Photo by: Hallie Walker/Mississippi State Athletics
Valincius Named To National Pitcher Of The Year Watch List
March 11, 2026 | Baseball
STARKVILLE โ Mississippi State's Tomas Valincius was tabbed to the National Pitcher of the Year watch list by the College Baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday.
Valincius was one of 142 hurlers from around the country selected to the watch list, a list with 26 different conference represented.
The sophomore left-hander from Lockport, Illinois has made four starts for the Diamond Dawgs this spring. Valincius is 3-0 with a 1.74 earned run average, 26 strikeouts and six walks through 20 2/3 innings of work. Opposing teams are hitting just .227 against him.
MSU's Ethan Small won the College Baseball Hall of Fame National Pitcher of the Year in 2019 and Chris Stratton was selected as a semifinalist for the honor in 2012.
2026 NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD WATCH LIST
Name, Position, Classification, School, Conference
โข Ben Alekson, RHP, Junior, Fairfield, MAAC
โข Cooper Allen, RHP, Junior, UNCW, CAA
โข Colby Allen, RHP, Senior, Southern Miss, Sun Belt
โข Jeremiah Arnett, RHP, Junior, Rice, American
โข Brady Bendik, RHP, Junior, Navy, Patriot
โข Seth Benes, RHP, Junior, Lindenwood, OVC
โข Reid Bertram, LHP, RS-Senior, Gardner Webb, Big South
โข Brady Bickett, LHP, Junior, Charleston Southern, Big South
โข Gavin Blachowicz, RHP, Sophomore, Nebraska, Big 10
โข Ben Blair, RHP, Junior, Liberty, CUSA
โข Ryder Brooks, LHP, RS-Junior, UC Irvine, Big West
โข Ty Brooks, RHP, Sophomore, Indiana St, MVC
โข Landen Burch, RHP, Senior, MTSU, CUSA
โข Zach Busick, RHP, Junior, Little Rock, OVC
โข Kyle Calzadiaz, RHP, Senior, San Jose St, MWC
โข Cole Carlon, LHP, Junior, Arizona State, Big 12
โข Ryan Castillo, RHP, Junior, New Mexico, MWC
โข Ciaran Caughey, RHP, Senior, Kent St, MAC
โข Tyler Charlton, LHP, RS-Junior, Missouri St, CUSA
โข AJ Ciscar, RHP, Sophomore, Miami, ACC
โข Collin Clarke, RHP, Junior, Oregon, Big 10
โข A.J. Colarusso, LHP, Senior, Boston College, ACC
โข Chansen Cole, RHP, Sophomore, West Virginia, Big 12
โข Christian Coppola, RHP, Senior, St Joseph's, A10
โข Marty Coyne, LHP, Junior, Penn, Ivy
โข Matthew Cuccias, RHP, Junior, Wichita St, American
โข Ben Dean, RHP, Sophomore, Duke, ACC
โข Jason DeCaro, RHP, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
โข Evan Dempsey, LHP, Junior, FGCU, ASun
โข Gavin DeVooght, RHP, Junior, Michigan, Big 10
โข Liam Diehl, RHP, Junior, Towson, CAA
โข Felix Digiacomo, RHP, Graduate, VCU, A10
โข Kendall Dove, RHP, Junior, UTSA, American
โข Jacob Dudan, RHP, Junior, NC State, ACC
โข Luke Earnhardt, LHP, Junior, Winthrop, Big South
โข Mason Edwards, LHP, Junior, USC, Big 10
โข Tommy Egan, RHP, Senior, Troy, Sun Belt
โข Ryan Featherston, RHP, Junior, Oregon, Big 10
โข Colin Fisher, LHP, Junior, Arkansas, SEC
โข Jackson Flora, RHP, Junior, UC Santa Barbara, Big West
โข Cameron Flukey, RHP, Junior, Coastal Carolina, Sun Belt
โข Jack Frankel, RHP, Sophomore, Tulane, American
โข Gabe Gaeckle, RHP, Junior, Arkansas, SEC
โข Braden Gebhardt, LHP, Senior, Youngstown St, Horizon
