Following a stellar regular season, Longhorns star Sam Cozart is moving closer to adding to his trophy case. The talented freshman was elected as one of 14 finalists for the Stopper of the Year Award on Thursday. While he has plenty of competition, Cozart has made a pretty good case over the last few months to make history.
The North Carolina native posted a 1.72 ERA in 47 innings while striking out 67 batters. He also held opponents to a .137 batting average and showed that he could hold his own in a competitive SEC conference. While Cozart played a variety of roles, he thrived in any situation.
When the Longhorns’ left-hander wasn’t pitching out of the rotation, he was frustrating batters out of the bullpen. In his first season in the burnt orange, Cozart recorded eight saves, which is the second-most of any rookie in the country. That is partly why he was also named a finalist for the Baseball America National Freshman of the Year Award.
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In SEC play, Cozart also set himself apart as he took his game to another level. He finished conference play with a 1.01 ERA and 0.64 WHIP. His seven saves were most by any pitcher in the SEC.
While Cozart will have to be patient to find out who the winner is, he has already placed himself in elite company. He is the fifth player in program history to be named a finalist, joining a group that includes J. Brent Cox, Chance Ruffin, Corey Knebel, and current teammate Dylan Volantis. Cox, Ruffin, and Knebel all won the award, etching themselves into the history books.
Cozart will learn his fate in a week, when the winner is revealed on June 12 at the Men’s College World Series.
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This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Texas baseball’s Sam Cozart close to winning Stopper of the Year Award
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