Buster Posey Award Watch List
WICHITA, Kan. – Zac Fascia's all-around excellence as Purdue's starting catcher and presence in the middle of the lineup has earned the senior a place on the initial watch list for the Buster Posey Award for the second year in a row.
The Greater Wichita Sports Commission announced its initial watch list this week. In conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the national catcher of the year award last year, it was rebranded in Posey's honor after previously be called the Johnny Bench Award. Posey won the Johnny Bench Award in 2008, the same year he was drafted fifth overall by the San Francisco Giants.
Fascia has made 10 of his 14 starts this season behind the plate and 49 of 67 at catcher since the beginning of the 2018 campaign. He's also batted in the middle of the lineup (3-4-5) in each of the Boilermakers' first 14 games, reaching base safely in the first 11. Last year, he posted a 15-game hit streak, Purdue's longest since 2011.
Fascia has thrown out five base stealers this season and 23 in his 49 games behind the plate since joining the Boilermakers. He gunned down a Big Ten-high 18 base stealers a season ago. Purdue's 2019 pitching staff also set team records for strikeouts (477) and strikeouts per nine innings (9.10).
Fascia led the team in doubles, home runs and RBI last season as the team's offensive player of the year. He has registered 20 extra-base hits and 46 RBI in 68 games while recording an equal number of free passes (25 walks, 11 HBP) as strikeouts (36). Situationally, he's batting .307 in lefty-lefty matchups since the beginning of 2019. With a runner on third base and less than two outs this year, he has plated the runner in six of seven opportunities.
In the Feb. 21 win at Campbell, Fascia hit a first-inning home run vs. a right-hander, Cam Cowan, coming off a 15-strikeout performance on opening day. Cowan has 36 strikeouts vs. 16 hits allowed in 24 innings this season as of March 10.
The Brampton, Ontario, native was selected by the New York Mets in the 37th round of the 2018 MLB Draft after his sophomore season at Indian Hills College in Iowa, where he was a two-time Region XI Defensive Player of the Year. He had opportunities to move on the professional ranks again in 2019, but wanted to return for his senior season at Purdue.
Fascia is among a group of Boilermakers – Kevin Plawecki (2011, 2012), Sean McHugh (2014), Jack Picchiotti (2016) and Nick Dalesandro (2017, 2018) – to be named to the Johnny Bench/Buster Posey Award watch list over the last 10 years. Plawecki was one of three finalists in 2012 after being among the 15 semifinalists the year before. McHugh also advanced to the semifinalist list in 2014.
Sixty catchers were included on the initial Buster Posey Award watch list, including four from Big Ten universities. Because the award is given annually to the top Division I collegiate catcher, the list will be updated to include other candidates until May 6.
The watch list will be narrowed down to the semifinalists, whom will be announced May 19. The three finalists will be announced June 3. 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 23rd Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 25.
WICHITA, Kan. – Zac Fascia's all-around excellence as Purdue's starting catcher and presence in the middle of the lineup has earned the senior a place on the initial watch list for the Buster Posey Award for the second year in a row.
The Greater Wichita Sports Commission announced its initial watch list this week. In conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the national catcher of the year award last year, it was rebranded in Posey's honor after previously be called the Johnny Bench Award. Posey won the Johnny Bench Award in 2008, the same year he was drafted fifth overall by the San Francisco Giants.
Fascia has made 10 of his 14 starts this season behind the plate and 49 of 67 at catcher since the beginning of the 2018 campaign. He's also batted in the middle of the lineup (3-4-5) in each of the Boilermakers' first 14 games, reaching base safely in the first 11. Last year, he posted a 15-game hit streak, Purdue's longest since 2011.
Fascia has thrown out five base stealers this season and 23 in his 49 games behind the plate since joining the Boilermakers. He gunned down a Big Ten-high 18 base stealers a season ago. Purdue's 2019 pitching staff also set team records for strikeouts (477) and strikeouts per nine innings (9.10).
Fascia led the team in doubles, home runs and RBI last season as the team's offensive player of the year. He has registered 20 extra-base hits and 46 RBI in 68 games while recording an equal number of free passes (25 walks, 11 HBP) as strikeouts (36). Situationally, he's batting .307 in lefty-lefty matchups since the beginning of 2019. With a runner on third base and less than two outs this year, he has plated the runner in six of seven opportunities.
In the Feb. 21 win at Campbell, Fascia hit a first-inning home run vs. a right-hander, Cam Cowan, coming off a 15-strikeout performance on opening day. Cowan has 36 strikeouts vs. 16 hits allowed in 24 innings this season as of March 10.
The Brampton, Ontario, native was selected by the New York Mets in the 37th round of the 2018 MLB Draft after his sophomore season at Indian Hills College in Iowa, where he was a two-time Region XI Defensive Player of the Year. He had opportunities to move on the professional ranks again in 2019, but wanted to return for his senior season at Purdue.
Fascia is among a group of Boilermakers – Kevin Plawecki (2011, 2012), Sean McHugh (2014), Jack Picchiotti (2016) and Nick Dalesandro (2017, 2018) – to be named to the Johnny Bench/Buster Posey Award watch list over the last 10 years. Plawecki was one of three finalists in 2012 after being among the 15 semifinalists the year before. McHugh also advanced to the semifinalist list in 2014.
Sixty catchers were included on the initial Buster Posey Award watch list, including four from Big Ten universities. Because the award is given annually to the top Division I collegiate catcher, the list will be updated to include other candidates until May 6.
The watch list will be narrowed down to the semifinalists, whom will be announced May 19. The three finalists will be announced June 3. 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 23rd Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 25.