Johnny Bench Award (2019 to present)

Last updated

Johnny Bench Award
Awarded forBest catcher in NCAA's Division I
Sponsored byMSA Sport
CountryUnited States
Presented byJohnny Bench
History
First award2019
Most recent Caden Bodine (Coastal Carolina),
Reese Atwood (Texas)

The Johnny Bench Award was created in 2019 to honor the best catcher in both college baseball and college softball in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The award is administered by MSA Sport and presented after the conclusion of the College World Series.

Contents

Named for Johnny Bench, it was first awarded in 2019. Previously, there was another award called the Johnny Bench Award, but after Bench decided to create his own national award, that award was renamed the Buster Posey Award. [1]

In addition to naming the top college baseball and softball catchers, the top high school catchers in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and West Virginia are also recognized. [2]

Winners

Key
YearLinks to the article about the corresponding baseball year
PlayerName of the player
SchoolThe player's college when he won the award
ClassThe player's year in college when he won the award
^Player won the MLB Rookie of the Year Award [a]
§Player also won the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy in the same year
‡Player is active in MLB [b]
College baseball
YearNameSchoolClassRef(s)
2019 Adley Rutschman ठOregon State Junior [3]
2020 Patrick Bailey ‡ NC State Junior [4]
2021 Matheu Nelson ‡ Florida State Junior [5]
2022 Kevin Parada ‡ Georgia Tech Sophomore [6]
2023 Kyle Teel ‡ Virginia Junior [7]
2024 Cole Messina ‡ South Carolina Junior [8]
2025 Caden Bodine Coastal Carolina Junior [9]
College softball
YearNameSchoolClassRef(s)
2019 Dejah Mulipola Arizona Junior [10]
2020 Morganne Flores Washington Senior [10]
2021 Kayla Kowalik Kentucky Junior [10]
2022 Jordyn Rudd Northwestern Senior [10]
2023 Kinzie Hansen Oklahoma Senior [10]
2024 Jocelyn Erickson Florida Sophomore [10]
2025 Reese Atwood Texas Junior [9]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Won either in the same year or several years later.
  2. ↑ A player is considered inactive if he has announced his retirement or not played for a full season.

References

  1. ↑ Eldridge, Taylor (June 29, 2022). "'I have good memories here': All-Star catcher Buster Posey returns to Wichita for award". Wichita Eagle . Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  2. ↑ "About the Award". JohnnyBench.com.
  3. ↑ "2019 Johnny Bench Awards winners announced". MLB.com. June 6, 2019.
  4. ↑ "2020 Johnny Bench Awards winners announced". MLB.com. June 18, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Johnny Bench Awards honor top catchers". MLB.com. July 21, 2021.
  6. ↑ "2022 Johnny Bench Awards winners announced". MLB.com. June 28, 2022.
  7. ↑ "2023 Johnny Bench Awards winners announced". MLB.com. June 27, 2023.
  8. ↑ "2024 Johnny Bench Awards Winners Announced". MLB.com. June 25, 2024.
  9. 1 2 "2025 Johnny Bench Awards winners announced". MLB.com. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "JOHNNY BENCH AWARDS". mlb.com/reds. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
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