DALLAS - The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association has announced the preseason watch list for the 2025 Stopper of the Year Award. An award honoring the nation’s top relief pitcher in college baseball. Dominic Castellano and Kris Sosnowski have both been named to the initial watch list.
The senior Castellano enters his fourth season as a Knight after a standout 2024 season. Castellano made 22 appearances including one start in 2024, posting a 2.84 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 60.1 innings pitched, recording a perfect 7-0 record in the process. The southpaw also led UCF with an imposing .168 opposing batting average. Castellano finished the season ranked fifth nationally in hits per nine innings (5.07), 14th in WHIP (0.98), and 21st in ERA (2.83). The reliever capped his 2024 campaign earning ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. I Southeast All-Region Second Team honors. Alongside being named to the 2025 NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watchlist, Castellano was previously tabbed to the 2025 Preseason All-Big 12 Baseball Team.
The redshirt junior Sosnowski also received a nod from the NCBWA. In 2024, Sosonowski served as the Black and Gold’s closer in the latter half of the season and looks to be utilized as a late-game, high-leverage reliever again in 2025. The right-hander made 24 appearances in relief in 2024, notching a 3.38 ERA, recording six saves and punching out 40 in 37.1 innings pitched. Sosnowski limited opposing batters to a .239 average and recorded 17 scoreless outings on the season.
Both Castellano and Sosnowski were two of six team captains named by their teammates for the 2025 season.
Seventy-six players were named to the initial 2025 NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List, with the Knights making up two of six players representing the Big 12. In total, 19 conferences are represented on this list, with at least two players coming from 13 different leagues.
The NCBWA will announce the midseason watch list for Stopper of the Year on April 23 and finalists will be announced on June 4.
The NCBWA, founded in 1962, presents the Dick Howser Trophy to the nation’s top player and the Mike Martin National Coach of the Year to the nation’s top coach. It also selects All-America Teams for all Divisions, a Division I Freshman All-American team, Division I, II and III Players of the Week and Division I, II and III Players of the Year.
