June 13, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - San Diego State relief pitcher Addison Reed is the 2009 recipient of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association's Stopper of the Year Award, the NCBWA announced Saturday in Omaha on the opening day of the College World Series.
Reed recorded a nation-leading 20 saves in 20 opportunities this season. He finished the season with a microscopic 0.65 earned run average and 38 strikeouts over his 27.2 innings of work. Reed has allowed only seven walks, with two of those being intentional passes. Only one of the 20 hits he allowed in 2009 went for extra bases (a double vs. Nevada on Feb. 26).
His save total is a new San Diego State and Mountain West Conference season record, breaking the old mark record of 17 set by Royce Ring during the 2002 season. The Aztec and conference career marks of 26 are held by Ring as well.
In being named to the All-Mountain West Conference first team, he finished league play with six saves and in his nine appearances in MWC action he allowed only one unearned run on two hits with four walks (two intentional) and 14 strikeouts. Conference opponents hit just .065 against him.
Reed, just a sophomore, has received first-team All-American recognition from Collegiate Baseball, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Ping!Baseball as well as second-team mention from Baseball America.He was invited to the 2009 USA Baseball National Team Trials, but was unable to attend.
More than 45 of the nation's top collegiate relief pitchers were included in the selection process for this year's NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award, beginning with initial preseason nominations by baseball contacts at NCAA Division I schools.
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, Luke Prihoda of Sam Houston State in 2007 and Georgia's Joshua Fields topping the field last season.