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Johnny Bench Awards 2022

About

For two decades, the Johnny Bench Award was presented to college baseball’s top NCAA Division I catcher. The Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission created the award in 2000, and in 2019 was brought by Johnny to the Cincinnati Reds for an expanded program.  


The award now includes a top college softball winner, as well as regional, "Reds Country", high school baseball and softball honorees from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia. All winner are recognized in the Reds Hall of Fame & Museum at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio.  


Candidates are assembled from direct online submissions, All-State rosters, other award nominations and state athletic association recommendations. An awards committee determines a group of finalists based on statistics and support from local sources from each state. Johnny hand picks the winner.



Banquet Information

July 26, 2022

Great American Ballpark

Cincinnati, OH

Find out more

Selection Process & Deadlines

Watch List - Beginning of February

Starting February 1, 2022, the Johnny Bench Awards will be accepting candidates to be added to the watch list. Catchers are also added based on scouting recommendations and published rankings.

Stats Collection - End of May

All watch list candidates will be asked for their regular season statistics. Catchers will then be ranked by statistical qualifiers. Qualifiers will have played the majority of their games at the catching position.

Finalists - Mid June

With the support of state coaching associations and other sources, catchers are narrowed down to a group of 3-5 finalists. Based on these recommendations, Johnny hand picks the winners which are announced late June.

Awards Banquet - Mid July

Winners are hosted in Cincinnati by the Reds organization for an awards banquet benefiting the Reds Community Fund and Johnny Bench Scholarship Fund. Announcement of winners varies depending on stat collection and event timing.

About the award

2021 Awards Presented by MSA Sport

Thank you to our presenting sponsor, MSA Sport. 


MSA Design's passion for sports blends with thier love of architecture. The result: they've never missed an Opening Day-not a client’s, nor their favorite teams’. As avid sports fans, MSA’s passion for sports is what fuels their designs and overall growth within the MSA Sport division. The focus: enhancing the player and the fan experience. Since 1997, MSA Sport specializes in sports facilities design, stadium enhancement and fan engagement, while remaining a national leader in planning and designing of athletic facilities. Through novelty and technology they craft unique brand identities at the professional, collegiate, community recreation, and high school level.

In Partnership with the Cincinnati Reds

Bench Awards

2021 TOP College Catchers of the year

Kayla Kowalik, Kentucky - Softball

The 1st University of Kentucky softball player to win the division 1 College Batting Champion, Kayla lead the league in batting average among qualifiers while recording 100 hits and a record hitting steak. She was named to Softball America and National Fastpitch Coaches Association 1st team All-American and was a USA Softball Player of the Year finalist.

Matheu Nelson, Florida State - Baseball

Shortly after his selection to this award, he joined Johnny Bench in the ranks of Cincinnati Reds catchers after being draft by them in the first round. Matheu was selected as a 1st team All-American by several organizations, including Baseball America and the NCBWA. He was named a semifinalist for both the Golden Spikes and Dick Howser Awards, as well as ACC and Rawlings/Perfect Game Player of the Year.

