Huber Named to 2019 Buster Posey Award Watch List
4/3/2019 11:52:00 AM | Baseball
Senior is one of 79 catchers from around NCAA Division I baseball named to list
Complete 2019 Buster Posey Award Watch List/Release
WICHITA, Kan. - SFA baseball senior catcher Jarrod Huber learned Wednesday he is one of 79 NCAA Division I student-athletes from around the nation who were listed on the 2019 Buster Posey Award Watch List as announced by The Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission.
Previously known as the Johnny Bench Award, the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award will continue to honor the nation's top division one collegiate catcher as voted on by head coaches and sports information directors. The Buster Posey Award will be administered by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission.
"We were honored to have worked with Johnny Bench the last 19 years in celebrating the achievements of college catchers around the country," stated Bob Hanson, President/CEO of the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission. "Johnny was the best, so good in fact that he was drafted out of high school."
Hanson continued, "we are extremely excited to re-brand the award for its twentieth anniversary and partner with Buster Posey who had a tremendous collegiate career at Florida State."
Posey began his collegiate career as a shortstop, before moving to the catchers position his sophomore year. His junior season honors include: Johnny Bench Award, the Dick Howser Trophy, the Golden Spikes Award and was the 5th overall draft pick by the Giants. Since his major league debut in 2010, Posey's honors include: three world series titles, six All-Star Game selections, four Silver Slugger Awards, 2010 National League Rookie of the Year, 2012 National League MVP and 2016 Gold Glove Award winner.
One of five four-year seniors among the 'Jacks' ranks in 2019, Huber has been a reliable backstop for SFA since arriving in Nacogdoches prior to the start of the 2016 season. This season, the Edgewood, Texas, product has started 16 of the 20 games he has taken part in and has put up a slash line of .222/.327/.267 in those contests. He has driven in four runs on 10 hits and played a big part in a 7-0 start in Southland Conference play for the 'Jacks which represents the program's best start to league action ever.
Behind the dish, Huber owns a perfect fielding percentage and has thrown out a pair of would-be base thieves.
The watch list will be narrowed down to the semifinalists, whom will be announced May 17, 2019. 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 3, 2019. 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 22nd Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 27, 2019.
Georgia Tech catcher, Joey Bart, was named the catcher of the year last June. Alex Holderbach of Eastern Kentucky University and Reynaldo Pastrana of Marshall University were the other finalists for the award.
Wednesday evening at Jaycees Field, Huber and the rest of the 'Jacks will begin a stretch of five consecutive non-conference games by taking on Arkansas-Pine Bluff. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
-SFA-
