Coltyn Kessler Named Buster Posey Award Semifinalist

Senior catcher Coltyn Kessler has been named one of 16 semifinalists for the 2021 Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award honoring the nation’s top backstop, it was announced on Thursday.
 
Kessler has been one of college baseball’s top offensive catchers this season, ranking sixth in the Southeastern Conference in batting average at .358 and sixth in on-base percentage (.444), both tops amongst league catchers. The High Ridge, Missouri native has scored 18 runs, driven in 21, added 10 doubles and six home runs, walked 21 times and stolen a base in 42 games. He recently joined the school’s career 100-Hit Club and has an OPS of 1.006 for the season.
 
The award, given annually by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission, recognizes the best backstop in country who has played at least 75 percent of his team’s games at catcher. The three finalists will be selected and named on June 7 and brought to Wichita on July 1 to announce the winner.
 
Previous winners of the award, whose namesake was the 2008 winner and a three-time Major League Baseball World Series champion, include Adley Rutschman of Oregon State and Joey Bart of Georgia Tech, both of whom were top five MLB Draft selections.