch list are upperclassmen.

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 by Louisville’s Lincoln Henzman in 2017 and Florida’s Michael 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.

Garrett Action Jr. Illinois (Big Ten)

Jaime Arias So. Fresno State (MWC)

Evan Brabrand Sr. Liberty (A-Sun)

Trey Braithwaite So. Navy (Patriot)

Tyler Brown So. Vanderbilt (SEC)

Parker Caracci R-Jr. Ole Miss (SEC)

Jackson Cofer Sr. UNLV (MWC)

Matt Cronin Jr. Arkansas (SEC)

Fineas Del Bonta-Smith Sr. San Jose State (MWC)

J.C. Flowers Jr. Florida State (ACC)

Jacob Gilmore So. Illinois State (MVC)

Cole Gordon Sr. Mississippi State (SEC)

Nick Grabek So. Fairfield (MAAC)

Zack Greene Sr. South Alabama (Sun Belt)

Cody Greenhill So. Auburn (SEC)

Andrew Gross Sr. UT Arlington (Sun Belt)

Connor Hinchiffe Sr. La Salle (Atlantic 10)

Alek Jacob So. Gonzaga (WCC)

Stephen Jones Sr. Samford (SoCon)

Kasey Kalich So. Texas A&M (SEC)

Connor Knutson Jr. Portland (WCC)

Jack Little So. Stanford (Pac-12)

Grant Leonard Jr. Iowa (Big Ten)

Brandon Lewis Sr. Abilene Christian (Southland)

Chris Lincoln Jr. UC Santa Barbara (Big West)

Reeves Martin Jr. New Orleans (Southland)

Jeremiah McCollum So. Florida A&M (MEAC)

Hunter McGarry Jr. FGCU (A-Sun)

Jack Mulholland Jr. Oregon State (Pac-12)

Nathan Ocker Sr. Charleston (CAA)

Holden Powell So. UCLA (Pac-12)

Taylor Rashi Sr. UC Irvine (Big West)

Jason Ruffcorn Jr. Oklahoma (Big 12)

Kieran Shaw Jr. Harvard (Ivy League)

Zach Schneider Sr. Florida Atlantic (C-USA)

Aaron Schunk Jr. Georgia (SEC)

Braxton Smith Sr. Louisiana Tech (C-USA)

Carson Spiers Jr. Clemson (ACC)

Chad Sykes Sr. UNC Greensboro (SoCon)

Jonah Ulane So. Kansas (Big 12)

Fred Villarreal Jr. Houston (American)

Jacob Wallace Jr. UConn (American)

Willie Weiss Fr. Michigan (Big Ten)

Connor Whalen Sr. Southern (SWAC)

Chris Wright Jr. Bryant (NEC)