Matheu Nelson - Reds 1st Round pick

Bally Sports Interview

2021 High School Softball Catchers

Madison Jellison - Ohio

Watkins Memorial High School  

· Division 1 First Team All-State Catcher

· Central District All Star

· All-Metro Player of the Year

· Committed to University of Toledo

Sydney Melton - Kentucky

Lyon County High School  

· An East-West State All Star

· A 1st team All-State catcher

· Set a school home run record this past season

· Committed to Southeast Missouri State

Sarah Stone- Indiana

Bedford North High School  

· 3 Time All State Catcher

· Miss Softball Finalist

· National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America

· Transferred to Indiana University

Sarah Trasnfers Home

Emily Allen - West Virginia

Parkersburg High School  

· 3x First Team All-State Catcher

· Premier Girls Fastpitch Regional All-American Finalist

· Conference Player of the Year

· Committed to North Carolina State University

2021 High School Baseball Catchers

Trey Pancake- Ohio

South Range High School  

· D3 First Team All-State Catcher

· First Team All Prep Baseball Report Team

· 2021 PBR Position Player of the Year

· Committed to Ohio State University

Matt Klein - Kentucky

Trinity High School  

· All-State Catcher and Academic All-State Athlete

· 2021 KY State Champion

· East Coast Pro Showcase Team

· Committed to University of Louisville

Austin Bode - Indiana

Columbus North High School  

· 3x All Conference Catcher

· 2021 All State Catcher

· Prep Baseball Report’s #32 Catcher in the Country

· Committed to University of Louisville

Parker Redden - West Virginia

Shady Spring High School  

· First Team All-State Catcher

· US Elite National Team

· All Coalfield Conference Catcher

· Committed to the University of Delaware

Local Media Coverage

Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds

Johnny Bench Awards honor top catchers

Reds.com

WCPO 9

Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds

Bench award ceremony

WCPO.com

Fox 19 NOW

Bally Sports Ohio

Bally Sports Ohio

Reds legend presenting the Johnny Bench Awards

WXIX.com

Bally Sports Ohio

Bally Sports Ohio

Bally Sports Ohio

Jim Day recaps the annual Johnny Bench Awards

BallySports.com

Previous Winners

College Baseball

Brad Cresse, Louisiana State University - 2000

Kelly Shoppach, Baylor University - 2001

Jeremy Brown, University of Alabama - 2002

Ryan Garko, Stanford University - 2003

Kurt Suzuki, Cal State Fullerton, 2004

Jeff Clement, University of Southern California - 2005

Jake Smith, East Carolina University - 2006

Ed Easley, Mississippi State University - 2007

Buster Posey, Florida State University - 2008

J.T. Wise, University of Oklahoma - 2009

Bryan Holaday, Texas Christian University - 2010

Jake Lowery, James Madison University - 2011

Mike Zunino, University of Florida - 2012

Stuart Turner, University of Mississippi - 2013

Max Pentecost, Kennesaw State University - 2014

Garrett Stubbs, University of Southern California - 2015

Zack Collins, University of Miami - 2016

Matt Whatley, Oral Roberts University , 2017

Joey Bart, Georgia Tech University - 2018

Adley Rutschman, Oregon State University - 2019

Patrick Bailey, North Carolina State - 2020

College Softball

Dejah Mulipola, University of Arizona 2019

Morganne Flores, University of Washingston 2020

Indiana Baseball

Nate Webb, Union County High School - 2019

Dalton Back, Columbus East High School - 2020

Indiana Softball

Grace Lorsung, Cathedral High School - 2019

Taryn Weddle, Floyd Central High School - 2020

Kentucky Baseball

Colin Bugress, Tates Creek High School - 2019

Grant Knipp, Louisville Male High School - 2020

Kentucky Softball

Riley Hull, Pulaski County High School - 2019

Taylor Jackson, Oldham County High School - 2020

Ohio Baseball

Joe Powell, Mason High School - 2019

Mason Sawyer, Bishop Hartley High School - 2020

Ohio Softball

Samantha Hackenbracht, Massillon Washington High School - 2019

Zoie Smith, Pickerington Central High School, 2020

West Virginia Baseball

Caleb Taylor, Morgantown High School - 2019

Eli Kirkendoll, Lincoln County High School -2020

West Virginia Softball

Sophia Mikula, Weir High School - 2019

Jess Canterbury, Herbert Hoover High School, 2020

In 2019, the Johnny Bench Awards moved to partnering with the Cincinnati Reds and expanded their program beyond collegiate baseball.

*Italics represents players with MLB service time.

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Johnny Bench Awards

Scouting has begun for the 2022 season. If you have a high school baseball or softball catcher to nominate from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana or West Virginia. Click the link below

High School Catcher Form