LEXINGTON, Va. – It was announced Wednesday morning that VMI Baseball junior catcher Cole Raile was named to the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award Midseason Watchlist.
 
 
The national award, hosted by the Wichita Sports Commission, is given to the season's most outstanding catcher. Players are nominated by their respective school's Sports Information Directors and must be in the battery at least 75% of the season's contests.
 
Raile has been a standout catcher in 2026, providing security in the backstop and insurance at the dish. The junior from Radnor, Ohio, is slashing .319/.628/.467, with five doubles and eight homers to pair with 30 runs and 29 RBIs. Uncommon for a catcher, Raile has shown speed on the basepaths, going a perfect 17-for-17 on stolen bases, the most by any catcher in the nation.
 
Behind the plate, Raile has recorded 188 putouts with 18 assists and has caught 13 runners stealing, the most by a single catcher in the Southern Conference.
 
In week six, D1Baseball ranked Raile as the 23rd-best catcher in the country. Raile will learn if he is a semifinalist for the honor in May.
 
In the meantime, Raile and the Keydets prepare for their first home conference series against Wofford. The three-game set begins on Thursday at Lamore Field at Gray-Minor Stadium.
 
For more information, visit VMIKeydets.com or follow us on social media at VMI Athletics.