Baylor baseball freshman catcher Shea Langeliers was named to the 2017 Johnny Bench Award watch list, the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commissioner announced Thursday.
The rookie is one of 85 on the list, and one of four from the Big 12, for the award that is given annually to the top division one collegiate catcher. The semifinalists will be announced on May 17, three finalists on June 5 and winner on June 29 in Wichita, Kansas at the 20th annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet.
Through 13 games, Langeliers is hitting .333 with 11 runs, 17 hits, four doubles, two home runs, nine RBI and one walk with a .529 slugging percentage and .352 on-base percentage. He’s tied for the team lead in hits and homers, second in runs, and third in average and RBI. Behind the plate, he has a .991 fielding percentage with just one error in a team-high 116 fielding chances and has thrown out four of 12 base stealers.
The Keller, Texas native joins teammate Troy Montemayor on national watch lists as the junior closer is on the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) 2017 Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List.
