College Baseball Foundation announces 2024 Pitcher of the Year watch list

By College Baseball Foundation | April 25, 2024

LUBBOCK, Texas – This time last year the talk of the college baseball world from the pitching perspective was focused on one man, and rightly so.

But 2023 Pitcher of the Year Award winner Paul Skenes is now dominating the Minor Leagues for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and that means the field for the 2024 award appears to be wide open, as evidenced by the depth and quality of talent on the Pitcher of the Year watch list, released on Thursday.

"We are excited about this group of pitchers,” Pitcher of the Year Award co-chair Chris Snead said. “There is exceptional strength in this list, not only from the Power Five, but also from the smaller conferences as well, who are showing that they are every bit as talented. This could be one of the tougher selections as no real favorite as emerged this year.”

The award will be presented later this year by the College Baseball Foundation.

While the field may be open, there are some familiar names who have dominated the season so far, led by standout Arkansas left-hander Hagen Smith. The junior has racked up eight victories as Arkansas’ ace with a 1.54 ERA and 100 strikeouts on the season. But on his heels is Samford right-hander Michael Ross, who leads all pitchers on the watch list with nine victories to go with a 2.7 ERA and 66 strikeouts.

Other top-flight starters on the watch list include East Carolina’s Trey Yesavage (seven wins, 1.66 ERA, 86 strikeouts); Reese Dutton of Kansas (seven wins, 3.05 ERA, 57 strikeouts); and Ryan Prager from Texas A&M (seven wins, 2.55 ERA, 74 strikeouts).

The watch list also has its fair share of top relievers, led by UC San Diego left-hander Izaak Martinez. The redshirt senior has compiled three victories and seven saves to go with a 1.35 ERA and 43 strikeouts. Arkansas redshirt-senior right-hander Will McEntire has four saves, two wins, a 3.21 ERA and 53 strikeouts, while Evan Aschenbeck, a senior left-hander at Texas A&M, has four victories and three saves to go with a 1.79 ERA and 51 strikeouts.

For more information on the Pitcher of the Year Award, visit the College Baseball Foundation website at www.collegebaseballhall.org.

2024 NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD WATCH LIST

Name, School, Conference