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Big Ten Conference Announces 2024 Baseball Postseason Awards
ROSEMONT, Ill. — The Big Ten Conference announced Tuesday its baseball individual award winners, All-Big Ten teams and Sportsmanship Award recipients for the 2024 season. Voting was conducted by the conference’s head coaches.
Rutgers junior shortstop Josh Kuroda-Grauer was named Player of the Year, Nebraska senior right-handed starter Brett Sears tabbed Pitcher of the Year, Purdue first baseman Luke Gaffney selected as Freshman of the Year and Dan Hartleb of Illinois chosen Coach of the Year.
Kuroda-Grauer started all 53 games for the Scarlet Knights, leading the nation in hits (95) and ranking third with a .428 batting average. He finished with 29 multi-hit games, stole 24 bases and committed just seven errors. He was the lone Big Ten player selected as one of 25 semifinalists for the 2024 Golden Spikes Award, presented to the top amateur player. Kuroda-Grauer is the first Scarlet Knight to earn the Big Ten Player of the Year award since Rutgers entered the conference in 2015.
Sears leads Big Ten pitchers with a 2.05 ERA (which stands fourth nationally), 14 game starts and a 0.83 WHIP. He has posted 87 strikeouts against 16 walks over 92 innings and is the first Nebraska hurler since 1999 to start the season with an 8-0 record. He was named NCBWA National Pitcher of the Week on April 9. Sears is the first Cornhusker to win the Pitcher of the Year award since Nebraska joined the conference in 2012.
Gaffney ranks second among Big Ten players in runs (60), RBI (63) and total bases (131) and stands third in OPS (1.109) entering the Big Ten Tournament. He reached base in 17 consecutive games from March 22-April 20 and was recognized as Big Ten Freshman of the Week five times. Gaffney is the first Boilermaker to be named Rookie of the Year since 2007 and is the school’s second recipient since the award was first issued in 1988.
Hartleb led Illinois to the Big Ten Championship with a .750 winning percentage (18-6) in conference action. It was the school’s first regular season title since 2015. Illinois has produced 33 wins this season, which includes a 21-11 run-rule decision against 14th-ranked Indiana State. Hartleb earns his second Big Ten Coach of the Year honor, having been recognized in 2015.
The Big Ten also recognized 13 Sportsmanship Award recipients, honoring student-athletes who distinguished themselves through sportsmanship, ethical behavior, academics and citizenship.
The Big Ten Baseball Tournament Presented by IFS.ai began today and runs through Sunday at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Neb.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Josh Kuroda-Grauer, Jr., SS, Rutgers
PITCHER OF THE YEAR:
Brett Sears, Sr., RHP, Nebraska
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:
Luke Gaffney, Fr., 1B, Purdue
COACH OF THE YEAR:
Dan Hartleb, Illinois
ALL-BIG TEN FIRST TEAM
| POS | NAME | YEAR | SCHOOL | HOMETOWN |
| SP | Brody Brecht | Jr. | Iowa | Ankeny, Iowa |
| SP | Brett Sears | Sr. | Nebraska | Westphalia, Iowa |
| SP | Connor Wietgrefe | Jr. | Minnesota | Prior Lake, Minn. |
| RP | Jacob Denner | 5th | Michigan | Closter, N.J. |
| C | Camden Janik | Jr. | Illinois | Wauconda, Ill. |
| 1B | Eddie Hacopian | Jr. | Maryland | Potomac, Md. |
| 2B | Sam Hojnar | Sr. | Maryland | Naperville, Ill. |
| SS | Josh Kuroda-Grauer | Jr. | Rutgers | Somerset, N.J. |
| 3B | Raider Tello | Jr. | Iowa | El Monte, Calif. |
| OF | Devin Taylor | So. | Indiana | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| OF | Stephen Hrustich | Gr. | Michigan | Stone Mountain, Ga. |
| OF | Jack Frank | Sr. | Michigan State | Strongsville, Ohio |
