ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Following a breakout season, Navy baseball senior
Alex Smith was named a semifinalist for the 2023 Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award, the Wichita Sports Commission announced late Monday.
Previously known as the Johnny Bench Award, the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award honors the nation's top Division I collegiate catcher, as voted on by head coaches and sports information directors.
A 2023 All-Patriot League Second Team selection, Smith paced the team in batting average (.326), hits (61) and total bases (85) this season while starting in all 50 games, collecting 32 runs scored, 12 doubles, four home runs and 24 RBI. His .326 average sits ninth in the Patriot League, while his 61 hits currently rank eighth in the league. The Laguna Hills, California native put on an impressive display once March 1 rolled around, as Smith batted .366 over Navy's final 43 games after opening the campaign with a .077 average through the first seven contests, picking up all 16 of his extra-base hits and every one of his 24 RBI after the month of February.
Smith was even better defensively, finishing the campaign with the second-best fielding percentage in the league at .997 and catching a league-high 17 runners stealing, committing just one error all season behind the plate and throwing out almost half the runners against him.
Also earning 2020 Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American honors during his four years as a Navy starter, Smith ends his college career with a .303 batting average in 124 starts, compiling 138 hits, 76 runs scored, 27 doubles, four triples, seven homers, 73 RBI and three stolen bases.
Smith becomes the first Midshipman in program history to reach the semifinalist round of voting for the Catcher of the Year Award. He is also the first Navy player to be named a semifinalist for a national postseason award since Noah Song was a finalist for both the USA Baseball Golden Spikes and NCBWA Dick Howser Trophy National Player of the Year awards in 2019.
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 6, 2023. 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 on June 29, 2023.
2023 Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Semifinalists
Julian Brock, Jr., Louisiana
Bryan Broecker, So., Michigan State
Connor Burns, Jr., Long Beach State
Ryan Campos, So., Arizona State
Weston Eberly, Sr., Columbia
Calvin Harris, Jr., Ole Miss
Travis Lott, Jr., The Citadel
David Melfi, Sr., Wagner
Jack Payton, Jr., Louisville
Luke Shliger, Jr., Maryland
Alex Smith, Sr., Navy
Ryan Snell, Sr., Lamar
Kyle Teel, Jr., Virginia
