Del Castillo Named to Posey Award Watch List
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami sophomore catcher Adrian Del Castillo was named to the watch list for the 2020 Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award presented by the Kamerion Wimbley Foundation, as announced by The Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission on Monday.
Del Castillo is one of the top hitting catchers in college baseball, earning Preseason All-America honors from by Collegiate Baseball, D1 Baseball, the NCBWA and Perfect Game. The Miami native is also on the preseason Golden Spikes Award watch list.
His 2020 season is off to an excellent start, as Del Castillo is hitting .373 (19-for-51) with two doubles, a triple, two homers and 15 RBI. He has also scored 12 runs and stolen a base and played good defense behind the plate for the Canes.
Considered an elite offensive player, Del Castillo has five multi-hit games and four multi-RBI performances. His ability to drive in runs is one of his best skills. Del Castillo was named ACC Player of the Week on Feb. 17 after he came through repeatedly during opening weekend with three game-winning hits in Miami’s sweep of visiting Rutgers. He batted .556 for the series with a double, two homers, three runs scored and six RBI. He has four game-winning hits over 15 games this season.
Del Castillo was an offensive juggernaut in his debut season with the Canes. The standout finished the 2019 season batting .331 with 78 hits, 22 doubles and 72 RBI, all team-bests. The Miami native also scored 58 runs and clubbed 12 homers, while striking out just 24 times in 236 at-bats. A versatile player who saw time in right field, catcher, designated hitter and third base, he tied for the team lead with 22 multi-hit games and was second on the team with 18 multi-RBI performances.
Del Castillo’s 72 RBI were the second-most by a UM freshman in program history, finishing just four shy of Ryan Braun’s record 76, set in 2003. The 72 runs batted in were also the most by a Miami freshman since Yonder Alonso drove in 69 as a freshman in 2006. His 18 multi-RBI games were the most by a Hurricane freshman since Zack Collins posted 15 in 2014. A Freshman All-America selection by four publications, Del Castillo earned a host of awards after his collegiate debut season, including Second Team All-ACC, ACC All-Freshman Team, ABCA All-Region and All-Starkville Regional Team honors.
Sixty catchers were nominated for the award by their coaches. Because the award is given annually to the top division one collegiate catcher, the list will be updated to include other candidates until May 6, 2020. The complete list of nominees on the preseason watch list can be viewed HERE.
The watch list will be narrowed down to the semifinalists, whom will be announced May 19, 2020. Ballots will be sent to the national voting panel at the end of May for a vote to determine the three finalists. The finalists will be announced June 3, 2020. A final vote among the national committee will occur during the College World Series. All finalists will be brought to Wichita and the winner will be announced at the 23rd Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 25, 2020.
Oregon State catcher, Adley Rutschman, was named the catcher of the year last June. Kyle McCann of Georgia Tech and Eric Yang of UC Santa Barbara were the other finalists for the award.
Del Castillo and the Canes hit the road this week, traveling to UCF for a midweek matchup on Wednesday at 6 p.m. After facing the Knights, Miami will continue on its road swing for a weekend series at Virginia Tech beginning Friday at 4 p.m.