| DH | Jacob Schroeder | Sr. | Illinois | Homewood-Flossmoor, Ill. |
| UTL | Mitch Voit | So. | Michigan | Whitefish Bay, Wis. |
ALL-BIG TEN SECOND TEAM
| POS | NAME | YEAR | SCHOOL | HOMETOWN |
| SP | Connor Foley | So. | Indiana | Jasper, Ind. |
| SP | Joseph Dzierwa | So. | Michigan State | Haskins, Ohio |
| SP | Mason McConnaughey | So. | Nebraska | Topeka, Kan. |
| RP | Logan Berrier | Sr. | Maryland | North Las Vegas, Nev. |
| C | J.T. Marr | Gr. | Penn State | Fort Mill, S.C. |
| 1B | Luke Gaffney | Fr. | Purdue | Danville, Ky. |
| 2B | Brody Harding | Sr. | Illinois | Moline, Ill. |
| SS | Henry Kaczmar | So. | Ohio State | Bath, Ohio |
| 3B | Chris Hacopian | Fr. | Maryland | Potomac, Md. |
| OF | Ryan Moerman | Jr. | Illinois | Lockport, Ill. |
| OF | Josh Fitzgerald | Jr. | Minnesota | Mason City, Iowa |
| OF | Adam Cecere | Gr. | Penn State | Adams Township, Pa. |
| DH | Tyler Stone | Jr. | Nebraska | Scottsdale, Ariz. |
| UTL | Joey Brenczewski | Fr. | Indiana | Fishers, Ind. |
ALL-BIG TEN THIRD TEAM
| POS | NAME | YEAR | SCHOOL | HOMETOWN |
| SP | Kurt Barr | So. | Michigan | Saint Joachim, Ontario |
| SP | Jordan Morales | Gr. | Purdue | Souderton, Pa. |
| SP | Justin Sinibaldi | Sr. | Rutgers | Bridgewater, N.J. |
| RP | Blaine Wynk | So. | Ohio State | Miamisburg, Ohio |
| C | Connor Caskenette | Sr. | Purdue | Duncan, B.C. |
| 1B | Drake Westcott | Jr. | Illinois | Edwardsville, Ill. |
| 2B | Mack Timbrook | Gr. | Michigan | Kent, Ohio |
| SS | Tyler Cerny | So. | Indiana | Greenwood, Ind. |
| 3B | Bryce Molinaro | Fr. | Penn State | Drums, Pa. |
| OF | Andy Nelson | Sr. | Iowa | Winfield, Ill. |
| OF | Case Sanderson | Fr. | Nebraska | Nevada, Mo. |
| OF | Mike Bolton Jr. | 5th | Purdue | Chicago, Ill. |
| DH | Reese Moore | Fr. | Iowa | Van Meter, Iowa |
| UTL | Cameron Chee-Aloy | Fr. | Illinois | Toronto, Ont. |
BIG TEN ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
| POS | NAME | YEAR | SCHOOL | HOMETOWN |
| SP | Gavin DeVooght | Fr. | Ohio State | Walled Lake, Mich. |
| SP | Mason Horwat | Fr. | Penn State | Pittsburgh, Pa. |
| SP | Cole Van Assen | Fr. | Purdue | Tinley Park, Ill. |
| RP | Jacob Vogel | Fr. | Indiana | North Vernon, Ind. |
| C | Reese Moore | Fr. | Iowa | Van Meter, Iowa |
| 1B | Luke Gaffney | Fr. | Purdue | Danville, Ky. |
| 2B | Jasen Oliver | Fr. | Indiana | Almont, Mich. |
| SS | Jack Spainer + | Fr. | Minnesota | Cold Spring, Minn. |
| 3B | Chris Hacopian | Fr. | Maryland | Potomac, Md. |
| OF | Cameron Chee-Aloy | Fr. | Illinois | Toronto, Ont. |
| OF | Case Sanderson | Fr. | Nebraska | Nevada, Mo. |
| OF | Jackson Freeman | Fr. | Northwestern | Ladera Ranch, Calif. |
| DH | Collin Priest | Fr. | Michigan | Mount Dora, Fla. |
| UTL | Joey Brenczewski | Fr. | Indiana | Fishers, Ind. |
BIG TEN SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
| NAME | YEAR | POS | SCHOOL | HOMETOWN |
| Connor Milton | Sr. | OF | Illinois | Champaign, Ill. |
| Jake Stadler | Jr. | C | Indiana | Greenfield, Ind. |
| Michael Seegers | Sr. | INF | Iowa | Oconomowoc, Wis. |
| Jacob Orr | Jr. | INF | Maryland | Frederick, Md. |
| Dylan Stanton | Sr. | INF | Michigan | Richland, Mich. |
| Dillon Kark | Sr. | INF | Michigan State | White Lake, Mich. |
| Boston Merila | Sr. | OF | Minnesota | St. Michael, Minn. |
| Drew Christo | Jr. | RHP | Nebraska | Elkhorn, Neb. |
| Matt McClure | Sr. | RHP | Northwestern | Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. |
| Mitchell Okuley | Sr. | OF | Ohio State | Powell, Ont. |
| C.J. Pittaro | Sr. | INF | Penn State | Hamilton, N.J. |
| Thomas Green | Gr. | INF | Purdue | Courtenay, B.C. |
| Sonny Fauci | Gr. | RHP | Rutgers | Old Bridge, N.J. |