2015 JOHNNY BENCH AWARD WATCH LIST

MALIBU, Calif. - The 2015 Johnny Bench Award watch list was released this week and Pepperdine's Aaron Barnett was included on the list for the prestigious award.

The Johnny Bench Award is given annually to the top catcher in collegiate baseball. Compiled nationally, 75 players were included on the list.

The watch list will be narrowed down to the semifinalists, whom will be announced May 14, 2015. 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 June 2, 2015. 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 18th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 25, 2015.

Barnett (Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley HS) is coming off a season in which he was named a freshman All-American by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball and the NCBWA. He led the Waves with a .359 batting average on the team's run to the NCAA Super Regional and was named to the All-WCC freshman team. The sophomore catcher currently leads the team with 17 hits and is batting .283 through 15 games. Barnett has yet to make an error behind the plate and has caught three runners stealing.