NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt is home to 5-of-80 student-athletes on the watch list for the 21st-annual Buster Posey National Catcher of the Year Award—Coastal Carolina’s BT Riopelle, Little Rock’s John Michael Russ, Louisiana’s Drake Osborn, South Alabama’s Reid Powers and Troy’s Caleb Bartolero.
Presented by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission, the award is named for former Florida State standout Buster Posey, who was bestowed with the honor in 2008.
Riopelle—a junior out of Marietta, Ga.—has appeared in 21-of-23 games for the Chanticleers, hitting .316 with 10 runs scored, nine RBIs, five doubles and three home runs. Behind the plate, he owns a .974 fielding percentage with 130 putouts and 20 assists.
Russ has started 23-of-25 games during his senior campaign for the Trojans, amassing a .353 average with 12 RBIs, 10 runs scored and four doubles. Defensively, the Texarkana, Texas, product boasts a 1.000 fielding percentage with 185 putouts and 13 assists.
A native of Sandia, Texas, Osborn has appeared in 24-of-29 outings for the Ragin’ Cajuns, hitting .239 with 14 runs scored, 11 RBIs, seven doubles and a pair of home runs. Behind the dish, the senior claims a .983 fielding percentage with 218 putouts and 15 assists.
Powers has started 24-of-26 games for the Jaguars, compiling a .222 average with 16 RBIs, seven runs scored, two doubles, a triple and a home run. The senior from Huntsville, Ala., who led the team with a .339 batting average in 2020, owns a .990 fielding percentage with 182 putouts and 24 assists.
Bartolero, a sophomore out of Woodstock, Ga., has appeared in 24-of-27 games for the Trojans, hitting .259 with 17 runs scored, 16 RBIs, three doubles, a triple and two home runs. Defensively, he carries a .994 fielding percentage with 162 putouts and 16 assists.
Riopelle, Osborn, Powers and Bartolero were part of the
initial Buster Posey National Catcher of the Year Award Watch List on March 9, while Russ was
1-of-11 additions on April 1.
2021 Buster Posey National Catcher of the Year Award Watch List
BT Riopelle, Coastal Carolina
John Michael Russ, Little Rock
Drake Osborn, Louisiana
Reid Powers, South Alabama
Caleb Bartolero, Troy