Spartans' Horvath Named to National Award Watch List

Michigan State right-handed reliever Tyler Horvath has been named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List.

Michigan State's Tyler Horvath pitches to an Ohio State batter during the seventh inning on Friday, April 18, 2025, at McLane Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan State grad senior reliever Tyler Horvath has been an impressive, shut-down arm this season and was recently recognized for his success. Horvath was named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List.

The Stopper of the Year award goes to the top reliever in college baseball for that season. Horvath is making the case as his appearances have usually led to winning ballgames.

Horvath has been a Spartan for all five of his collegiate seasons despite playing for two different programs. The Twinsburg, Ohio native spent his first four seasons for the Case Western Reserve Spartans, a Division-III school in Cleveland.

After four impressive seasons with the other Spartans, Horvath made the move to East Lansing and has been nothing but stellar every time he is on the bump. In 14 appearances, Horvath has hurled 27.1 innings pitched, holding a 5.93 ERA and 3-2 record with 29 strikeouts and seven walks.

Not to mention, Horvath has the team lead in saves with six. When the Spartans are leading by a margin of three runs or less going into the final innings, Horvath is called on to shut the door and earn the Spartans a close victory. He has proven worthy of winning the award this season.

Horvath is the second Spartan pitcher this season to be named to a midseason watch list. Junior left-hander Joseph Dzierwa has been named to both the Golden Spikes Award Watch List, given to the top overall player in the nation, as well as the Pitcher of the Year award, in the Big Ten and nationally.

The Spartans are gearing up for a three-game road conference series with bitter rival, Michigan (24-17, 8-10), starting Friday afternoon in Ann Arbor. With two highly competitive programs going at it, expect Horvath to have a few opportunities to shut down the Wolverines in a close contest.

The award will be announced on Friday, June 13 at the 2025 College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. If Horvath continues on the track he is on and lowers his ERA by one full point with a high strikeout total, he will have as good of a chance to nab the award as anyone in the nation.

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