TAMPA (Florida Sports Wire) – University of South Florida junior outfielder Drew Brutcher has been named to the 2023 Bobby Bragan National Collegiate Slugger Award (BBNCSA) watch list. The award, created by the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation, is based on performance at the plate, academics and personal integrity.
This year's watch list consists of 51 players representing 19 conferences around the country, including all five power conferences. The list includes 11 seniors, 35 juniors and five sophomores.
“Drew has a chance to be one of the premier college baseball players in the country,” said head coach Billy Mohl. “He is a huge part of our program’s success and I’m looking forward to seeing his continued progress while helping to push our program forward.”
Brutcher, a 2021 Freshman All-American, was also named to the Preseason American Athletic Conference Preseason All-Conference Team for the second year in a row.
One of the best five-tool players in the country, Brutcher has batted .297 with 15 doubles, 21 homers and 57 RBI over the past two seasons, despite missing time with injury in each of the last two years. Over 75 total games the last two seasons, he has totaled 60 walks with a .436 OBP and slugged .582.
Brutcher ranked 29th in the NCAA in walks per game last season and 77th in home runs per game.
He enters the 2023 campaign rated the No. 1 MLB Draft prospect in the American Athletic Conference (No. 28 overall outfielder) by D1Baseball.com.
South Florida opens its 2023 slate with a three-game series against No. 13 Maryland beginning on Friday, February 17 at 6:30 p.m. at USF Baseball Stadium in Tampa.
The Bulls’ have put together a loaded schedule this season which features games against six different opponents that reached the NCAA postseason in 2022. Those teams include Maryland, Florida, Florida State, Army, VCU and ECU.
USF looks to return to an NCAA Regional in 2023 after falling short of the postseason last year. The Bulls most recent NCAA appearance came in 2021 when USF stormed through the AAC Tournament for a conference championship, won the Gainesville Regional and advanced to the program’s first-ever Super Regional.