โข Brayden Gilley, RHP, Junior, Winthrop, Big South
โข Grant Govel, RHP, Sophomore, USC, Big 10
โข Tyler Grenn, RHP, Senior, Navy, Patriot
โข Ed Hall, RHP, Senior, Davidson, A10
โข Trevor Hansen, RHP, Junior, UC Irvine, Big West
โข Logan Hastings, RHP, Sophomore, Maryland, Big 10
โข Hekili Robello, RHP, Junior, Hawaii, Big West
โข Landon Hood, RHP, Freshman, Gonzaga, WCC
โข Ty Horn, RHP, Junior, Nebraska, Big 10
โข Drew Horn, RHP, RS-Senior, MTSU, CUSA
โข Will Howell, RHP, RS-Sophomore, Memphis, American
โข Jaxon Jelkin, RHP, Junior, Kentucky, SEC
โข Sean Jenkins, RHP, Sophomore, East Carolina, American
โข Andrew Johnson, RHP, Sophomore, USC, Big 10
โข Cameron Johnson, LHP, Junior, Oklahoma, SEC
โข Noah Kenney, RHP, Junior, Washington, Big 10
โข Aidan King, RHP, Sophomore, Florida, SEC
โข Kole Klecker, RHP, Senior, Arizona State, Big 12
โข Aidan Knaak, RHP, Junior, Clemson, ACC
โข Reese Kortum, LHP, Junior, Wichita St, American
โข Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Sophomore, Tennessee, SEC
โข Will Labonte, RHP, Freshman, Portland, WCC
โข Tommy LaPour, RHP, Junior, TCU, Big 12
โข Ethan Lay, RHP, Senior, Sacramento St, WAC
โข Justin LeGuernic, LHP, Junior, Clemson, ACC
โข Rohan Lettow, RHP, Junior, SDSU, MWC
โข Chris Levonas, RHP, Sophomore, Wake Forest, ACC
โข Carson Liggett, RHP, RS-Senior, Kansas St, Big 12
โข Dylan Loy, LHP, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC
โข Landon Mack, RHP, Sophomore, Tennessee, SEC
โข Micheal Malki, RHP, Sophomore, Cal Baptist, WAC
โข Jake Marciano, LHP, Sophomore, Auburn, SEC
โข Ryan Marohn, LHP, Junior, NC State, ACC
โข Duncan Marsten, RHP, Sophomore, Wake Forest, ACC
โข Kurt Marton, RHP, Junior, Sacramento St, WAC
โข Wes Mendes, LHP, Junior, Florida State, ACC
โข LJ Mercurius, RHP, Junior, Oklahoma, SEC
โข Maddox Meyer, RHP, Sophomore, Omaha, Summitt
โข Ryland Morin, LHP, Junior, UAPB, SWAC
โข Wylan Moss, RHP, Sophomore, UCLA, Big 10
โข Eric Nachtsheim, RHP, Senior, McNeese, Southland
โข Griffin Naess, RHP, Junior, Cal Poly, Big West
โข Jackson Nash, RHP, Junior, Longwood, Big South
โข Mathis Nayral, RHP, Junior, Kansas, Big 12
โข Mikiah Negrete, LHP, Senior, Cal State Fullerton, Big West
โข Josh Newell, RHP, Senior, Lindenwood, OVC
โข Jake Nobles, RHP, Freshman, St. Mary's, WCC
โข Jack Ohman, RHP, Sophomore, Yale, Ivy
โข Chris Olivier, RHP, Senior, Lamar, Southland
โข Alex Overbay, RHP, Junior, Arizona State, Big 12
โข Brigden Parker, LHP, RS-Senior, Little Rock, OVC
โข Bryan Peck, RHP, Graduate, Cal Baptist, WAC
โข Gage Peterson, RHP, Junior, Appalachian St, Sun Belt
โข Garret Plata, LHP, RS-Junior, Pacific, WCC
โข Jalen Porter, RHP, Graduate, UAPB, SWAC
โข Daniel Powell, RHP, Junior, Kennesaw St, CUSA
โข Sawyer Pruitt, RHP, Senior, Louisiana, Sun Belt
โข Walter Quinn, RHP, Senior, TCU, Big 12
โข Daniel Quintana, RHP, RS-Junior, Radford, Big South
โข Jack Radel, RHP, Junior, Notre Dame, ACC
โข Cord Rager, LHP, Freshman, Oklahoma, SEC
โข Kaysen Raineri, RHP, Sophomore, Texas Tech, Big 12
โข Kyle Remington, RHP, Junior, Illinois, Big 10
โข Bryce Riggs, RHP, Junior, Eastern Illinois, OVC
โข Ruger Riojas, RHP, Senior, Texas, SEC
โข Richie Roman, RHP, Junior, Houston, Big 12
