Top catchers in NCAA and high school honored at annual Johnny Bench Awards

The winners of the 2026 Johnny Bench Awards presented by MSA Sport gathered at Great American Ball Park on July 7 to be recognized for their catching achievements.

For more than two decades, the Johnny Bench Award was presented only to the top NCAA Division I baseball catcher. But in 2019, the award was relocated to the Reds Hall of Fame & Museum presented by Dinsmore and expanded into 10 categories that also included the top Division I college softball catcher and the top high school baseball and softball catchers from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia

All 10 winners were able to attend this year’s ceremony and were joined by their family, friends and coaches for a luncheon at Great American Ball Park. Additionally, notable attendees included: the Hall of Fame catcher himself, Johnny Bench; Reds president and chief executive officer Phil Castellini; Reds catchers Tyler Stephenson and Jose Trevino; Reds catching coach Bill Haselman and Reds bullpen catcher James Keller; and Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs. In town for this week’s series against the Reds, Stubbs won the Johnny Bench Award in 2015 when he played for University of Southern California.

Reds broadcaster Jim Day hosted the luncheon with Castellini, Bench and fellow Reds broadcaster Tommy Thrall all addressing the student-athletes and their families.

Nicknaming catchers the quarterbacks of baseball, Castellini spoke about how each of the honorees exemplify excellence behind the plate. Castellini then spoke about Bench and the impact he has had on Major League Baseball, the Reds organization and young catchers everywhere.

“[Johnny Bench’s] achievements behind the plate earn him a place among legends of our game and his impact continues through young athletes that he recognizes at these awards,” Castellini said. “He honors catchers who demonstrate leadership, toughness and commitment that define excellence on and off the field. Just as importantly, Johnny continues to give back, an example that reflects the values every member of the Reds organization strives to carry forward.”

Heavily involved in the selection process for the award, Bench takes a personal interest in assessing each candidate and ultimately picking the winners. The Reds and National Baseball Hall of Famer uses the award as a chance to give back to the Reds community and young catchers throughout the country.

“I am so honored every year to be a part of this,” Bench said. “To have my name on this award and to see all these fresh young faces. These people have spent their life grinding at the plate and loving it. It takes a unique individual who learns to catch, who wants to catch and who wants to be part of the action. And this lives and dies with you. To be able to think, be able to react, be able to respond and make a difference in the game. That’s what catchers do.”

Bench recalled having 16 broken bones from foul balls and never getting a day off when he caught for the Reds over his 17-year career. He spoke to the award recipients about the beauty and pain that comes when playing the backstop position.

“You’re going to suffer, you’re going to play through the pain, you’re going to do it and you’re going to be proud of who you are and what you have accomplished,” Bench said. “Believe me, this is a very big award to me and I think for you and your parents. [I wish] all of you continued success and to continue with your education and continue learning every day.”

Vahn Lackey was selected as the NCAA baseball winner. Lackey is a top baseball prospect in this weekend’s 2026 MLB Draft after his incredible junior season at Georgia Tech. He is the third catcher from Georgia Tech to win the award.

“It definitely wasn’t [easy],” said Lackey when asked about the steps he took to become an MLB Draft prospect. “But I feel like the separator for me was that I truly love playing the game … [Baseball] never felt like a chore to me, and I was able to take steps every day because I had a goal to get better every day. Now I’m here.”

Oklahoma freshman Kendall Wells was the NCAA softball catcher recipient. In her rookie season, Wells shattered the single-season home run record for a freshman with 39 home runs.

“It means a lot,” Wells said. “I think it shows a lot of the work that we put in at Oklahoma. I did a lot of work with coach JT [Gasso] and coach [Patty] Gasso to be prepared for my freshman season. I think just earning this award shows all the work we put in.”

Growing up less than 20 miles from Great American Ball Park, Camden Tiemeier was selected as the Kentucky baseball catcher honoree from Campbell County High School. Tiemeier earned All-Conference and All-District Tournament honors and now plans to play baseball at Morehead State University.

“You never think that things like this are ever going to happen and sometimes you feel like the hard work will never pay off, but today it really shows that it does,” he said.

2026 Johnny Bench Award Winners

Top male NCAA baseball catcher

• Vahn Lackey – Georgia Tech

Top female NCAA softball catcher

• Kendall Wells – University of Oklahoma

Top high school catchers from Ohio

• Brenna Fyffe – Kenton Ridge High School (softball)
• Lucas Flack – Delaware Hayes High School (baseball)

Top high school catchers from Kentucky

• Alivia Cooper – Bullitt East High School (softball)
• Camden Tiemeier – Campbell County High School (baseball)

Top high school catchers from Indiana

• Jayden Stephens – Edgewood High School (softball)
• Sean Dunlap – Crown Point High School (baseball)

Top high school catchers from West Virginia

• Olivia Masoner – University High School (softball)
• Zaden Ranson – Charleston Catholic High School (baseball)