Derek Kinnear Named to Johnny Bench Award Watch List – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 1, 2003
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State catcher Derek Kinnear (Jr., Kenton, Ohio/Kenton) has been named to watch list for the Johnny Bench Award, which is given annually to the National Collegiate Catcher of the Year, the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission announced last week.
Kinnear leads Ohio State with a .397 batting average through the team’s 19 games this season. That is up from a .182 average a year ago in limited action. He has 23 hits in 58 at bats with three doubles and a pair of home runs. His 14 RBI and .552 slugging percentage lead the team. He rode a career-long 13 game hit streak earlier this season and was the Big Ten Player of the Week March 17 after he was 8-for-12 (.667) in four games against Eastern Michigan and Detroit.
The watch list, which currently consists of 32 players, will be updated to include other candidates until May 2 and will then be narrowed down to 10 semi-finalists May 20 and sent to the national voting panel at the end of May to determine the three finalists. Those finalists will be announced June 2, prior to the College World Series and the winner will be announced at the Sixth Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet June 24.
The award started in 2000 when Brad Cresse of Louisiana State won the inaugural award. Kelly Shoppach of Baylor won in 2001 and Jeremy Brown of Alabama won last year. Last year’s other two finalists were Alberto Concepcion of Southern California and Chris Snyder of Houston.
Bench’s career honors include: National League Rookie of the Year (1968); National League Most Valuable Player (1970, 1972); World Series Most Valuable Player (1976); 14-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner. In 1980, he set an endurance record by catching 100+ games for 13 consecutive seasons. Bench was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in January 1989 with the fourth highest percentage of total votes cast.
2003 Johnny Bench Award Watch List Toby Barnett, Southern Illinois, Sr. Brian Bormaster, Tulane, Jr. Brady Burrill, Michigan State, Sr. Troy Carodonna, Duke, Sr. David Castillo, Oral Roberts, Jr. Jeff Clement, Southern California, Fr. Jed English, Virginia Tech, Sr. Josh Ford, Baylor, So. Ryan Garko, Stanford, Sr. Javi Herrera, Tennessee, Jr. Jonathan Higashi, Loyola Marymount, Jr. Bobby Huddleston, Auburn, Sr. Devin Ivany, South Florida, So. Jason Jaramillo, Oklahoma State, So. Todd Jennings, Long Beach State, Jr. Derek Kinnear, Ohio State, Jr. Tim Land, South Alabama, Jr. Matt Lauderdale, Charleston, Sr. Mitch Maier, Toledo, Jr. Mike Nickeas, Georgia Tech, So. Pat O’Brien, Kent State, Sr. Tony Piazza, Southwest Missouri State, Sr. Landon Powell, South Carolina, Jr. Tony Richie, Florida State, Jr. Brian Rose, Florida, Sr. Justin Ruchti, Rice, Sr. Curtis Thigpen, Texas, So. Adam Tidball, Richmond, Jr. Nicholas Udy, Utah, Sr. Chris Westervelt, Stetson, Jr. Brad Willcutt, Southern Miss, So. Kyle Wilson, Cal Poly, Jr.
