Jays first-round pick Manoah named finalist for Dick Howser

Just days after the Toronto Blue Jays selected Alek Manoah at 11th overall on Monday, the right-handed pitcher has been named a finalist for the Dick Howser trophy.

One of the final five college players named for the trophy awarded to the national college player of the year, Manoah has pitched a total of 108.1 innings this year, surpassing his best by almost double.

In those innings, Manoah held opposing batters to a minuscule .186 batting average and held on to a 2.03 ERA while also striking out a West Virginia University record of 144.

This award would be added to his already extensive catalogue of achievements throughout his college career. The ace was the Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Year and named a First Team All-American, Manoah was also a finalist for National Pitcher of the Year by the College Baseball Foundation. He was also named the Pitcher of the Week three consecutive times.

Previous winners of the Dick Howser are such stars like Kris Bryant, Andrew Benintendi, and Stephen Strasburg. The only past Blue Jays to have won the award are David Price and Brad Lincoln.

Already building some hype through the system, winning this award would surely rocket the 6-foot-6 hard-throwing righty up to a top spot among other Jays prospects.