The Johnny Bench Awards, which honors the top NCAA Division I male and female college catchers along with the top high school baseball and softball catchers from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia have been announced.
Campbell County’s Camden Tiemeier was selected in Kentucky as the top backstop. The Camels senior hit .446 for the 10th Region champions that reached the state tournament quarterfinals. Tiemeier led the team in home runs (11) and RBI (63) in 2026 and led the state in RBI. He tallied 12 doubles, walked 26 times, scored 31 runs and stole 17 bases.
The winners, presented by MSA Sport will be recognized at the Johnny Bench Awards Luncheon on July 7 at Great American Ball Park and recognized that evening during on-field ceremonies before the Reds-Phillies game.
“Congratulations to the 2026 Johnny Bench Award winners,” said Hall of Famer Johnny Bench. “Catching is one of the toughest jobs in sports and demands leadership, toughness, quick instincts and a relentless work ethic. This year’s winners are outstanding athletes who have proven they can handle every part of the game from managing a staff to controlling the field and delivering when it matters most. That’s what this award is all about. I am proud of what they have accomplished and I look forward to being with them and celebrating with their families and coaches.”
Previous collegiate winners include a two-time Women’s College World Series champion Reese Atwood, 2019 No. 1 overall draft pick Adley Rutschman, 2021 Team USA Olympian Dejah Mulipola, 2021 Reds first-round draft pick Matheu Nelson and 2022 Rawlings Gold Glove winner Jordyn Rudd.
All the Johnny Bench award winners can be found here.
About the Johnny Bench Awards
For more than two decades, the Johnny Bench Award has recognized the nation’s top NCAA Division I catcher. Established in 2000 by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission, the award honors Reds Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench. In 2019, the award was expanded and permanently relocated to the Reds Hall of Fame & Museum at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Reds Scouting Department contributes input on the baseball evaluation criteria, while the awards committee selects each winner with support from local media in every state.
