OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Fighting Illini sophomore outfielder/left-handed pitcher Brayden Mazzacano was named to the 2026 watch list for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, the College Baseball Foundation announced on Wednesday.
The award is presented annually to the most outstanding two-way player in college baseball.
The 49 players on this year's watch list reflect some of the biggest names in college baseball this season, including 2025 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Evan Dempsey of Florida Gulf Coast. As usual, the watch list represents a wide swath of schools from across the country with players who have already made significant contributions to their team's success.
Mazzacano has played in six games for the Illini in 2026, including one shutout appearance on the mound and two starts in center field. The sophomore tallied the first hit of his collegiate career against VCU on Feb. 21.
The award is named after former Washington State University standout John Olerud, who achieved success both as a first baseman and left-handed pitcher during the late 1980s. He was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.
Previous winners of the award are Mike McGee, RHP/OF, Florida State, 2010; Danny Hultzen, LHP/1B/OF, Virginia, 2011; Brian Johnson, LHP/DH, Florida, 2012; Marco Gonzales, LHP/1B, Gonzaga, 2013; A.J. Reed, 1B/LHP, Kentucky, 2014; Brendan McKay, 1B/LHP, Louisville, 2015-17; Brooks Wilson, RHP/DH/1B, Stetson, 2018; Aaron Schunk, 3B/RHP, Georgia, 2019; Not Awarded (Season Suspended), 2020; Spencer Schwellenbach, RHP/SS, Nebraska, 2021; Paul Skenes, RHP/C, Air Force, 2022; Caden Grice, LHP/1B/DH, Clemson, 2023; Jac Caglianone, LHP/1B, Florida, 2024; and Evan Dempsey, OF/RHP, Florida Gulf Coast, 2025.
Mazzacano is one of five Big Ten student-athletes recognized on the watch list, a group that also includes Iowa's Kyle Alivo, Northwestern's Carter Danz, Iowa's Tyler Guerin, and Indiana's Caleb Koskie.
