More Than 140 Of the Country’s Best Collegiate Hurlers Headline the 2026 Pitcher Of the Year Award Watch List

OVERLAND PARK, Kansas – A total of 141 of the nation’s best hurlers are listed on the Pitcher of the Year watch list, released on Wednesday. The pitchers on the watch list represent 26 different conferences and reflect the top mound performers to this point of the 2026 season.

"There is an old adage in baseball that pitchers are usually ahead of the hitters early in the season,” National Pitcher of the Year Award co-chair Brian Melakian said. “The number of early season dominant pitching performances this year proves that adage to be true."

While the field for this year’s award is deep, there are some familiar names on the list. Texas sophomore Dylan Volantis was a National Pitcher of the Year finalist last year. He is the only one of five finalists to return to the watch list in 2026. Three pitchers on the watch list have already won National Pitcher of the Week honors in 2026, including Grant Govel (USC), Andrew Herrmann (Louisiana) and Dax Whitney (Oregon State).

The National Pitcher of the Year Award was first awarded in 2009. Previous winners of the award are Stephen Strasburg, RHP, San Diego State, 2009; Alex Wimmers, RHP, Ohio State, 2010; Trevor Bauer, UCLA, RHP, 2011; Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford, 2012; Jonathan Gray, RHP, Oklahoma, 2013; Aaron Nola, RHP, LSU, 2014; Carson Fulmer, RHP, Vanderbilt, 2015; Eric Lauer, LHP, Kent State, 2016; Steven Gingery, LHP, Texas Tech, 2017; Luke Heimlich, LHP, Oregon State, 2018; Ethan Small, LHP, Mississippi State, 2019; Kevin Kopps, RHP, Arkansas, 2021; Cooper Hjerpe, LHP, Oregon State, 2022; Paul Skenes, RHP, LSU, 2023; Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas, 2024 and Jake Knapp, RHP, North Carolina, 2025.

The National Pitcher of the Week is one of four weekly awards presented by the College Baseball Foundation. The CBF also awards the Brooks Wallace Award, John Olerud Award and Buster Posey Collegiate Catcher of the Week.

