Three Anglers on Johnny Bench Award Watch List

by Dan D'Uva, 03-09-2012

Wichita, Kan. - Three Chatham Anglers are among 43 catchers named to the 2012 Johnny Bench Award Watch List. Connecticut's Joe Pavone (2010), North Carolina's Jacob Stallings (2009, 2010), and Army's J.T. Watkins (2011) will be considered for the award presented annually by the Greater Wichita Sports Commission.

The 2011 Bench Award winner was James Madison's Jake Lowery, and this year's semifinalists will be named May 16. A player who does not start at least 75% of his team's games at catcher will be disqualified. The entire 2012 list is available at WichitaSports.com.

Joe Pavone

Pavone, a red-shirt senior at UConn, sports a .333 average (13-for-39) in the Huskies' first ten games. Despite missing all of the 2011 season because of an injury, the Connecticut captain earned a spot on the 2012 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. An East Division All-Star for Chatham in 2010, Pavone appeared in 39 games, hitting .290 (29-for-100) with eight runs batted in. (Read More...)

Jacob Stallings

Stallings, in his fourth season at North Carolina, bats cleanup for the Heels, so far collecting nine RBIs and 15 hits (a .349 average) in 12 games. In two abbreviated summers on the Cape -- thanks to UNC's NCAA tournament exploits -- the Brentwood, TN native compiled 15 hits in 85 at-bats. In 2010 he paced the CCBL with 12 runners caught stealing in just 17 games at catcher. (Read More...)

J.T. Watkins

Watkins, now a four-year starting catcher for the Black Knights, earned All-Patriot League accolades as a junior in 2011 while setting the USMA record for percentage of runners caught stealing at 52.4% (22-for-42.) The Tuscaloosa, AL native continued to demonstrate his defensive prowess on the Cape last summer and has begun his senior season strong, batting .286 with six RBIs. (Read More...)

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