UCSB’s Jackson Flora Named 2026 Pitcher of the Year by The College Baseball Foundation
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – UCSB junior right-hander Jackson Flora has been named the 2026 Pitcher of the Year, it was announced by the College Baseball Foundation on Saturday.
The Big West Pitcher of the Year and first-team All-Big West selection, Flora emerged as one of the most dominant pitchers in collegiate baseball, delivering a historic season for UC Santa Barbara.
“In a season with many excellent pitching performances, Jackson Flora’s consistency set him apart,” Pitcher of the Year Award chair Brian Melakian said. “Every time he took the mound, he gave the Gauchos a chance to win the game.”
The Pleasanton, California, native put together an extraordinary campaign, going a perfect 12–0 across 16 starts while posting a remarkable 1.06 ERA and 0.85 WHIP over 102.0 innings pitched with 133 batters while limiting opponents to a mere .155 batting average.
“Winning this award means a lot to me and my family!” Flora said. “To be able to represent my family and my team on the biggest stage is something that I work hard to do every single day. I want to thank my coaches, who have helped me so much to develop into the pitcher that I am today, and my teammates who have my back no matter what. I am only one of nine guys on the field at a time; I didn’t strike everyone out this year, it’s easy to pitch when you have as much trust in your team and coaches as I do.
“Most of all, I’d like to thank my family. My mom and dad are my biggest supporters in failure and in success and I can’t thank them enough for it. My brother and sister text me before every game showing their support. When you have a family like I do, failure becomes much easier to deal with because I don’t do it alone. And in a game full of failure, that makes the biggest difference. They give me reasons to play this game.”
The Big West Pitcher of the Year led the nation in ERA, total victories, and hits allowed per nine innings, while ranking third nationally in WHIP. He set a UCSB's single-season Division I ERA record and surpassed the program’s single-season strikeout mark. His 12-win season also tied for second-most victories in a single season in program history.
“We’re obviously proud of Jackson earning this award, but it is also not a surprise when you know what kind of player and person he is,” UCSB Head Baseball Coach Andrew Checketts said. “Jackson has an infectious competitiveness and drive to win that makes him fun to coach every day. It also makes him a great leader on our team, someone who sets the standard in the dugout and gives us a chance to win every time he is on the mound. He represents the best of our game, pairing elite skill with toughness and grit. He is a deserving recipient of this award.”
Other finalists for the award included Mason Edwards (LHP, USC), Aidan King (RHP, Florida), Dylan Volantis (LHP, Texas) and Maxx Yehl (LHP, West Virginia). Jake Knapp of the University of North Carolina was the 2025 National Pitcher of the Year.
The 2026 Pitcher of the Year was announced at a press conference on Saturday, June 13, in the media room at Charles Schwab Field, prior to the start of the second day of action at the MCWS.
Other winners of 2026 College Baseball Foundation affiliated awards include Dylan Carey, Nebraska (Brooks Wallace Award), Daniel Jackson, Georgia (Buster Posey Award, Dick Howser Trophy, Bobby Bragan National Collegiate Slugger Award), Evan Dempsey (John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year) John Savage, UCLA (Skip Bertman Coach of the Year) and Gene Stephenson, Wichita State (Wayne Graham Award for Teaching Excellence).
As part of CBF’s new partnership with Lamar Advertising, Flora and all 2026 award winners will be recognized with custom congratulatory digital signage near the location of the award winner’s institution and hometown as well as other markets throughout the nation. The digital recognition will run for two weeks, beginning on Sunday, June 14.
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.
For more information on the Pitcher of the Year Award, visit the College Baseball Foundation website at www.collegebaseballhall.org.
NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD RECIPIENTS
Name, Position, Class, School
2026 – Jackson Flora, RHP, UCSB
2025 - Jake Knapp, RHP, North Carolina
2024 – Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas
2023 – Paul Skenes, RHP, LSU, 2023
2022 – Cooper Hjerpe, LHP, Oregon State
2021 – Kevin Kopps, RHP, Arkansas
2020 – Not Awarded (season suspended)
2019 – Ethan Small, LHP, Mississippi State
2018 – Luke Heimlich, LHP, Oregon State
2017 – Steven Gingery, LHP, Texas Tech
2016 – Eric Lauer, LHP, Kent State
2015 – Carson Fulmer, RHP, Vanderbilt
2014 – Aaron Nola, RHP, LSU
2013 – Jonathan Gray, RHP, Oklahoma
2012 – Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford
2011 – Trevor Bauer, UCLA, RHP
2010 – Alex Wimmers, RHP, Ohio State
2009 – Stephen Strasburg, RHP, San Diego State
The CBF presents the Brooks Wallace Award (Nation’s Most Outstanding Shortstop), the Pitcher of the Year Award, the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, the Skip Bertman Coach of the Year Award, presented by Marucci, the Wayne Graham Award for Teaching Excellence, and the George H.W. Bush Distinguished Alumnus Award, presented by Rawlings. The CBF also works in collaboration with the Dick Howser Trophy, the Buster Posey Award, presented by Hasty Awards (nation’s top catcher) and the Bobby Bragan National Collegiate Slugger Award.
