LUBBOCK, Texas ¨C The world of the two-way player has exploded in 2023 with 47 names, including six players from 2022, highlighting the 2023 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award watch list, which was released by the College Baseball Foundation.

The 47 players mark the highest number of two-way players on the mid-season watch list in the award¡¯s history. While some familiar names from last year¡¯s watch list are back for this season, 2023 also has seen a tremendous crop of newcomers to the game of college baseball. And, as usual, the watch list represents the wide swath of schools from around the country with players who have already made significant contributions to their team¡¯s success.

¡°The explosion of two-way players around college baseball has been tremendous and is a great thing to see, both for the players and the game,¡± said George Watson, chairman of the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year selection committee. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see how this season shakes out and who will be taking home the trophy at the end of the year. It will be exciting to keep an eye on all these guys going forward.¡±

The award is named for former Washington State University standout John Olerud, who achieved success both as a first baseman and left-handed pitcher during the late 1980s. He was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. The award will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this summer.

Headlining the list this year are six players who already have distinguished themselves by earning Olerud Player of the Week honors.

Jac Caglianone burst onto the two-way scene early this year and has not slowed down, helping lead the Florida Gators to another tremendous season. The sophomore first baseman and left-handed pitcher is hitting .371 with 19 home runs and 47 RBIs for the Gators, who are ranked No. 2 in the latest College Baseball Hall of Fame Power Poll. On the mound, he is 3-1 on the year with a 4.91 ERA, striking out 39 in 33 innings over eight starts.

San Diego State junior first baseman and left-handed hitter TJ Fondtain is hitting .339 with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs for the Aztecs, and on the mound he has compiled a 4.58 ERA and struck out 60 in 72.2 innings. Other weekly award winners on the watch list include freshman pitcher/outfielder Damian Bravo of Texas Tech, junior first baseman/pitch Caden Grice from Clemson, senior pitcher/infielder Ryan Ignoffo from Eastern Illinois and junior pitcher/outfielder Jay Luikart from Wright State.

The watch list also includes three players who were finalists for the award in 2022.

Jordan Hamberg, a junior outfielder and left-handed pitcher from Coppin State, is 2-3 with a 6.27 ERA and has struck out 41 in 33 innings while hitting .301 with five home runs and 26 RBIs in 31 games. Georgia State sophomore left-handed pitcher and outfielder Cameron Jones is hitting .309 with two home runs and 20 RBIs in 34 games while on the mound has compiled a 1-1 record and 3.38 ERA. Finally, junior pitcher/designated hitter Jacob Pennington from Murray State is hitting .216 with three RBIs and is 5-2 on the mound with a 3.02 ERA and 47 strikeouts over 56.2 innings.

Also this year, four teams have two players on the watch list ¨C Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Louisville and Georgia Tech.

The semifinalists for the Olerud Award will be announced in mid-May, with the five finalists being announced before the beginning of the NCAA tournament. The winner will be announced on June 15.

For more information on the Olerud Award, visit the College Baseball Foundation website at www.collegebaseballhall.org.

2023 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award Watch List

Name, Class, School, Conference

• Keaton Anthony, RS-Sophomore, Iowa, Big Ten
• Grant Aycock, Freshman, UNC-Greensboro, Southern
• Teo Banks, Sophomore, Tulane, American
• Dylan Banner, Freshman, Albany, America East
• Ben Barrett, Freshman, Florida State, ACC
• Carson Benge, Freshman, Oklahoma State, Big 12
• Blake Bevis, Freshman, Ball State, Mid-American
• Tucker Biven, Freshman, Louisville, ACC
• Blake Bortak, Junior, Samford, Southern
• Tucker Bougie, Sophomore, California, Pac-12
• Damian Bravo, Freshman, Texas Tech, Big 12
• Jac Caglianone, Sophomore, Florida, SEC
• Alfredo Capacete, Freshman, UC-Riverside, Big West
• Cutter Clawson, Freshman, BYU, West Coast
• Demitri Diamant, Freshman, Georgia Tech, ACC
• Dustin Dickerson, Junior, Southern Miss, Sun Belt
• Jackson Finley, Sophomore, Georgia Tech, ACC
• TJ Fondtain, Junior, San Diego State, Mountain West
• Patrick Forbes, Freshman, Louisville, ACC
• Rory Fox, Freshman, Notre Dame, ACC
• Caden Grice, Junior, Clemson, ACC
• Jordan Hamberg, Junior, Coppin State, Northeast
• Ryan Ignoffo, Senior, Eastern Illinois, Ohio Valley
• Cameron Jones, Sophomore, Georgia State, Sun Belt
• Aiden Longwell, Junior, Kent State, Mid-American
• Malachi Lott, Sophomore, Houston, American
• Jay Luikart, Junior, Wright State, Horizon
• Alden Mathes, Junior, Richmond, Atlantic 10
• Nick Mazzotta, Freshman, Farleigh Dickinson, Northeast
• Cade McGarrh, Freshman, Texas Tech, Big 12
• Nolan McLean, Junior, Oklahoma State, Big 12
• Lyle Miller-Green, Junior, Austin Peay, ASUN
• Nicoh Mitchell, Senior, Fresno State, Mountain West
• Christian Mitchelle, Freshman, Central Michigan, Mid-American
• Braden Montgomery, Sophomore, Stanford, Pac-12
• Trey Morgan, Junior, Virginia Military, Southern
• DJ Newman, Freshman, Bowling Green, Mid-American
• Brandon Nigh, Sophomore, Oakland, Horizon
• Jacob Pennington, RS-Junior, Murray State, Missouri-Valley
• Rafe Perich, Sophomore, Lehigh, Patriot
• Jonathan Santucci, Sophomore, Duke, ACC
• Sean Scanlon, Sophomore, Holy Cross, Patriot
• Austin Smith, Sophomore, San Diego, West Coast
• Noah Sullivan, Sophomore, UNC-Upstate, Big South
• Charlie Szykowny, Graduate, Illinois-Chicago, Missouri Valley
• Payton Tolle, Sophomore, Wichita State, American
• Mitch Voit, Freshman, Michigan, Big Ten