DALLAS, Texas (February 16, 2023) – Washington State redshirt-junior pitcher Chase Grillo was named to the 2023 NCBWA DI Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association announced Thursday.
 
Eighty-one players were been named to the initial Watch List for the 18th Annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I Baseball, the association announced Thursday. Nominees were submitted by the institution or conference Sports Information Directors.
 
Grillo made an instant impact for the Cougar pitching staff in his first season last year, tying for the fourth-most appearances in the program history with 30 last season. The Spokane, Wash. native went 2-3 with three saves and was third on the team with 50 strikeouts in 31.2 innings. In conference play, the righthander tallied two saves with 29 strikeouts and a 3.05 ERA in 20.2 innings. This past summer while pitching for the St. Cloud Rox in the Northwoods League, Grillo was named an All-Star after recording 14 saves and a 2.08 ERA in 20 appearances.
 
This year's impressive group is led by 12 preseason NCBWA All-America selections including first-teamers Peter Allegro (Portland), Cade Denton (Oral Roberts), William Privette (Charleston) and Andrew Walters (Miami, Fla.). Walters, a finalist for the 2022 award, collected 14 saves in 32.2 innings pitched, giving up just seven runs, six earned, on 13 hits with a 1.65 ERA. Privette, another 2022 finalist, notched a 0.91 ERA last season with a 3-1 record with 12 saves, six earned runs allowed and 80 strikeouts in 59.1 innings pitched. Denton finished with a 0.41 ERA for Oral Roberts, boasting six saves, 55 strikeouts, four runs and two earned in 0.41 innings pitched. Portland's Allegro went 4-2 with a 2.76 ERA, 13 saves and 49 strikeouts in 49.0 innings tossed. 
 
Additional preseason NCBWA All-Americans on this year's list include Carter Benbrook (UC Santa Barbara, third team), Ryan Bruno (Stanford, second team), Kirby Connell (Tennessee, second team), Kiernan Higgins (Virginia Tech, third team), Sam Klein (Ball State, second team), Reid McLaughlin (BYU, second team), Thomas Schultz (Vanderbilt, third team) and Camden Sewell (Tennessee, third team).
 
The Southeastern Conference led the way with the most representatives with 17 players finding their names on the watch list. The Pac-12 Conference followed with nine, while the Atlantic Coast Conference had eight and the Big 12 Conference six.
 
Of the initial 81 members, 17 were featured on last year's midseason watch list. In total, 21 conferences are represented on this list with at least two players coming from 15 different leagues.
 
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 followed the Cardinal's Lincoln Henzman in 2017, Florida's Michael Byrne in 2018, UCLA's Holden Powell in 2019 and Arkansas' Kevin Kopps in 2021. Texas State closer Tristan Stivors collected the honor in 2022.
 
The NCBWA, founded in 1962, awards the Dick Howser Trophy presented by The Game Headwear, to the nation's top player and the Mike Martin National Coach of the Year to the nation's top coach. 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.