BSB | True Freshman Jake Nobles Named to 2026 Pitcher of the Year Watchlist
3/11/2026 2:32:00 PM | Baseball
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Saint Mary's right handed pitcher Jake Nobles was named to the 2026 mid-season Pitcher of the Year watch list presented by the College Baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday.
The true freshman out of North Tustin, California has made three starts to begin his collegiate career, headlining as the midweek starter for the Gaels. Nobles has yet to record a win but has pitched into the fourth inning in two of his three starts including a career high five strikeouts contributing to a 7-2 win over UC Davis earlier this month.
Nobles was a standout two-way player at Villa Park High School where he hit .394 from the plate while also leading the team with a 6-1 record and a 0.33 ERA on the mound. He was named Prep Baseball California Pitcher of the Week after just the second week of the 2025 high school season. Villa Park finished the year with a dominant 25-8 record and made it all the way to the Division I Regional semifinals against St. John Bosco.
Saint Mary's is off to one of its best starts in head coach Eric Valenzuela's tenure, as the Gaels will look to continue their success after capturing their second ever WCC Tournament title and winning their first NCAA Regional game in program history back in 2025.
A total of 142 of the nation's best hurlers are listed on the Pitcher of the Year watch list, released on Wednesday. The pitchers on the watch list represent 26 different conferences and reflect the top mound performers to this point of the 2026 season.
"There is an old adage in baseball that pitchers are usually ahead of the hitters early in the season," National Pitcher of the Year Award co-chair Brian Melakian said. "The number of early season dominant pitching performances this year proves that adage to be true."
The complete list of the mid season National Pitcher of the Year watch list can be found HERE.
For more information on the National Pitcher of the Year Award, visit the College Baseball Foundation website at www.collegebaseballhall.org.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
The true freshman out of North Tustin, California has made three starts to begin his collegiate career, headlining as the midweek starter for the Gaels. Nobles has yet to record a win but has pitched into the fourth inning in two of his three starts including a career high five strikeouts contributing to a 7-2 win over UC Davis earlier this month.
Nobles was a standout two-way player at Villa Park High School where he hit .394 from the plate while also leading the team with a 6-1 record and a 0.33 ERA on the mound. He was named Prep Baseball California Pitcher of the Week after just the second week of the 2025 high school season. Villa Park finished the year with a dominant 25-8 record and made it all the way to the Division I Regional semifinals against St. John Bosco.
Saint Mary's is off to one of its best starts in head coach Eric Valenzuela's tenure, as the Gaels will look to continue their success after capturing their second ever WCC Tournament title and winning their first NCAA Regional game in program history back in 2025.
A total of 142 of the nation's best hurlers are listed on the Pitcher of the Year watch list, released on Wednesday. The pitchers on the watch list represent 26 different conferences and reflect the top mound performers to this point of the 2026 season.
"There is an old adage in baseball that pitchers are usually ahead of the hitters early in the season," National Pitcher of the Year Award co-chair Brian Melakian said. "The number of early season dominant pitching performances this year proves that adage to be true."
The complete list of the mid season National Pitcher of the Year watch list can be found HERE.
For more information on the National Pitcher of the Year Award, visit the College Baseball Foundation website at www.collegebaseballhall.org.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
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