Three Historically Black College and University (HBCU) catchers are among the 107 nationwide named to the 2017 Johnny Bench Award watch list presented by The Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission and BaseballSavings.com. The award is given annually to the top catcher in NCAA Division I baseball.
The HBCU selections included three junior catchers… Alabama State University’s Hunter Allen, Coppin State University’s Brett Helmbrecht and North Carolina A&T’s Adan Ordonez.
Hunter Allen is batting .222 in 26 games started with 8 doubles, a home run and 13 runs batted in. He has a .344 slugging percentage, a .350 on base percentage and a .989 fielding percentage in 2017.
Brett Helmbrecht is second on the Eagles in batting with a .342 average, .395 slugging percentage, .468 on base percentage, 4 doubles, while ranking fifth on the team with 11 runs batted in. Helmbrecht has started in 25 games this season with 7 multiple hit games and has put together multiple RBI games.
Adan Ordonez is batting .311 with 11 doubles, 5 home runs and a .525 slugging percentage. He ranks second in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in home runs. Defensively, Ordonez, with more than 150 chances and no errors, has thrown out 10 would-be base stealers which ranks second in the conference. Ordonez is also a two-time Black College Nines HBCU All Elite Team member.
The watch list will be updated through the season with semifinalists named on May 17. Ballots will be sent to the national voting panel at the end of May for a vote to determine the three finalists. The finalists will be announced June 5, 2017. A final vote among the national committee will occur during the College World Series. All finalists will be brought to Wichita and the winner will be announced at the 20th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 29, 2017.
The watch list is named after one of major league baseball greatest catchers of all time. Bench’s career honors include: National League Rookie of the Year (1968); National League Most Valuable Player (1970, 1972); World Series Most Valuable Player (1976); 14-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner. In 1980, he set an endurance record by catching 100+ games for 13 consecutive seasons. Bench was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in January 1989 with the fourth highest percentage of total votes cast. Bench was known for being able to hold seven baseballs at one time in his throwing hand, a feat that no other catcher can claim.
The Johnny Bench Watch List:
Riley Adams JR University of San Diego
Hunter Allen JR Alabama State University
Bryndan Arredondo SR Lamar University
Justin Bardwell SO Fordham University
Jared Barnes JR University of South Alabama
Chris Bec JR University of Maine
Dominic Bifano SR Indiana State University
Ellis Bitar JR Cornell University
Brett Bond JR University of Missouri
Ben Breazeale SR Wake Forest University
Kyle Brennan SR University of Buffalo
Matt Byars SR Michigan State University
Micahel Cantu JR University of Texas
Phil Capra SO Wagner College
Brandon Chapman JR George Washington University
Brady Cox SR University of Texas, Arlington
Chris Cullen SO University of South Carolina
Michael Curry SO University of Georgia
Nick Dalesandro SO Purdue University
Jason Delay SR Vanderbilt University
Brent Diaz JR Lousiana Tech University
Ignacio Diaz SR University of Californa, Davis
Dominic DiCaprio SO Rice University
Troy Dixon SR St. John’s University
Matt Duce JR Dallas Baptist University
Alex Dunlap SR Stanford University
Josh Ellis SR Harvard University
Michael Emodi SO Creighton University
Hunter Fain SO Morehead State University
Nick Feight JR UNC Wilmington
Justin Felix JR Arkansas State University
Sam Ferri FR Arizona State University
Ryan Fineman SO Indiana University
Colby Fitch JR University of Louisville
Joe Freiday, Jr. JR Virginia Tech
Ivan Gonzalez SO West Virginia University
Tim Graul SR University of Pennsylvania
Dempsey Grover JR UC Santa Barbara
Austin Hale JR Stetson University
Brett Helmbrecht R Coppin State University
Chris Hudgins JR Cal State Fullerton
Nick Hutchins JR Southern Illinois University
Brandon Johnson JR University of Richmond
Cooper Johnson FR University of Mississippi
Clark Kahawaii SR Stephen F. Austin University
Scott Kapers SO Valparaiso University
Cameron Knight SR University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Grant Koch SO University of Arkansas
Justin Kunz SO Gardner-Webb University
Jake Kusz SR UNC Greensboro
Shea Langeliers FR Baylor University
Tyler Lawrence SR Murray State University
Brian Lees SR Southeast Missouri State
Spencer Levine JR Florida Gulf Coast
Ryan Lidge SR University of Notre Dame
Lee Lipinski SR Rider University
Blake Logan SR Auburn University
Charlie Madden SR Mercer University
Peyton Maddox JR Virginia Military Institute
Phil Madonna JR Siena College
Zeth Malcom FR Alabama A&M University
Adam McGinnis SR Western Illinois University
Nick Meyer SO Cal Poly
Zach Minnick SO Campbell University
Dominic Miroglio JR University of San Francisco
Joey Morgan JR University of Washington
James Morisano JR Saint Louis Uniiversity
Adan Ordonez JR North Carolina A&T University
Erik Ostberg JR University of Hartford
Hagen Owenby JR East Tennessee State University
Michael Papierski JR Lousiana State University
Clay Payne SR Belmont University
Manny Pazos SR University of Pittsburg
Fabian Pena SO Manhattan College
Chris Proctor SO Duke University
Kevin Radziewicz JR Fairfield University
Cal Raleigh SO Florida State University
Cody Roberts SO University of North Carolina
Robie Rojas SR Sam Houston State University
Josh Rolette SO Kansas State University
Hayden Senger SO Miami University
Jake Sidwell SR Davidson College
Evan Skoug JR Texas Christian University
Ryan Sloniger SO Penn State
Chase Smartt SO Troy University
Nate Soria JR Xavier University
Deon Stafford Jr. JR Saint Joseph’s University
Logan Starnes SR Eastern Kentucky University
Zac Susi SO University of Connecticut
Tim Susnara JR University of Oregon
Babe Thomas SR Winthrop University
Joey Thomas JR University of Cincinnati
Nick Tierno SR University of Delaware
Zach Tondi JR James Madison University
Gunnar Troutwine JR Wichita State University
Alex Tucker SR Nicholls State University
Daulton Varsho JR University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Carson Waln SR Wofford College
Travis Watkins SR East Carolina University
Brock Weimer SO Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Harrison Wenson SR University of Michigan
Matt Whatley JR Oral Roberts University
Jesse Wilkening SO University of Nebraska
Chris Williams JR Clemson University
Connor Wong JR University of Houston
Hunter Wood SR Western Kentucky University