Torrey Pines alumnus is first at USC to be named Pac-12 Defensive Player of Year

The University of Southern California has announced that senior catcher Garrett Stubbs, a graduate of Torrey Pines High School, headlines USC’s Pac-12 postseason honors. He was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-Pac-12 and was an All-Defensive Team selection.

A Del Mar resident, Stubbs is the first Trojan to be named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year after throwing out 54 percent of would-be base stealers from behind the plate to lead the conference and all 19 of his fellow Johnny Bench Award semifinalists.

The senior also boasts a fielding percentage of .993 in 55 starts that earned him a selection as the catcher on the nine-player All-Defensive Team.

Stubbs, who also earned his first All-Pac-12 First Team honors in 2015 after being named honorable mention in 2014, ranks seventh in the Pac-12 with a batting average of .330. He has the highest on-base percentage of any Trojan (.421) and has 70 hits with 13 doubles, one triple and one home run as he drove in 22 runs. His team-high 19 stolen bases rank third in the Pac-12. In his four-year USC career, Stubbs has thrown out slightly more an 50 percent of would-be base stealers in conference games.

The Trojans are in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nine years.