2019 Pitcher of the Year semifinalists announced
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Just two weeks remain before the postseason, and the race to be the top arm in the country is heating up, as evidenced by the names leading the list of semifinalists for the Pitcher of the Year Award, presented by the College Baseball Foundation.
| Name | School | Conference |
|---|---|---|
| Jake Agnos | East Carolina | AAC |
| Chris Clements | Portland | West Coast |
| Trenton Denholm | UC-Irvine | Big West |
| Reid Detmers | Louisville | ACC |
| Brandon Eisert | Oregon St. | Pac-12 |
| Ryan Garcia | UCLA | Pac-12 |
| M.D. Johnson | Dallas Baptist | Missouri Valley |
| George Kirby | Elon | Colonial |
| Tony Locey | Georgia | SEC |
| Alek Manoah | West Virginia | Big 12 |
| Reeves Martin | New Orleans | Southland |
| Ethan Small | Mississippi St. | SEC |
| Noah Song | Navy | Patriot |
| Mason Studstill | Fla. Gulf Coast | Atlantic Sun |
| Jacob Wallace | Conneticut | AAC |
The award, sponsored by Diamond, will be presented later this summer by the CBF.
"Taking a pool of thousands of Division I pitchers down to a list of only 15 semifinalists is always very difficult," said Brian Melakian, award co-chair. "These pitchers have put together incredible seasons to distinguish themselves as the best in the nation."
One of the biggest stories of the year in college baseball for 2019 has to be the emergence of Navy's Noah Song. The senior right-hander has been playing a tune on all of the Midshipmen's opponents, leading the nation with 11 victories to go with a 1.03 ERA and 150 strikeouts.
The rise of Mississippi State this year can be directly attributed to having one of the top aces in the country in junior left-hander Ethan Small, one of six players on the list with 100 or more strikeouts. Small has fanned 132 on the year while compiling a 1.73 ERA.
The only other semifinalist with double-digit wins is Louisville ace left-hander Reid Detmers. The left-hander has racked up 10 victories and struck out 127 batters. Fire-balling right-hander Alek Manoah, a junior, has led West Virginia's resurgence this season with a 1.90 ERA and 121 strikeouts.
But the list isn't limited to just starters. Two of the top closers in the country are also making their presence felt.
New Orleans junior right-hander Reeves Martin has compiled 14 saves to go with four wins and a 1.06 ERA, while striking out 53. Connecticut junior right-hander Jacob Wallace has 12 saves and an 0.87 ERA with 45 strikeouts.
"The quality of this year's class is incredible," award co-chair Chris Snead said. "There are so many pitchers playing at an extremely high level across all conferences, and that makes our selection that much more difficult."
For more information on the Pitcher of the Year Award or the College Baseball Hall of Fame's Night of Champions, visit www.collegebaseballhall.org.