Wright Named To 2012 Bench Watch List
March 09, 2012 | Baseball
March 9, 2012
WICHITA, Kansas - East Carolina's Zach Wright is one of 43 catchers named to the official watch list for the 2012 Johnny Bench Award presented by BaseballSavings.com and the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission. The Bench Award, which is given annually to the top division one collegiate catcher, is a rolling list that will be updated to include other candidates until May 7, 2012.
Wright, who has started 75 straight games behind the plate since the 2010 Conference USA Championships, is currently batting .216 (8-for-37) with two doubles, two RBI, three runs scored and has thrown out 3-of-7 base stealers (42.9 percent). Heading into his senior season he was named 2012 Preseason First-Team All C-USA by the league coaches and was rated the eighth-best catcher according to Perfect Game.
In his four-year career with the Pirates, Wright has started 123-of-146 games where is batting .268 (122-for-456) with 30 home runs, 96 RBI, 96 runs, 28 doubles and has thrown out 36.4 percent of base stealers (32-of-88).
A year ago, he earned Second-Team All C-USA honors after starting all 62 games behind the plate where he batted .272 (62-for-228). Wright led the Pirates in home runs (13), runs (47), slugging percentage (.518), total bases (118) and walks (34), while ranking second in RBI (39) and doubles (15). He was selected in the sixth round (pick 211) by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2011 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft.
A native of Goldsboro, N.C., Wright is the first Pirate to be named to the annual watch list three times and is the fourth in program history following Jake Smith (2006 winner), Corey Kemp (2007-08 semifinalist) and Jared Avchen (2010).
The watch list will be narrowed down to ten semifinalists, whom will be announced May 20, 2011. 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 in June prior to the NCAA Regionals and Major League Baseball Draft. 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 at the 15th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 28, 2012.
