OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Seth Benes and Josh Newell of Lindenwood baseball have been named to the College Baseball Foundation Pitcher of the Year Watch List. A total of 142 of the nation's best hurlers are on the list, released on Wednesday.

The pitchers on the watch list represent 26 different conferences and reflect the top mound performers to this point of the 2026 season.

"There is an old adage in baseball that pitchers are usually ahead of the hitters early in the season," National Pitcher of the Year Award co-chair Brian Melakian said. "The number of early season dominant pitching performances this year proves that adage to be true."

Dominant is a fitting word to describe Seth Benes' 2026 thus far. The junior is 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA and a team-leading 23 strikeouts. Benes did not allow a run through his first 23.2 innings pitched to begin the season and is limiting opponents to a batting average of .174.

Meanwhile, 2025 OVC Pitcher of the Year Josh Newell also had a strong start, posting a 2-1 record with a 3.38 ERA. He has 14 strikeouts compared to only eight walks through 21.1 innings of work.

The National Pitcher of the Week is one of four weekly awards presented by the College Baseball Foundation. The CBF also awards the Brooks Wallace Award, John Olerud Award and Buster Posey Collegiate Catcher of the Week.

For more information on the National Pitcher of the Year Award, visit the College Baseball Foundation website at www.collegebaseballhall.org.