Schwarber named to Johnny Bench Award watch list

Junior catcher Kyle Schwarber was named the to midseason watch list for the Johnny Bench Award. Each season, the honor is bestowed upon the nation’s best catcher.

So far this season, Schwarber is batting .317 with a .404 on base percentage. He has 13 hits – six of them being for extra bases. All of these figures are team highs for IU.

The 6-foot, 240 pound catcher, who was recently made the leadoff hitter, also leads the Hoosiers in runs scored, total bases and slugging percentage.

Schwarber was named the best catcher in Division-I baseball by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association in December when he was tabbed as a first team All-America by NCBWA.

He was also named a first team All-American by Perfect Game, and was second team All-American by Collegiate Baseball newspaper.

Schwarber is one of 72 catchers to be named to the list. The three semifinalists will be announced on June 3, with the winner announced on June 26.

Evan Hoopfer