STANFORD, Calif. – Senior Brendan Beck headlined the list of Stanford baseball players lauded by the Pac-12 on Thursday, earning Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year and a spot on the All-Conference first team.
The Pitcher of the Year selection is the eighth overall for Stanford, and the first for the Cardinal since John Hudgins claimed the honor in 2003. This marks the third consecutive year that Stanford has garnered eight All-Conference selections.
Joining Beck on the Pac-12's first team are fifth-year reliever Zach Grech, sophomore outfielder Brock Jones and senior first baseman Nick Brueser. The honorable mention team features senior left-hander Jacob Palisch, senior outfielder Christian Robinson, junior designated hitter Vincent Martinez and freshman reliever Joey Dixon.
Beck, a second-team All-American according to Collegiate Baseball, has pitched to a 7-1 record and a 3.03 ERA over 13 appearances and 12 starts this year. The right-hander, who owns the third-best ERA in the Pac-12, has struck out a Pac-12 best 106 hitters compared to just 20 walks over 86 innings of work. His 11.09 strikeouts per nine innings and 5.30 strikeout-to-walk ratio both rank third in the Pac-12 this season, while the 106 strikeouts are the most for a Cardinal in a single season since Mark Appel in 2013 (130). Further establishing himself among the elite pitchers in the nation, Beck's .92 WHIP leads the conference and ranks 21st nationally. As consistent as any pitcher this year, Beck has turned in a quality start in 10 of 12 starts this season, including registering a complete game in his last two turns. Seemingly getting better as the season progresses, Beck carries a 1.44 ERA over his last three outings spanning 25 innings, allowing just four runs on 10 hits with two walks and 31 strikeouts. Beck had previously earned All-Conference honorable mention honors in 2018 as a freshman.
Grech currently ranks second in the nation in saves (13) and has earned a spot on the Midseason Watch List for the 16th annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award. The right-hander has made a team-best 28 appearances and has factored into the decisions in 23 of the 28 – compiling a 5-5 record and the 13 saves. Grech owns a 3.35 ERA and a .98 WHIP over 43 innings of work this season.
Jones has experienced a breakout sophomore season hitting in the middle of the Cardinal order, batting .300 with 43 runs scored, eight doubles, a triple and a team-best 13 homers to accompany a team-high 44 RBIs. The Fresno, Calif. native is slugging .588 and reaching at a .453 clip, including reaching safely in all but four games this year. Jones, who has recorded 13 multi-hit and 10 multi-RBI games, finished with 23 runs scored, three doubles, six homers and 22 RBIs in Pac-12 play.
Brueser leads the team with a .321 batting average and has scored 24 runs with nine doubles, a triple, nine home runs and 29 RBIs. Brueser reached in 35 straight games from March 7 to May 28 and has been aboard in all but four games with an at bat this year. The native of Chandler, Ariz. has amassed a team-best 15 multi-hit games and is slugging .564 to rank 12th in the Pac-12. A right-handed hitting first baseman, Brueser batted .322 with 13 runs scored, five doubles, a triple, seven homers and 17 RBIs in Pac-12 play.
Palisch has appeared in 16 games out of the bullpen for the Cardinal, compiling a 3.41 ERA and a 2-0 record over 29 innings pitched. The left-hander has struck out 27. In conference play, Palisch posted a 1.37 ERA and a 1-0 record while appearing in 11 games.
Robinson has a hit in 28 of the 41 games with an at bat this year, compiling a .308 average with 30 runs scored, nine doubles, six homers and 36 RBIs to rank second on the team. The native of Melbourne, Fla. has compiled 14 multi-hit games and 10 multi-RBI games, and hit .298 with 18 runs scored, eight doubles, three homers and 15 RBIs in Pac-12 play.
Martinez, who has received the bulk of the starts at designated hitter this year, is batting .312 with 36 runs scored, eight doubles, seven homers and 22 RBIs. The San Marcos, Calif. native has hit safely in 32 of the 41 games with an at bat this year, amassing 11 multi-hit games along the way. In Pac-12 play, Martinez batted .293 with 20 runs scored, six doubles, three homers and seven RBIs.
Dixon has emerged as one of the best relief arms out of the bullpen as a freshman. The right-hander owns a 1-0 record with two saves and a 0.69 ERA over 16 relief appearances and 26 innings pitched. The native of South Jordan, Utah allowed just two unearned runs over 11 appearances and 20 innings pitched in Pac-12 play.
No. 7 Stanford is preparing to host No. 17 UC Irvine, Nevada and North Dakota State in the Stanford Regional this weekend from Sunken Diamond. Stanford will open the tournament on Friday at 1 p.m. with a game against NDSU.
2021 Pac-12 All-Conference Awards
Player of the Year - Aaron Zavala, Oregon
Defensive Player of the Year - Drew Swift, ASU
Pitcher of the Year - Brendan Beck, Stanford
Freshman of the Year - Daniel Susac, Arizona
Coach of the Year - Jay Johnson, Arizona
Batting Champion - JT Schwartz – UCLA
All-Conference Team:
Brendan Beck, Stanford
Robert Ahlstrom, Oregon
Chase Silseth, Arizona
Matt McClain, UCLA
Darren Baker, California
Drew Swift, Arizona State
Aaron Zavala, Oregon
Dylan Beavers, California
Donta Williams, Arizona
Kolby Somers, Oregon
Zach Grech, Stanford
Daniel Susac, Arizona
JT Schwartz, UCLA
Jacob Berry, Arizona
Kyle Manzardo, Washington State
Ethan Long, Arizona State
Noah Cardenas, UCLA
Troy Claunch, Oregon State
Ben Ramirez, USC
Kenyon Yovan, Oregon
Gabe Matthews, Oregon
Max Rajcic, UCLA
Quentin Selma, California
Adrian Chaidez, UCLA
Jake Mulholland, Oregon State
Brock Jones, Stanford
Garret Guillemette, USC
Nick Brueser, Stanford
Branden Boissiere, Arizona
Will Frisch, Oregon State
Sean Mullen, UCLA
Tristan Peterson, Washington State
All-Conference Honorable Mention:
Josh White, California
Ryan Holgate, Arizona
Jacob Palisch, Stanford
Christian Robinson, Stanford
Branden Boissiere, Arizona
Sean McLain, Arizona State
Vincent Martinez, Stanford
Ian Villers, California
Joey Dixon, Stanford
Bryant Salgado, Oregon State
Cullen Kafka, Oregon
Garret Forrester, Oregon State
Jayden Kiernan, Utah
Jake Meyer, Washington State
Kevin Kendall, UCLA
Josh Kasevich, Oregon
Quentin Longrie, USC
Vince Vannelle, Arizona
Sean Sullivan, California
Kevin Abel, Oregon State
Jesse Bergin, UCLA
Tanner Smith, Oregon
Kobe Kato, Arizona
Jacob Melton, Oregon State
Nate Baez, Arizona State
All-Defensive Team:
Robert Ahlstrom, Oregon
Daniel Susac, Arizona
Gabe Matthews, Oregon
Darren Baker, California
Hunter Haas, Arizona State
Drew Swift, Arizona State
Donta Williams, Arizona
Braiden Ward, Washington
Joe Lampe, Arizona State