University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
JB Middleton Named to College Baseball Baseball Hall of Fame Pitcher of the Year Watch List
4/18/2025 1:30:00 PM | Baseball
OVERLAND PARK, Kansas – A total of 54 of the nation's best hurlers, including Southern Miss junior right-hander JB Middleton, are listed on the Pitcher of the Year watch list which was released on Friday. The pitchers on the watch list represent 20 different conferences and reflect the top mound performers to this point of the 2025 season.
"We are extremely excited about the group of pitchers who are leading the way in 2025," Pitcher of the Year Award co-chair Chris Snead said. "This will be a difficult choice to select the best of the best!"
For the 2025 season, Middleton has posted a 7-1 record with a 2.05 earned run average. In 61 1/3 innings of work, he has allowed just 37 hits and 18 walks with 74 strikeouts while opponents are hitting just .171 against him.
The award will be presented later this year by the College Baseball Foundation.
For more information on the Pitcher of the Year Award, visit the College Baseball Foundation website at www.collegebaseballhall.org.
2025 NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD WATCH LIST
Name, School, Conference
• Ben Alekson, Fairfield, MEAC
• Kade Anderson, LSU, SEC
• Jamie Arnold, Florida State, ACC
• Cam Bagwell, UNCW, Coastal Athletic Conference
• Trey Beard, Florida Atlantic, AAC
• Jack Bennett, Western Kentucky, Conference USA
• Ben Blair, Liberty, Conference USA
• Colton Book, Saint Joseph's, Atlantic 10
• Vincent Borghese, Central Connecticut, Northeast Conference
• Corey Braun, South Florida, AAC
• Brandon Cassedy, George Mason, Atlantic 10
• Gabe Craig, Baylor, Big 12
• Dylan Crooks, Oklahoma, SEC
• Liam Doyle, Tennessee, SEC
• Joseph Dzierwa,, Michigan State, Big Ten
• Reid Easterly, Duke, ACC
• Riley Eckhoff, Coastal Carolina, Sun Belt
• Clay Edmondson, UNC Ashville, Big South
• Eric Elliott, Jackson State, SWAC
• Kane Elmy, Murray State, Missouri Valley Conference
• Casan Evans, LSU, SEC
• Blake Gillespie, Charlotte, Atlantic Athletic Conference
• Cole Giley, Indiana, Big Ten
• Jonathan Gonzalez, Stetson, Atlantic Sun
• Max Grubbs, Texas, SEC
• Aidan Haugh, North Carolina, ACC
• Kegan Johnson, Ball State, MAC
• Riley Kelly, UC Irvine, Big West
• Jake Knapp, North Carolina, ACC
• Pico Kohn, Mississippi State, SEC
• Tommy LaPour, TCU, Big 12
• Victor Loa, UTRGV, Southland
• Richard Long, Jacksonville, Atlantic Sun
• JB Middleton, Southern Miss, Sun Belt
• Griffin Miller, Marshall, Sun Belt
• Cade Montgomery, Utah Tech, WAC
• Blake Morningstar, Wake Forest, ACC
• Jacob Morrison, Coastal Carolina, Sun Belt
• Cade Obermueller, Iowa, Big Ten
• Connor O'Hara, George Mason, Atlantic 10
• Jack Ohman, Yale, Ivy League
• Ricky Ojeda, UC Irvine, Big West
• Carson Ozmer, Alabama, SEC
• Mason Patel, Georgia Tech, ACC
• Lane Pearson, West Georgia, Atlantic Sun
• Calvin Proskey, USCB, Big West
• Brennan Stuprich, Southeastern Louisiana, Southland
• Joseph Taylor, South Florida, AAC
• Zane Taylor, UNCW, Coastal Athletic Conference
• Ian Umlandt, Oregon, Big Ten
• Dylan Volantis, Texas, SEC
• Joey Volini, Florida State, ACC
• Drew Whalen, Western Kentucky, Conference USA
• Kryson Witherspoon, Oklahoma, SEC
About the College Baseball Foundation
The purpose of the College Baseball Foundation (CBF) is to preserve, elevate, and advance the game; to inspire the next generation; to teach those who love college baseball about its rich history and traditions; to celebrate those who make college baseball special; and to honor those who have come before us, and built the foundation upon which college baseball thrives today.
The College Baseball Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Support for the College Baseball Hall of Fame will help preserve the rich history of the sport for future generations. All donations to the College Baseball Hall of Fame are tax deductible and can be made via this link on the organization's website.
The CBF presents the Brooks Wallace Award (Nation's Most Outstanding Shortstop), the National Pitcher of the Year, the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year, the Skip Bertman National Coach of the Year, the George H.W. Bush Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the Wayne Graham Award for Teaching Excellence Award.
About the College Baseball Hall of Fame
Each year, more than 190 representatives nationwide vote on the College Baseball Hall of Fame induction class. The voting body is comprised of national and regional college baseball media, active and retired coaches, former players, former inductees, college baseball historians and members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) collegiate baseball committee. The College Baseball Hall of Fame inducted its first class in 2006. Since that time, 165 players, coaches, umpires, administrators and contributors have been selected for induction. Click here for a full list of College Baseball Hall of Fame classes.
