DALLAS, Texas – As the 2026 campaign rapidly approaches, USC Upstate baseball's Max Bianchini finds his name on the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List, adding another career accolade as the NCBWA announced the list Tuesday afternoon.
 
Bianchini becomes the fifth Spartan to appear on the Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List since the awards inception in 2005, joining Jake Cubbler (2024), Kevin Davis (2022), Chad Sobotka (2013), and Will Wheeler (2020).
 
Below is a capsule recapping Bianchini's 2025 season.
 
Max Bianchini | Right-Handed Pitcher | Redshirt Junior | Schaumburg, Ill.
Named Honorable Mention All-Big South … Named Big South Relief Pitcher of the Week on 4/28/25 … Appeared in 24 games, making one start and 23 relief appearances … Tossed 50.0 innings, striking out 39 batters … Posted a 7.02 strikeout per nine innings total … Recorded a 5-3 record and one save with a 4.32 ERA and .254 opponents' batting average … Tossed a career-long 5.0 innings versus UNCG on 4/18/25 … Struck out a career-high four over 2.0 innings of work versus Charleston Southern on 3/23/25 … Recorded seven scoreless outings on the season … Made his USC Upstate debut with 3.0 innings of work out of the bullpen versus Boston College on 2/14/25.
 
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