GRAND FORKS, N.D. (NCBWA) – Fifty-nine players have been named to the initial Watch List for the 13th annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher In NCAA Division I baseball, members of the association announced Monday.
Virginia Commonwealth's Sam Donko is the only returner among last year's five finalists for an award that was captured in 2016 by Miami's Bryan Garcia. Donko led the nation in saves a season ago with 20, while compiling a 9-2 record to go with a 2.93 ERA and 54 strikeouts for the Rams.
The Pacific-12 Conference had the most representation with nine players finding their names on the watch list. That group is headlined by Oregon State's Max Engelbrekt, who went 3-3 with 11 saves for the Beavers a season ago. His 11 saves top the list of returning relievers in the conference.
More than a third of the players on this list recorded double-digit saves a season ago and 10 were named to the NCBWA Preseason All-American team. Two of those preseason All-Americans posted sub-1.00 ERA's a season ago as Baylor's Troy Montemayor (0.78) and Louisiana's Dylan Moore (0.91) both notched 14 saves for their respective teams.
In total, 23 conferences are represented on this list with the Southeastern Conference following the Pac-12 with seven representatives. Conference USA and the Big West each had four players on this list.
| 2017 NCBWA STOPPER OF THE YEAR PRESEASON WATCH LIST | |||
| Frankie Bartow | Miami | So. | Atlantic Coast |
| Robert Broom | Mercer | So. | Southern |
| Wyatt Burns | Samford | So. | Southern |
| Mike Cassala | Jacksonville | So. | Atlantic Sun |
| Michael Catlin | Longwood | Jr. | Big South |
| Yaya Chentouf | Pittsburgh | So. | Atlantic Coast |
| Zach Cook | Winthrop | R-Jr. | Big South |
| Sam Donko | VCU | Sr. | Atlantic 10 |
| Dylan Drachler | Utah | Sr. | Pac-12 |
| Seth Elledge | Dallas Baptist | Jr. | Missouri Valley |
| Max Engelbrekt | Oregon State | Sr. | Pac-12 |
| Eder Erives | Arizona State | Sr. | Pac-12 |
| Michael Evans | James Madison | Sr. | Colonial |
| Durbin Feltman | TCU | So. | Big 12 |
| David Gerber | Creighton | Sr. | Big East |
| Devin Gould | Longwood | Sr. | Big South |
| Kade Gramier | SE Louisiana | Jr. | Southland |
| Chase Haney | Florida State | So. | Atlantic Coast |
| Colton Hock | Stanford | Jr. | Pac-12 |
| Bobby Holmes | Coastal Carolina | Jr. | Sun Belt |
| Justin Hoyt | Jacksonville State | Jr. | Ohio Valley |
| Joe Ingle | East Carolina | Jr. | American Athletic |
| Tyler Johnson | South Carolina | Jr. | Southeastern |
| Seth Kinker | Ohio State | Jr. | Big Ten |
| Jack Landwehr | Illinois State | Sr. | Missouri Valley |
| Carter Love | College of Charleston | Jr. | Colonial Athletic |
| Chad Luensmann | Nebraska | So. | Big Ten |
| Erik Martinez | California | Jr. | Pac-12 |
| Evan McMahan | Nevada | Sr. | Mountain West |
| Greg Minier | Washington | Sr. | Pac-12 |
| Troy Montemayor | Baylor | Jr. | Big 12 |
| Dylan Moore | Louisiana | Jr. | Sun Belt |
| Samuel Myers | Cal State Northridge | Sr. | Big West |
| Kyle Nelson | UC Santa Barbara | Jr. | Big West |
| Hunter Newman | LSU | Sr. | Southeastern |
| Connor O’Neil | Cal State Northridge | Sr. | Big West |
| Glenn Otto | Rice | Jr. | Conference USA |
| Patrick Peterson | Dartmouth | Jr. | Ivy League |
| Cameron Ragsdale | Florida Atlantic | Sr. | Conference USA |
| Josh Reagan | South Carolina | Sr. | Southeastern |
| Rickey Ramirez | Fresno State | Jr. | Mountain West |
| Ryan Rigby | Mississippi State | Jr. | Southeastern |
| Chris Rivera | Long Beach State | So. | Big West |
| Jake Roehn | Ohio | Jr. | Mid-American |
| Mike Ruppenthal | Vanderbilt | Jr. | Southeastern |
| Nick Sandlin | Southern Miss | So. | Conference USA |
| Blake Smith | Mississippi State | Sr. | Southeastern |
| Jackson Sowell | WKU | Sr. | Conference USA |
| Erich Stahl | Kennesaw State | Sr. | Atlantic Sun |
| Tyler Starks | Stephen F. Austin | So. | Southland |
| Wil Stokes | Ole Miss | Jr. | Southeastern |
| Stephen Villines | Kansas | Sr. | Big 12 |
| Ryan Walker | Washington State | Jr. | Pac-12 |
| Andrew Wantz | UNCG | Jr. | Southern |
| Brac Warren | Oregon | Jr. | Pac-12 |
| Brad Wegman | USC | Jr. | Pac-12 |
| Zach Wolf | Seattle | So. | Western Athletic |
| Brad Womacks | Oral Roberts | Sr. | Summit League |
| Bryan Young | Missouri State | Sr. | Missouri Valley |
Texas hurler J. Brent Cox won the inaugural Stopper of the Year Award in 2005, with Don Czyz of Kansas claiming the honor in 2006 and Luke Prihoda of Sam Houston State winning it in 2007. Georgia’s Joshua Fields topped the field in 2008, San Diego State’s Addison Reed grabbed the honor in 2009 and Texas’ Chance Ruffin earned the honor in 2010. The Longhorns’ Corey Knebel won in 2011, with Southeastern Louisiana's Stefan Lopez picking up the honor in 2012. UCLA’s David Berg was crowned the winner in 2013, Louisville’s Nick Burdi took home the 2014 honor and Berg became the award's first two-time winner in 2015. Miami (Fla.)’s Bryan Garcia was honored as the 2016 recipient.
The NCBWA, founded in 1962, presents the Dick Howser Trophy to the nation's top player. It also selects All-America Teams for all Divisions, a Division I Freshman All-American team, Division I, II and III Players of the Week and Division I, II and III Players of the Year.