The Big Ten Conference unveiled its 2026 baseball awards on Tuesday, spotlighting the league’s most outstanding players and coaches from the recently concluded season.
Award Highlights
UCLA’s Roch Cholowsky earned Player of the Year honors for the second straight year, underscoring his sustained excellence at the plate.
His .330 average, 21 home runs and 59 RBI helped the Bruins set a conference record with 28 wins in Big Ten play, a streak that extended to 25 consecutive victories.
The accolades continued with Mason Edwards of USC named Pitcher of the Year after posting an 8‑0 record and a 1.49 ERA over 84.1 innings, a performance that also placed him atop the NCAA in strikeouts.
Defensive standout Dylan Carey from Nebraska captured the Defensive Player of the Year award, boasting a .980 fielding percentage with just four errors in 196 chances.
Freshman sensation Drew Grego of UCLA was selected Freshman of the Year, hitting .348 with seven homers and 44 RBI while ranking second in slugging percentage.
John Savage, UCLA’s longtime mentor, was unanimously chosen Coach of the Year, reflecting the program’s nation‑top consensus No. 1 ranking throughout the campaign.
The awards not only celebrated individual brilliance but also highlighted UCLA’s historic conference achievements, including record‑setting win totals and a perfect conference slate.
Conference officials praised the caliber of competition that has defined the league this season, noting that the recognized performances set a new benchmark for future Big Ten baseball.