Betts Named to 2023 Buster Posey Watch List
3/6/2023 1:03:52 PM | Baseball
Liberty catcher Gray Betts has been named to the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Watch List, the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission has announced. The senior, included on the list for the second straight season, is one of 65 catchers nominated for the award.
The award is given to the top Division I collegiate catcher each season. The list will be updated until May 8 and narrowed down to semifinalists on May 22. A national nominating committee will determine the three national finalists on June 6. The winner will be named on June 29 in Wichita, Kan.
Betts enters the week with a .273 batting average with seven RBI and six runs scored in Liberty’s first 11 games. The senior has a double, a triple and two home runs.
The Flames’ leadoff hitter has played in 194 games and started 189 games. The two-time ASUN All-Conference catcher has hit .297 with 94 RBI and 147 runs scored during his Liberty career. He has a .409 career on base percentage and walked 116 times.
Betts is one of 23 Liberty players with 200 or more hits in their career. The catcher has collected 216 career hits and needs 21 more to join the program’s top 10 list.
In addition, Betts is on the verge of moving into Liberty’s top 10 career runs scored list. The senior enters the week with 147 runs scored, six shy of tying Renard Brown (1980-82) and Phil Laurent (2003-06) for ninth all-time with 153. He has scored 50 or more runs in each of the last two seasons and is 33 away from passing Pat Sipe (1983-86) to become Liberty’s career leader with 180 career runs scored.
The Raleigh, N.C., native has already put his name in the program’s record book. Currently, he is third all-time in walks with 116.
Betts and the Flames (6-5) host the VCU Rams tomorrow afternoon at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m.