2026 NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD WATCH LIST

Name, Position, Classification, School, Conference

• Ben Alekson, RHP, Junior, Fairfield, MAAC

• Cooper Allen, RHP, Junior, UNCW, CAA

• Colby Allen, RHP, Senior, Southern Miss, Sun Belt

• Jeremiah Arnett, RHP, Junior, Rice, American

• Brady Bendik, RHP, Junior, Navy, Patriot

• Seth Benes, RHP, Junior, Lindenwood, OVC

• Reid Bertram, LHP, RS-Senior, Gardner Webb, Big South

• Brady Bickett, LHP, Junior, Charleston Southern, Big South

• Gavin Blachowicz, RHP, Sophomore, Nebraska, Big Ten

• Ben Blair, RHP, Junior, Liberty, CUSA

• Ryder Brooks, LHP, RS-Junior, UC Irvine, Big West

• Ty Brooks, RHP, Sophomore, Indiana State, MVC

• Landen Burch, RHP, Senior, MTSU, CUSA

• Zach Busick, RHP, Junior, Little Rock, OVC

• Kyle Calzadiaz, RHP, Senior, San Jose State, MWC

• Cole Carlon, LHP, Junior, Arizona State, Big 12

• Ryan Castillo, RHP, Junior, New Mexico, MWC

• Ciaran Caughey, RHP, Senior, Kent State, MAC

• Tyler Charlton, LHP, RS-Junior, Missouri State, CUSA

• AJ Ciscar, RHP, Sophomore, Miami, ACC

• Collin Clarke, RHP, Junior, Oregon, Big Ten

• A.J. Colarusso, LHP, Senior, Boston College, ACC

• Chansen Cole, RHP, Sophomore, West Virginia, Big 12

• Christian Coppola, RHP, Senior, Saint Joseph's, A-10

• Marty Coyne, LHP, Junior, Penn, Ivy

• Matthew Cuccias, RHP, Junior, Wichita State, American

• Ben Dean, RHP, Sophomore, Duke, ACC

• Jason DeCaro, RHP, Junior, North Carolina, ACC

• Evan Dempsey, LHP, Junior, FGCU, ASUN

• Gavin DeVooght, RHP, Junior, Michigan, Big Ten

• Liam Diehl, RHP, Junior, Towson, CAA

• Fenix DiGiacomo, RHP, Graduate, VCU, A-10

• Kendall Dove, RHP, Junior, UTSA, American

• Jacob Dudan, RHP, Junior, NC State, ACC

• Luke Earnhardt, LHP, Junior, Winthrop, Big South

• Mason Edwards, LHP, Junior, USC, Big Ten

• Tommy Egan, RHP, Senior, Troy, Sun Belt

• Ryan Featherston, RHP, Junior, Oregon, Big Ten

• Colin Fisher, LHP, Junior, Arkansas, SEC

• Jackson Flora, RHP, Junior, UC Santa Barbara, Big West

• Cameron Flukey, RHP, Junior, Coastal Carolina, Sun Belt

• Jack Frankel, RHP, Sophomore, Tulane, American

• Gabe Gaeckle, RHP, Junior, Arkansas, SEC

• Braden Gebhardt, LHP, Senior, Youngstown State, Horizon

• Brayden Gilley, RHP, Junior, Winthrop, Big South

• Grant Govel, RHP, Sophomore, USC, Big Ten

• Tyler Grenn, RHP, Senior, Navy, Patriot

• Ed Hall, RHP, Senior, Davidson, A-10

• Trevor Hansen, RHP, Junior, UC Irvine, Big West

• Logan Hastings, RHP, Sophomore, Maryland, Big Ten

• Hekili Robello, RHP, Junior, Hawaii, Big West

• Landon Hood, RHP, Freshman, Gonzaga, WCC

• Ty Horn, RHP, Junior, Nebraska, Big Ten

• Drew Horn, RHP, RS-Junior, MTSU, CUSA

• Will Howell, RHP, RS-Sophomore, Memphis, American

• Jaxon Jelkin, RHP, Junior, Kentucky, SEC

• Sean Jenkins, RHP, Sophomore, East Carolina, American

• Andrew Johnson, RHP, Sophomore, USC, Big Ten

• Cameron Johnson, LHP, Junior, Oklahoma, SEC

• Noah Kenney, RHP, Junior, Washington, Big Ten

• Aidan King, RHP, Sophomore, Florida, SEC

• Kole Klecker, RHP, Senior, Arizona State, Big 12

• Aidan Knaak, RHP, Junior, Clemson, ACC

• Reese Kortum, LHP, Junior, Wichita State, American

• Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Sophomore, Tennessee, SEC

• Will Labonte, RHP, Freshman, Portland, WCC

• Tommy LaPour, RHP, Junior, TCU, Big 12

• Ethan Lay, RHP, Senior, Sacramento State, WAC

• Justin LeGuernic, LHP, Junior, Clemson, ACC