โข Aidan Russell, RHP, Senior, SDSU, MWC
โข Edwin Sanchez, LHP, Senior, Bethune Cookman, SWAC
โข Will Sanford, RHP, Sophomore, Oregon, Big 10
โข Paul Schmitz, RHP, Senior, Houston, Big 12
โข Nic Schutte, RHP, Senior, Murray St, MVC
โข Matt Scott, RHP, Senior, Georgia, SEC
โข Spencer Seid, LHP, Graduate, Georgetown, Big East
โข Michael Senay, RHP, Freshman, USF, American
โข Michael Sharman, LHP, Senior, Clemson, ACC
โข Kade Shatwell, RHP, Senior, Austin Peay, ASun
โข Sam Simmons, RHP, Senior, UTSA, American
โข Aiden Sims, RHP, Sophomore, Texas A&M, SEC
โข Braden Smith, RHP, Junior, UCF, Big 12
โข William Soignier, RHP, Junior, Bradley, MVC
โข Alex Solis, RHP, Junior, Houston, Big 12
โข Patrick Steitz, RHP, RS-Senior, VCU, A10
โข Cayden Suchy, LHP, Sophomore, UConn, Big East
โข Camden Sunstrom, RHP, Sophomore, Southern Miss, Sun Belt
โข Joseph Taylor, RHP, Junior, Charlotte, American
โข Zach Todd, RHP, RS-Junior, Pacific, WCC
โข Cade Townsend, RHP, Sophomore, Mississippi, SEC
โข Adam Troy, RHP, RS-Junior, USC, Big 10
โข Easton Tumis, RHP, RS-Sophomore, Kent St, MAC
โข Tomas Valincius, LHP, Sophomore, Miss St, SEC
โข Dylan Volantis, LHP, Sophomore, Texas, SEC
โข Joey Volchko, RHP, Junior, Georgia, SEC
โข Parker Warner, RHP, Sophomore, Stanford, ACC
โข Brannon Westmoreland, RHP, Junior, Little Rock, OVC
โข Dax Whitney, RHP, Sophomore, Oregon St, Independent
โข Lance Williams, RHP, Sophomore, Maryland, Big 10
โข Bradley Zayac, RHP, Sophomore, Liberty, CUSA
Visitย www.HailState.comย for the latest news and information on the baseball program. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching 'HailStateBB' onย X,ย Facebookย andย Instagram.
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Valincius was one of 142 hurlers from around the country selected to the watch list, a list with 26 different conference represented.
The sophomore left-hander from Lockport, Illinois has made four starts for the Diamond Dawgs this spring. Valincius is 3-0 with a 1.74 earned run average, 26 strikeouts and six walks through 20 2/3 innings of work. Opposing teams are hitting just .227 against him.
MSU's Ethan Small won the College Baseball Hall of Fame National Pitcher of the Year in 2019 and Chris Stratton was selected as a semifinalist for the honor in 2012.
2026 NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD WATCH LIST
Name, Position, Classification, School, Conference
โข Ben Alekson, RHP, Junior, Fairfield, MAAC
โข Cooper Allen, RHP, Junior, UNCW, CAA
โข Colby Allen, RHP, Senior, Southern Miss, Sun Belt
โข Jeremiah Arnett, RHP, Junior, Rice, American
โข Brady Bendik, RHP, Junior, Navy, Patriot
โข Seth Benes, RHP, Junior, Lindenwood, OVC
โข Reid Bertram, LHP, RS-Senior, Gardner Webb, Big South
โข Brady Bickett, LHP, Junior, Charleston Southern, Big South
โข Gavin Blachowicz, RHP, Sophomore, Nebraska, Big 10
โข Ben Blair, RHP, Junior, Liberty, CUSA
โข Ryder Brooks, LHP, RS-Junior, UC Irvine, Big West
โข Ty Brooks, RHP, Sophomore, Indiana St, MVC
โข Landen Burch, RHP, Senior, MTSU, CUSA
โข Zach Busick, RHP, Junior, Little Rock, OVC
โข Kyle Calzadiaz, RHP, Senior, San Jose St, MWC