The College Baseball Hall of Fame will establish a physical location in Overland Park, Kansas in early 2026. Located within the iconic Museum at Prairiefire, the College Baseball Hall of Fame will serve as a shared community asset, deepening connections to the nation's favorite pastime through a dynamic and ever-evolving space for college baseball enthusiasts to celebrate the sport's rich past, present, and future.
"We are extremely excited about the group of pitchers who are leading the way in 2025," Pitcher of the Year Award co-chair Chris Snead said. "This will be a difficult choice to select the best of the best!"
For the 2025 season, Middleton has posted a 7-1 record with a 2.05 earned run average. In 61 1/3 innings of work, he has allowed just 37 hits and 18 walks with 74 strikeouts while opponents are hitting just .171 against him.
The award will be presented later this year by the College Baseball Foundation.
For more information on the Pitcher of the Year Award, visit the College Baseball Foundation website at www.collegebaseballhall.org.
2025 NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD WATCH LIST
Name, School, Conference
• Ben Alekson, Fairfield, MEAC
• Kade Anderson, LSU, SEC
• Jamie Arnold, Florida State, ACC
• Cam Bagwell, UNCW, Coastal Athletic Conference
• Trey Beard, Florida Atlantic, AAC
• Jack Bennett, Western Kentucky, Conference USA
• Ben Blair, Liberty, Conference USA
• Colton Book, Saint Joseph's, Atlantic 10
• Vincent Borghese, Central Connecticut, Northeast Conference
• Corey Braun, South Florida, AAC
• Brandon Cassedy, George Mason, Atlantic 10
• Gabe Craig, Baylor, Big 12
• Dylan Crooks, Oklahoma, SEC
• Liam Doyle, Tennessee, SEC
• Joseph Dzierwa,, Michigan State, Big Ten
• Reid Easterly, Duke, ACC
• Riley Eckhoff, Coastal Carolina, Sun Belt
• Clay Edmondson, UNC Ashville, Big South
• Eric Elliott, Jackson State, SWAC
• Kane Elmy, Murray State, Missouri Valley Conference
• Casan Evans, LSU, SEC
• Blake Gillespie, Charlotte, Atlantic Athletic Conference
• Cole Giley, Indiana, Big Ten
• Jonathan Gonzalez, Stetson, Atlantic Sun
• Max Grubbs, Texas, SEC
• Aidan Haugh, North Carolina, ACC
• Kegan Johnson, Ball State, MAC
• Riley Kelly, UC Irvine, Big West
• Jake Knapp, North Carolina, ACC
• Pico Kohn, Mississippi State, SEC
• Tommy LaPour, TCU, Big 12
• Victor Loa, UTRGV, Southland
• Richard Long, Jacksonville, Atlantic Sun
• JB Middleton, Southern Miss, Sun Belt
• Griffin Miller, Marshall, Sun Belt
• Cade Montgomery, Utah Tech, WAC
• Blake Morningstar, Wake Forest, ACC
• Jacob Morrison, Coastal Carolina, Sun Belt
• Cade Obermueller, Iowa, Big Ten
• Connor O'Hara, George Mason, Atlantic 10
• Jack Ohman, Yale, Ivy League
• Ricky Ojeda, UC Irvine, Big West
• Carson Ozmer, Alabama, SEC
• Mason Patel, Georgia Tech, ACC
• Lane Pearson, West Georgia, Atlantic Sun
• Calvin Proskey, USCB, Big West
• Brennan Stuprich, Southeastern Louisiana, Southland
• Joseph Taylor, South Florida, AAC
• Zane Taylor, UNCW, Coastal Athletic Conference
• Ian Umlandt, Oregon, Big Ten
• Dylan Volantis, Texas, SEC
• Joey Volini, Florida State, ACC
• Drew Whalen, Western Kentucky, Conference USA
• Kryson Witherspoon, Oklahoma, SEC
About the College Baseball Foundation
The purpose of the College Baseball Foundation (CBF) is to preserve, elevate, and advance the game; to inspire the next generation; to teach those who love college baseball about its rich history and traditions; to celebrate those who make college baseball special; and to honor those who have come before us, and built the foundation upon which college baseball thrives today.
The College Baseball Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Support for the College Baseball Hall of Fame will help preserve the rich history of the sport for future generations. All donations to the College Baseball Hall of Fame are tax deductible and can be made via this link on the organization's website.
The CBF presents the Brooks Wallace Award (Nation's Most Outstanding Shortstop), the National Pitcher of the Year, the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year, the Skip Bertman National Coach of the Year, the George H.W. Bush Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the Wayne Graham Award for Teaching Excellence Award.
About the College Baseball Hall of Fame
Each year, more than 190 representatives nationwide vote on the College Baseball Hall of Fame induction class. The voting body is comprised of national and regional college baseball media, active and retired coaches, former players, former inductees, college baseball historians and members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) collegiate baseball committee. The College Baseball Hall of Fame inducted its first class in 2006. Since that time, 165 players, coaches, umpires, administrators and contributors have been selected for induction. Click here for a full list of College Baseball Hall of Fame classes.
The College Baseball Hall of Fame will establish a physical location in Overland Park, Kansas in early 2026. Located within the iconic Museum at Prairiefire, the College Baseball Hall of Fame will serve as a shared community asset, deepening connections to the nation's favorite pastime through a dynamic and ever-evolving space for college baseball enthusiasts to celebrate the sport's rich past, present, and future.
Players Mentioned
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