Marshall University Athletics
PASTRANA NAMED TO JOHNNY BENCH AWARD WATCHLIST
4/30/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
HUNTINGTON, W.Va.-Junior catcher Reynaldo Pastrana was named to the 2018 Johnny Bench Award watch list for best catcher in Division 1 baseball Monday.
Pastrana and 14 other additions to the watch list brings the total number of catchers nominated this year to 112.
Marshall's starting catcher has been dominant at the plate this season, leading the team in an array of categories. Pastrana leads The Herd in batting average (.352), runs (31), hits (58), doubles (13), RBIs (41), home runs (10), and slugging percentage (.612).
While behind the plate, he has allowed just two passed balls all season and has a .983 fielding percentage. Pastrana has proven deadly when it comes to base runners trying to steal, catching 13 of 25 runners attempting to do so.
Former winners include Kurt Suzuki in 2004, Buster Posey in 2008, and most recently Matt Whatley in 2017.
Bench, an inductee in the Baseball Hall of Fame, earned a multitude of honors over the course of his career including NL Rookie of the Year, World Series Most Valuable Player, 10 Golden Glove Awards, as well was being named the most valuable player in the National League in 1970 and 1972.
