Completed Event: Baseball versus St. Thomas on March 5, 2026 , Win , 4, to, 2
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Baseball
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vs St. Thomas
2
Nayral Selected to Pitcher of the Year Award Watch List
3/11/2026 1:00:00 PM | Baseball
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Kansas junior pitcher Mathis Nayral was named to the 2026 National Pitcher of the Year Award watch list on Wednesday, as presented by the College Baseball Foundation.
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A total of 142 of the nation's best hurlers are on the watch list. The pitchers on the watch list represent 26 different conferences and reflect the top mound performers to this point of the 2026 season.
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This season, Nayral has posted a 2-1 record with a 4.74 ERA in 19.0 innings pitched. He has 20 strikeouts compared to seven walks and opponents are hitting only .214 against him. Nayral, a transfer from Cochise College and native of Montpellier, France, is sitting with a 1.16 WHIP.
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Nayral earned the win in each of his first two starts of the season. Those victories came against UTRGV and McNeese. In the game at UTRGV, Nayral tossed seven innings of one-run ball and faced only two batters over the minimum in his first career start at the Division I level. Nayral's most recent start against St. Thomas saw him record a career-high seven strikeouts.
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The National Pitcher of the Year Award was first awarded in 2009. Previous winners of the award are Stephen Strasburg, RHP, San Diego State, 2009; Alex Wimmers, RHP, Ohio State, 2010; Trevor Bauer, UCLA, RHP, 2011; Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford, 2012; Jonathan Gray, RHP, Oklahoma, 2013; Aaron Nola, RHP, LSU, 2014; Carson Fulmer, RHP, Vanderbilt, 2015; Eric Lauer, LHP, Kent State, 2016; Steven Gingery, LHP, Texas Tech, 2017; Luke Heimlich, LHP, Oregon State, 2018; Ethan Small, LHP, Mississippi State, 2019; Kevin Kopps, RHP, Arkansas, 2021; Cooper Hjerpe, LHP, Oregon State, 2022; Paul Skenes, RHP, LSU, 2023; Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas, 2024 and Jake Knapp, RHP, North Carolina, 2025.
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About the College Baseball Foundation
The purpose of the College Baseball Foundation (CBF) is to preserve, elevate, and advance the game; to inspire the next generation; to teach those who love college baseball about its rich history and traditions; to celebrate those who make college baseball special; and to honor those who have come before us, and built the foundation upon which college baseball thrives today.
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The College Baseball Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Support for the College Baseball Hall of Fame will help preserve the rich history of the sport for future generations. All donations to the College Baseball Hall of Fame are tax deductible and can be made via this link on the organization's website.
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The CBF presents the Brooks Wallace Award (Nation's Most Outstanding Shortstop), the National Pitcher of the Year Award, the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, the Skip Bertman Coach of the Year Award, the George H.W. Bush Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the Wayne Graham Award for Teaching Excellence.
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A total of 142 of the nation's best hurlers are on the watch list. The pitchers on the watch list represent 26 different conferences and reflect the top mound performers to this point of the 2026 season.
Â
This season, Nayral has posted a 2-1 record with a 4.74 ERA in 19.0 innings pitched. He has 20 strikeouts compared to seven walks and opponents are hitting only .214 against him. Nayral, a transfer from Cochise College and native of Montpellier, France, is sitting with a 1.16 WHIP.
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Nayral earned the win in each of his first two starts of the season. Those victories came against UTRGV and McNeese. In the game at UTRGV, Nayral tossed seven innings of one-run ball and faced only two batters over the minimum in his first career start at the Division I level. Nayral's most recent start against St. Thomas saw him record a career-high seven strikeouts.
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The National Pitcher of the Year Award was first awarded in 2009. Previous winners of the award are Stephen Strasburg, RHP, San Diego State, 2009; Alex Wimmers, RHP, Ohio State, 2010; Trevor Bauer, UCLA, RHP, 2011; Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford, 2012; Jonathan Gray, RHP, Oklahoma, 2013; Aaron Nola, RHP, LSU, 2014; Carson Fulmer, RHP, Vanderbilt, 2015; Eric Lauer, LHP, Kent State, 2016; Steven Gingery, LHP, Texas Tech, 2017; Luke Heimlich, LHP, Oregon State, 2018; Ethan Small, LHP, Mississippi State, 2019; Kevin Kopps, RHP, Arkansas, 2021; Cooper Hjerpe, LHP, Oregon State, 2022; Paul Skenes, RHP, LSU, 2023; Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas, 2024 and Jake Knapp, RHP, North Carolina, 2025.
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About the College Baseball Foundation
The purpose of the College Baseball Foundation (CBF) is to preserve, elevate, and advance the game; to inspire the next generation; to teach those who love college baseball about its rich history and traditions; to celebrate those who make college baseball special; and to honor those who have come before us, and built the foundation upon which college baseball thrives today.
Â
The College Baseball Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Support for the College Baseball Hall of Fame will help preserve the rich history of the sport for future generations. All donations to the College Baseball Hall of Fame are tax deductible and can be made via this link on the organization's website.
Â
The CBF presents the Brooks Wallace Award (Nation's Most Outstanding Shortstop), the National Pitcher of the Year Award, the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, the Skip Bertman Coach of the Year Award, the George H.W. Bush Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the Wayne Graham Award for Teaching Excellence.
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Players Mentioned
RHP
/ BaseballBaseball Highlights vs St. Thomas
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Baseball 2026 Preseason Press Conference
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