WICHITA, Kan. – Purdue baseball's veteran backstop Zac Fascia has returned as a fifth-year senior this season and again earned a spot on the initial watch list for the Buster Posey Award.
Fascia is part of the first watch list for the third consecutive season. A year ago, the watch list was released on March 10 and the season was shut down two days later due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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 in 2019, it was rebranded in Posey's honor after previously being 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 52 of 71 starts at catcher since the beginning of the 2019 campaign. He's also been a consistent presence in the heart of the lineup, debuting in the 6-hole early this season.
Fascia has thrown out 24 base stealers in his 52 games behind the plate since joining the Boilermakers. He gunned down a Big Ten-high 18 base stealers in 2019 and also worked with a pitching staff that set team records for strikeouts (477) and strikeouts per nine innings (9.10).
During Purdue's season-opening series with Nebraska this past weekend, Fascia hit safely in all four games and delivered the game-winning RBI with a sacrifice fly in the walk-off win Friday. He was also behind the plate Friday and Sunday as Purdue racked up 31 of its 46 strikeouts, which is believed to be a program record for a four-game series. The Boilermakers had 15 Ks on Friday and 16 Sunday. Both totals rank among the top five in program history.
Fascia led the team in doubles, home runs and RBI in 2019 as the team's offensive player of the year. He has registered 22 extra-base hits and 48 RBI in 72 games while recording nearly an equal number of free passes (26 walks, 12 HBP) as strikeouts (39).
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. That season ultimately was cut short, but the eligibility extensions for the spring sports athletes allowed him to return as a fifth-year senior.
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-nine 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 5.
The watch list will be narrowed down to the semifinalists, whom will be announced May 20. The three finalists will be announced June 7. A final vote among the national committee will occur during the College World Series.
Fascia is part of the first watch list for the third consecutive season. A year ago, the watch list was released on March 10 and the season was shut down two days later due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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 in 2019, it was rebranded in Posey's honor after previously being 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 52 of 71 starts at catcher since the beginning of the 2019 campaign. He's also been a consistent presence in the heart of the lineup, debuting in the 6-hole early this season.
Fascia has thrown out 24 base stealers in his 52 games behind the plate since joining the Boilermakers. He gunned down a Big Ten-high 18 base stealers in 2019 and also worked with a pitching staff that set team records for strikeouts (477) and strikeouts per nine innings (9.10).
During Purdue's season-opening series with Nebraska this past weekend, Fascia hit safely in all four games and delivered the game-winning RBI with a sacrifice fly in the walk-off win Friday. He was also behind the plate Friday and Sunday as Purdue racked up 31 of its 46 strikeouts, which is believed to be a program record for a four-game series. The Boilermakers had 15 Ks on Friday and 16 Sunday. Both totals rank among the top five in program history.
Fascia led the team in doubles, home runs and RBI in 2019 as the team's offensive player of the year. He has registered 22 extra-base hits and 48 RBI in 72 games while recording nearly an equal number of free passes (26 walks, 12 HBP) as strikeouts (39).
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. That season ultimately was cut short, but the eligibility extensions for the spring sports athletes allowed him to return as a fifth-year senior.
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-nine 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 5.
The watch list will be narrowed down to the semifinalists, whom will be announced May 20. The three finalists will be announced June 7. A final vote among the national committee will occur during the College World Series.