Sam Cozart, a freshman reliever for the Longhorns, was named one of 14 finalists for the Stopper of the Year Award on Thursday, capping a first season in burnt orange that included eight saves and a run of dominance late in conference play.
He finished the 2025 regular season with a 1.72 ERA across 47 innings, striking out 67 batters while holding opponents to a.137 batting average. Cozart’s eight saves were the second-most by any rookie in the country, and he closed SEC play with a 1.01 ERA and a 0.64 WHIP — numbers that included seven saves, the most by any pitcher in the conference.
The statistical package is the immediate reason Cozart landed on the list of 14 finalists. Beyond the raw ERA and strikeout totals, his run prevention and efficiency in late innings stood out: few freshmen nationwide combined that level of dominance with a certified closer’s résumé. He was also named a finalist for the Baseball America National Freshman of the Year Award, underscoring how his season attracted attention beyond the conference box scores.
Coaching staffs at Texas have seen this path before. Cozart becomes the fifth player in program history to reach the Stopper of the Year finalist list; J. Brent Cox, Chance Ruffin and Corey Knebel all won the award in their years, and Dylan Volantis also reached finalist status. That lineage frames Cozart’s selection as more than a freshman curiosity — it places him inside a program pattern that has produced national closers.
Still, being a finalist does not guarantee the hardware. The Stopper list includes 14 names, and Cozart faces 13 peers whose seasons will be measured against his. His rookie totals — and the SEC-leading conference save count — make a compelling case, but the award selection will weigh the entire body of work across leagues and roles. The Baseball America nod adds weight but also highlights the crowded field of young and established arms vying for the same short, high-leverage moments.
What happens next is straightforward and consequential: the winner will be revealed on June 12 at the Men’s College World Series. For Cozart, the question that remains is whether a freshman season marked by a 1.72 ERA, 67 strikeouts and elite SEC numbers will be enough to convert finalist status into the Stopper of the Year trophy. The announcement in Omaha will settle that — and it will determine whether Cozart’s first year in burnt orange becomes a footnote or the opening chapter of a nationally recognized closing career.