• Rohan Lettow, RHP, Junior, SDSU, MWC

• Chris Levonas, RHP, Sophomore, Wake Forest, ACC

• Carson Liggett, RHP, RS-Senior, Kansas State, Big 12

• Dylan Loy, LHP, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC

• Landon Mack, RHP, Sophomore, Tennessee, SEC

• Micheal Malki, RHP, Sophomore, Cal Baptist, WAC

• Jake Marciano, LHP, Sophomore, Auburn, SEC

• Ryan Marohn, LHP, Junior, NC State, ACC

• Duncan Marsten, RHP, Sophomore, Wake Forest, ACC

• Kurt Marton, RHP, Junior, Sacramento State, WAC

• Wes Mendes, LHP, Junior, Florida State, ACC

• LJ Mercurius, RHP, Junior, Oklahoma, SEC

• Maddox Meyer, RHP, Sophomore, Omaha, Summit

• Ryland Morin, LHP, Junior, UAPB, SWAC

• Wylan Moss, RHP, Sophomore, UCLA, Big Ten

• Eric Nachtsheim, RHP, Senior, McNeese, Southland

• Griffin Naess, RHP, Junior, Cal Poly, Big West

• Jackson Nash, RHP, Junior, Longwood, Big South

• Mathis Nayral, RHP, Junior, Kansas, Big 12

• Mikiah Negrete, LHP, Senior, Cal State Fullerton, Big West

• Josh Newell, RHP, Senior, Lindenwood, OVC

• Jake Nobles, RHP, Freshman, Saint Mary's, WCC

• Jack Ohman, RHP, Sophomore, Yale, Ivy

• Chris Olivier, RHP, Senior, Lamar, Southland

• Alex Overbay, RHP, Junior, Arizona State, Big 12

• Brigden Parker, LHP, RS-Senior, Little Rock, OVC

• Bryan Peck, RHP, Graduate, Cal Baptist, WAC

• Gage Peterson, RHP, Junior, Appalachian State, Sun Belt

• Garret Plata, LHP, RS-Junior, Pacific, WCC

• Jalen Porter, RHP, Graduate, UAPB, SWAC

• Daniel Powell, RHP, Junior, Kennesaw State, CUSA

• Sawyer Pruitt, RHP, Senior, Louisiana, Sun Belt

• Walter Quinn, RHP, Senior, TCU, Big 12

• Daniel Quintana, RHP, RS-Junior, Radford, Big South

• Jack Radel, RHP, Junior, Notre Dame, ACC

• Cord Rager, LHP, Freshman, Oklahoma, SEC

• Kaysen Raineri, RHP, Sophomore, Texas Tech, Big 12

• Kyle Remington, RHP, Junior, Illinois, Big Ten

• Bryce Riggs, RHP, Junior, Eastern Illinois, OVC

• Ruger Riojas, RHP, Senior, Texas, SEC

• Richie Roman, RHP, Junior, Houston, Big 12

• Aidan Russell, RHP, Senior, SDSU, MWC

• Edwin Sanchez, LHP, Senior, Bethune Cookman, SWAC

• Will Sanford, RHP, Sophomore, Oregon, Big Ten

• Paul Schmitz, RHP, Senior, Houston, Big 12

• Nic Schutte, RHP, Senior, Murray State, MVC

• Matt Scott, RHP, Senior, Georgia, SEC

• Spencer Seid, LHP, Graduate, Georgetown, BIG EAST

• Michael Senay, RHP, Freshman, USF, American

• Michael Sharman, LHP, Senior, Clemson, ACC

• Kade Shatwell, RHP, Senior, Austin Peay, ASUN

• Sam Simmons, RHP, Senior, UTSA, American

• Aiden Sims, RHP, Sophomore, Texas A&M, SEC

• Braden Smith, RHP, Junior, UCF, Big 12

• William Soignier, RHP, Junior, Bradley, MVC

• Alex Solis, RHP, Junior, Houston, Big 12

• Patrick Steitz, RHP, RS-Senior, VCU, A-10

• Cayden Suchy, LHP, Sophomore, UConn, BIG EAST

• Camden Sunstrom, RHP, Sophomore, Southern Miss, Sun Belt

• Joseph Taylor, RHP, Junior, Charlotte, American

• Zach Todd, RHP, RS-Junior, Pacific, WCC

• Cade Townsend, RHP, Sophomore, Mississippi, SEC

• Adam Troy, RHP, RS-Junior, USC, Big Ten

• Easton Tumis, RHP, RS-Sophomore, Kent State, MAC

• Tomas Valincius, LHP, Sophomore, Mississippi State, SEC

• Dylan Volantis, LHP, Sophomore, Texas, SEC

• Joey Volchko, RHP, Junior, Georgia, SEC

• Parker Warner, RHP, Sophomore, Stanford, ACC

• Brannon Westmoreland, RHP, Junior, Little Rock, OVC

• Dax Whitney, RHP, Sophomore, Oregon State, Independent

• Lance Williams, RHP, Sophomore, Maryland, Big Ten

• Bradley Zayac, RHP, Sophomore, Liberty, CUSA