โข Cole Carlon, LHP, Junior, Arizona State, Big 12
โข Ryan Castillo, RHP, Junior, New Mexico, MWC
โข Ciaran Caughey, RHP, Senior, Kent St, MAC
โข Tyler Charlton, LHP, RS-Junior, Missouri St, CUSA
โข AJ Ciscar, RHP, Sophomore, Miami, ACC
โข Collin Clarke, RHP, Junior, Oregon, Big 10
โข A.J. Colarusso, LHP, Senior, Boston College, ACC
โข Chansen Cole, RHP, Sophomore, West Virginia, Big 12
โข Christian Coppola, RHP, Senior, St Joseph's, A10
โข Marty Coyne, LHP, Junior, Penn, Ivy
โข Matthew Cuccias, RHP, Junior, Wichita St, American
โข Ben Dean, RHP, Sophomore, Duke, ACC
โข Jason DeCaro, RHP, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
โข Evan Dempsey, LHP, Junior, FGCU, ASun
โข Gavin DeVooght, RHP, Junior, Michigan, Big 10
โข Liam Diehl, RHP, Junior, Towson, CAA
โข Felix Digiacomo, RHP, Graduate, VCU, A10
โข Kendall Dove, RHP, Junior, UTSA, American
โข Jacob Dudan, RHP, Junior, NC State, ACC
โข Luke Earnhardt, LHP, Junior, Winthrop, Big South
โข Mason Edwards, LHP, Junior, USC, Big 10
โข Tommy Egan, RHP, Senior, Troy, Sun Belt
โข Ryan Featherston, RHP, Junior, Oregon, Big 10
โข Colin Fisher, LHP, Junior, Arkansas, SEC
โข Jackson Flora, RHP, Junior, UC Santa Barbara, Big West
โข Cameron Flukey, RHP, Junior, Coastal Carolina, Sun Belt
โข Jack Frankel, RHP, Sophomore, Tulane, American
โข Gabe Gaeckle, RHP, Junior, Arkansas, SEC
โข Braden Gebhardt, LHP, Senior, Youngstown St, Horizon
โข Brayden Gilley, RHP, Junior, Winthrop, Big South
โข Grant Govel, RHP, Sophomore, USC, Big 10
โข Tyler Grenn, RHP, Senior, Navy, Patriot
โข Ed Hall, RHP, Senior, Davidson, A10
โข Trevor Hansen, RHP, Junior, UC Irvine, Big West
โข Logan Hastings, RHP, Sophomore, Maryland, Big 10
โข Hekili Robello, RHP, Junior, Hawaii, Big West
โข Landon Hood, RHP, Freshman, Gonzaga, WCC
โข Ty Horn, RHP, Junior, Nebraska, Big 10
โข Drew Horn, RHP, RS-Senior, MTSU, CUSA
โข Will Howell, RHP, RS-Sophomore, Memphis, American
โข Jaxon Jelkin, RHP, Junior, Kentucky, SEC
โข Sean Jenkins, RHP, Sophomore, East Carolina, American
โข Andrew Johnson, RHP, Sophomore, USC, Big 10
โข Cameron Johnson, LHP, Junior, Oklahoma, SEC
โข Noah Kenney, RHP, Junior, Washington, Big 10
โข Aidan King, RHP, Sophomore, Florida, SEC
โข Kole Klecker, RHP, Senior, Arizona State, Big 12
โข Aidan Knaak, RHP, Junior, Clemson, ACC
โข Reese Kortum, LHP, Junior, Wichita St, American
โข Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Sophomore, Tennessee, SEC
โข Will Labonte, RHP, Freshman, Portland, WCC
โข Tommy LaPour, RHP, Junior, TCU, Big 12
โข Ethan Lay, RHP, Senior, Sacramento St, WAC
โข Justin LeGuernic, LHP, Junior, Clemson, ACC
โข Rohan Lettow, RHP, Junior, SDSU, MWC
โข Chris Levonas, RHP, Sophomore, Wake Forest, ACC
โข Carson Liggett, RHP, RS-Senior, Kansas St, Big 12
โข Dylan Loy, LHP, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC
โข Landon Mack, RHP, Sophomore, Tennessee, SEC
โข Micheal Malki, RHP, Sophomore, Cal Baptist, WAC
โข Jake Marciano, LHP, Sophomore, Auburn, SEC
โข Ryan Marohn, LHP, Junior, NC State, ACC
โข Duncan Marsten, RHP, Sophomore, Wake Forest, ACC
โข Kurt Marton, RHP, Junior, Sacramento St, WAC
โข Wes Mendes, LHP, Junior, Florida State, ACC
