WICHITA, Kansas – For his durability as a mainstay behind the plate and run production as the team's regular cleanup hitter, Purdue Baseball's Connor Caskenette has been named to the watch list for the Buster Posey Award, recognizing the nation's top Division I catcher.
The Greater Wichita Sports Commission announced its initial watch list this week and Caskenette was among the 63 catchers on the list. He has started each of Purdue's first 12 Big Ten games behind the plate and 31 of the 37 games overall. Dating back to the Boilermakers' 2023 conference opener, he has been behind the plate for 32 of the 36 Big Ten games. Center fielder Couper Cornblum is the only Boilermaker that has played in all 37 games entering weekend No. 10 of the season.
Offensively, Caskenette has compiled a .291/.410/.535 slash line with eight home runs and 46 RBI, batting .354 with runners in scoring position. He ranks second in the Big Ten in RBI and has already surpassed his home run and RBI totals from a year ago. He has drawn 27 free passes (16 walks, 11 HBP) vs. 18 strikeouts.
In the process, Caskenette has joined elite lists of Boilermakers with a pair of grand slams and a pair of five-RBI games this year. Last season, his 18-game hit streak was the longest by a Boilermaker since the last Purdue catcher to be on the Posey Award Watch List – fellow Canadian Zac Fascia (19 in 2019). The Vancouver Island native has batted in the middle of the lineup in all 33 games he has started this spring, including a team-high 16 as the cleanup hitter.
Defensively, Caskenette has more base stealers thrown out (6) than passed balls against (3, none in Big Ten play). He's also worked with a pitching staff that has a 2.32 to 1.41 edge in strikeout-to-walk ratio and 14 fewer wild pitches than Purdue's opposition.
Four of the six games Caskenette has not started behind the plate were part of doubleheaders.
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.
The watch list will be narrowed down to the semifinalists, whom will be announced May 22. The three finalists will be announced June 6 and the winner recognized on June 26 at Greater Wichita Sports Banquet.
BOILERMAKERS ON THE BUSTER POSEY/JOHNNY BENCH AWARD WATCH LIST (Since 2011)
• 2011: Kevin Plawecki – Semifinalist
• 2012: Kevin Plawecki – Finalist
• 2014: Sean McHugh – Semifinalist
• 2016: Jack Pichiotti
• 2017: Nick Dalesandro
• 2018: Nick Dalesandro
• 2019: Zac Fascia
• 2020: Zac Fascia
• 2021: Zac Fascia
• 2024: Connor Caskenette
The Greater Wichita Sports Commission announced its initial watch list this week and Caskenette was among the 63 catchers on the list. He has started each of Purdue's first 12 Big Ten games behind the plate and 31 of the 37 games overall. Dating back to the Boilermakers' 2023 conference opener, he has been behind the plate for 32 of the 36 Big Ten games. Center fielder Couper Cornblum is the only Boilermaker that has played in all 37 games entering weekend No. 10 of the season.
Offensively, Caskenette has compiled a .291/.410/.535 slash line with eight home runs and 46 RBI, batting .354 with runners in scoring position. He ranks second in the Big Ten in RBI and has already surpassed his home run and RBI totals from a year ago. He has drawn 27 free passes (16 walks, 11 HBP) vs. 18 strikeouts.
In the process, Caskenette has joined elite lists of Boilermakers with a pair of grand slams and a pair of five-RBI games this year. Last season, his 18-game hit streak was the longest by a Boilermaker since the last Purdue catcher to be on the Posey Award Watch List – fellow Canadian Zac Fascia (19 in 2019). The Vancouver Island native has batted in the middle of the lineup in all 33 games he has started this spring, including a team-high 16 as the cleanup hitter.
Defensively, Caskenette has more base stealers thrown out (6) than passed balls against (3, none in Big Ten play). He's also worked with a pitching staff that has a 2.32 to 1.41 edge in strikeout-to-walk ratio and 14 fewer wild pitches than Purdue's opposition.
Four of the six games Caskenette has not started behind the plate were part of doubleheaders.
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.
The watch list will be narrowed down to the semifinalists, whom will be announced May 22. The three finalists will be announced June 6 and the winner recognized on June 26 at Greater Wichita Sports Banquet.
BOILERMAKERS ON THE BUSTER POSEY/JOHNNY BENCH AWARD WATCH LIST (Since 2011)
• 2011: Kevin Plawecki – Semifinalist
• 2012: Kevin Plawecki – Finalist
• 2014: Sean McHugh – Semifinalist
• 2016: Jack Pichiotti
• 2017: Nick Dalesandro
• 2018: Nick Dalesandro
• 2019: Zac Fascia
• 2020: Zac Fascia
• 2021: Zac Fascia
• 2024: Connor Caskenette