Adley Rutschman named Baseball America’s National Player of the Year
Rutschman Named BA’s Player Of The Year
DURHAM, N.C. – This just in: Adley Rutschman is Baseball America’s National Player of the Year.
The announcement headlines a morning that saw Rutschman and left-handed pitcher Brandon Eisert named as All-Americans by the publication.
Rutschman is the first Oregon State player to earn the Baseball America National Player of the Year honor and the first from the Pac-12 since UCLA’s Trevor Bauer in 2011. He is also just the fourth catcher all-time to be recognized, joining Florida’s Mike Zunino (2012), Florida State’s Buster Posey (2008) and Georgia Tech’s Jason Varitek (1994).
More on Rutschman and Eisert below
Rutschman is a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, Dick Howser Trophy and Buster Posey Award. The backstop was selected as Collegiate Baseball’s National Player of the Year (and All-American) and was the Pac-12 Conference’s Player of the Year and Co-Defensive Player of the Year less than two full weeks ago.
He was the No. 1 overall selection in the 2019 MLB First-Year Player Draft by Baltimore last week.
The Sherwood, Ore., native batted .411 in 2019 to lead the Pac-12 in batting average. Rutschman also leads the nation with 76 walks – an Oregon State single-season record – and he hit 17 home runs with 58 RBI.
Eisert, a Beaverton, Ore., native, has been selected for his All-American honor after going 8-2 with a 2.03 earned run average, placing him second in the Pac-12. The lefty struck out 74 in 62 innings and held opponents to a .255 batting average.
Eisert, who was named an All-Pac-12 honorable mention selection, was also taken in last week’s MLB Draft, going in the 18th round to the Toronto Blue Jays.