โข LJ Mercurius, RHP, Junior, Oklahoma, SEC
โข Maddox Meyer, RHP, Sophomore, Omaha, Summitt
โข Ryland Morin, LHP, Junior, UAPB, SWAC
โข Wylan Moss, RHP, Sophomore, UCLA, Big 10
โข Eric Nachtsheim, RHP, Senior, McNeese, Southland
โข Griffin Naess, RHP, Junior, Cal Poly, Big West
โข Jackson Nash, RHP, Junior, Longwood, Big South
โข Mathis Nayral, RHP, Junior, Kansas, Big 12
โข Mikiah Negrete, LHP, Senior, Cal State Fullerton, Big West
โข Josh Newell, RHP, Senior, Lindenwood, OVC
โข Jake Nobles, RHP, Freshman, St. Mary's, WCC
โข Jack Ohman, RHP, Sophomore, Yale, Ivy
โข Chris Olivier, RHP, Senior, Lamar, Southland
โข Alex Overbay, RHP, Junior, Arizona State, Big 12
โข Brigden Parker, LHP, RS-Senior, Little Rock, OVC
โข Bryan Peck, RHP, Graduate, Cal Baptist, WAC
โข Gage Peterson, RHP, Junior, Appalachian St, Sun Belt
โข Garret Plata, LHP, RS-Junior, Pacific, WCC
โข Jalen Porter, RHP, Graduate, UAPB, SWAC
โข Daniel Powell, RHP, Junior, Kennesaw St, CUSA
โข Sawyer Pruitt, RHP, Senior, Louisiana, Sun Belt
โข Walter Quinn, RHP, Senior, TCU, Big 12
โข Daniel Quintana, RHP, RS-Junior, Radford, Big South
โข Jack Radel, RHP, Junior, Notre Dame, ACC
โข Cord Rager, LHP, Freshman, Oklahoma, SEC
โข Kaysen Raineri, RHP, Sophomore, Texas Tech, Big 12
โข Kyle Remington, RHP, Junior, Illinois, Big 10
โข Bryce Riggs, RHP, Junior, Eastern Illinois, OVC
โข Ruger Riojas, RHP, Senior, Texas, SEC
โข Richie Roman, RHP, Junior, Houston, Big 12
โข Aidan Russell, RHP, Senior, SDSU, MWC
โข Edwin Sanchez, LHP, Senior, Bethune Cookman, SWAC
โข Will Sanford, RHP, Sophomore, Oregon, Big 10
โข Paul Schmitz, RHP, Senior, Houston, Big 12
โข Nic Schutte, RHP, Senior, Murray St, MVC
โข Matt Scott, RHP, Senior, Georgia, SEC
โข Spencer Seid, LHP, Graduate, Georgetown, Big East
โข Michael Senay, RHP, Freshman, USF, American
โข Michael Sharman, LHP, Senior, Clemson, ACC
โข Kade Shatwell, RHP, Senior, Austin Peay, ASun
โข Sam Simmons, RHP, Senior, UTSA, American
โข Aiden Sims, RHP, Sophomore, Texas A&M, SEC
โข Braden Smith, RHP, Junior, UCF, Big 12
โข William Soignier, RHP, Junior, Bradley, MVC
โข Alex Solis, RHP, Junior, Houston, Big 12
โข Patrick Steitz, RHP, RS-Senior, VCU, A10
โข Cayden Suchy, LHP, Sophomore, UConn, Big East
โข Camden Sunstrom, RHP, Sophomore, Southern Miss, Sun Belt
โข Joseph Taylor, RHP, Junior, Charlotte, American
โข Zach Todd, RHP, RS-Junior, Pacific, WCC
โข Cade Townsend, RHP, Sophomore, Mississippi, SEC
โข Adam Troy, RHP, RS-Junior, USC, Big 10
โข Easton Tumis, RHP, RS-Sophomore, Kent St, MAC
โข Tomas Valincius, LHP, Sophomore, Miss St, SEC
โข Dylan Volantis, LHP, Sophomore, Texas, SEC
โข Joey Volchko, RHP, Junior, Georgia, SEC
โข Parker Warner, RHP, Sophomore, Stanford, ACC
โข Brannon Westmoreland, RHP, Junior, Little Rock, OVC
โข Dax Whitney, RHP, Sophomore, Oregon St, Independent
โข Lance Williams, RHP, Sophomore, Maryland, Big 10
โข Bradley Zayac, RHP, Sophomore, Liberty, CUSA
Visitย www.HailState.comย for the latest news and information on the baseball program. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching 'HailStateBB' onย X,ย Facebookย andย Instagram.
ย
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