Baseball: Gelof, Teel named Dick Howser Trophy semifinalists

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Juniors Jake Gelof and Kyle Teel were two of the 60 semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy, awarded annually to the top college baseball player in the country in conjunction with the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce.

Virginia is one of 13 programs in the nation with multiple players on the list. It marks the fourth time since 2004 that two Cavaliers have been featured as semifinalists and the first time since 2016.

Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalists (Since 2004)
2023 – Jake Gelof, Kyle Teel
2022 – Jake Gelof
2017 – Adam Haseley
2016 – Connor Jones, Matt Thaiss
2011 – Danny Hultzen, Will Roberts
2010 – Danny Hultzen
2007 – Jacob Thompson, Sean Doolittle
2004 – Joe Koshansky (finalist)

The Dick Howser Trophy, presented by The Game Headwear, given in memory of the former Florida State University All-America shortstop and major league player and manager, who died of brain cancer in 1987, is regarded as baseball’s most prestigious award. Criteria for consideration of the trophy include performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage, qualities that were exemplified by Dick Howser’s life.

Gelof joins Virginia Baseball Hall of Famer Danny Hultzen as the only Cavaliers to be two-time semifinalists for the national honor. Gelof is batting .338 with 20 doubles, three triples, 20 home runs and 80 RBI in 53 games for the Cavaliers this season. As of Friday, his 80 RBI are the fourth most of any player in the country and one shy of matching his own single-season school record set last year. He has 45 career home runs, the most in school history and is the only Cavalier ever to produce two, 20-home run seasons.

Teel is having a breakout 2023 junior campaign, batting .412 with 22 doubles, 10 home runs and 56 RBI. He leads the ACC in batting average (.412) and hits (87). He has compiled 22 doubles, one shy of matching UVA’s single season record. Teel has started all 53 games and 111-straight dating back to last season at catcher. He is on the Buster Posey Award Watch List and currently the No. 1 catcher in the country according to D1Baseball.com’s positional power rankings.

This is the 36th year of the Dick Howser Trophy. The finalists will be announced on Thursday, June 8. The 2023 award will be presented at Charles Schwab Field in downtown Omaha, the home of the College World Series for the 11th year. The winner will be unveiled on MLB Network on Thursday, June 15, in the 9 a.m. (CDT) hour. A Friday, June 16 press conference with the winner will be held at 10 a.m., the opening day just prior to the first game of the 76th NCAA College World Series.