Alabama State closer Payton Harris has been named to the midseason watch list for the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award.
The midseason list includes the top 62 relief pitchers from across the country. Harris is the only HBCU NCAA Division I pitcher listed.
Payton Harris, a senior, leads the SWAC with 3 saves. The 5’ 10” righty boasts a 2.35 earned run average while compiling a 3-2 record in 20 appearances, registering 41 strikeouts in 46.0 innings pitched.
The NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award is given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball. The NCBWA will announce the finalists on Wednesday, June 8 with the winner being named on Friday, June 17 at the 2022 College World Series.
The NCBWA Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List:
| 2022 NCBWA STOPPER OF THE YEAR MIDSEASON WATCH LIST (62) | ||
| Chase Allen, Michigan | Brady Hill, San José State | Andrew Reitmeyer, Houston Baptist |
| Chandler Arnold, Dallas Baptist | Carson Hobbs, Samford | Jared Rine, Kennesaw State |
| Trey Braithwaite, West Virginia | Cade Hungate, Liberty | River Ridings, TCU |
| Kyle Bischoff, Michigan State | Dalton Kendrick, Memphis | Zane Robbins, Eastern Illinois |
| Will Brian, Eastern Kentucky | Luke Llewellyn, Iowa | Tristen Roehrich, North Dakota State |
| Kyle Brennan, Belmont | Trevor Long, Arizona | Nick Sando, Santa Clara |
| Blake Burkhalter, Auburn | Trevor Martin, Oklahoma State | Thomas Schultz, Vanderbilt |
| Holden Christian, Arizona | Reid McLaughlin, BYU | Ben Sears, Houston |
| Kyle Crigger, Louisiana Tech | Jakob Meyer, Evansville | Carter Spivey, East Carolina |
| Noah Dean, Old Dominion | Trevin Michael, Oklahoma | Kolby Somers, Oregon |
| Zach DeVito, Tulane | Camden Minacci, Wake Forest | Dale Stanavich, Rutgers |
| Jake Drew, North Dakota State | Hunter Mink, South Florida | Tristan Stivors, Texas State |
| Ethan Flanagan, UCLA | Aaron Nixon, Texas | Collin Taylor, UAB |
| Cameron Foster, McNeese | Davis Palermo, North Carolina | Alonzo Tredwell, UCLA |
| Zach Franklin, Western Carolina | Jake Pecilunas, Towson | Jay Thompson, Georgia Southern |
| Jack Gowen, Georgia | William Privette, Charleston | Brady Tygart, Arkansas |
| Tyler Guilfoil, Kentucky | Michael Prosecky, Louisville | Redmond Walsh, Tennessee |
| Payton Harris, Alabama State | Blake Purnell, Florida | Andrew Walters, Miami (Fla.) |
| Landon Harper, Southern Miss | Dalton Rhadans, Wofford | Chris Villaman, NC State |
| Ryan Harvey, UC Santa Barbara | Vince Reilly, Grand Canyon | Tyler Vogel, Jacksonville |
| Stephen Halstead, North Florida | Noah Rennard, Michigan | |
This kid is the hardest working kid in college baseball. He definitely deserves an opportunity to be in the professional league to showcase his arm talents.