Brooks Wallace Award watch list highlights power, fielding prowess

By College Baseball Foundation | April 12, 2022

LUBBOCK, Texas – A group of 100 of the most talented athletes in Division I college baseball headline the initial 2022 Brooks Wallace Award watch list, the College Baseball Foundation announced Tuesday.

“The shortstop position may be being redefined a bit,” said Larry Wallace, co-chair of the Brooks Wallace Award. “So many shortstops in the game today are hitting with power and high batting averages that at one time weren’t considered a characteristic of the position. But we are proud to announce our top 100 shortstops who are showing they are some of the best in the game, regardless of position.”

The award, sponsored by Mizuno, honors the nation's top shortstop and will be presented this summer by the College Baseball Foundation. It is named for former Texas Tech shortstop Brooks Wallace, who played for the Red Raiders from 1977 to 1980. Wallace died of leukemia at the age of 27.

The award rewards outstanding defensive play as much as it does production at the plate. One of those stalwart defenders is Albany redshirt senior Brad Malm, who has a tremendous .991 fielding percentage while hitting .354 with 11 home runs and 27 RBI.

Right on his heels is Massachusetts graduate student Cole Hebble, who is fielding at a .987 clip while hitting .392 with three home runs.

The watch list features one player who was a semifinalist for the award in 2021 and is considered one of the top shortstops in the nation. Cal-Poly sophomore Brooks Lee is hitting .427 with six home runs and 35 RBI while compiling a .949 fielding percentage.

The list also features players who have already had their highlight moments this season. Texas Tech senior Kurt Wilson is hitting .304 with seven home runs and 36 RBI to go with a .958 fielding percentage. He led the Red Raiders to two walk-off wins against Texas in early March on back-to-back days, stealing home to win the first game and hitting a grand slam home run in the second.

Zach Agnos of East Carolina, a sophomore, leads the watch list with 12 home runs while Kansas sophomore Maui Ahuna leads the group with a .447 average. Tyler Wilbur of Southeast Missouri State is tops in RBI with 39.

“We start the selection process with some 308 shortstops from 31 conferences,” said Tom Quigley, co-chair of the Brooks Wallace Award. “Having a weekly award winner has sped up our coverage and allows us to follow the players much earlier in the season. Keep playing hard, field your position, and represent your team with class in the same fashion Brooks did in his playing days at Texas Tech.”

For more information on the Wallace Award or the Night of Champions event, visit www.collegebaseballhall.org.

2022 Brooks Wallace Award Watch List

Name, School, Conference, Class

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