Brooks Wallace Award watch list highlights power as well as fielding prowess

By College Baseball Foundation | April 18, 2023

LUBBOCK, Texas – A group of 101 of the most talented shortstops in Division I college baseball headline the initial 2023 Brooks Wallace Award watch list, the College Baseball Foundation announced.

“We are seeing some defensive-minded shortstops this year, with many of the kids without an error or very few errors as we sift through the candidates for this year’s Brooks Wallace Shortstop of the Year Award,” said Larry Wallace, co-chair of the award. “Of course, big offensive numbers are again a part of this class as is evident by the power numbers we are seeing.”

The award honors the nation's top shortstop and will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this year. 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 honors outstanding defensive play as much as it does production at the plate. One player displaying both of those features is Florida junior and three-year starter Josh Rivera, who leads the watch list with 13 home runs and 46 RBIs while hitting .398 and fielding at a .973 clip. His home run total is tied with Bryce Arnold from Campbell, who is hitting .351 with 40 RBIs and a .941 fielding percentage, and his 46 RBIs are tied with Brice Matthews from Nebraska, who is hitting .396 on the year with 10 home runs and has a .894 fielding percentage.

The 2023 watch list features five players who were semifinalists for the award a year ago, including Jacob Wilson, a potential Top 10 pick in the June Major League Baseball Draft. The Grand Canyon shortstop is hitting .468 with a pair of home runs and 38 RBIs while compiling a .963 fielding percentage.

Others on the list who were semifinalists a year ago are Kevin Dubrule from Army, Pascanel Ferraras from Western Carolina, Jacob Gonzalez from defending national champion Ole Miss and Griff O’Ferrall from Virginia.

Ty Hill from Jackson State is second behind Wilson in batting average at .429 while three players are near perfect in fielding percentage – Trevor Austin from Mercer (.993), Grant Smith from Kentucky (.992) and Kaster Furr from New Orleans (.992).

“With so many options to watch and keep up with NCAA baseball and the players, we’re actually watching some of the best baseball players in many, many years,” said Tom Quigley, Brooks Wallace Award co-chair. “Games are now on ESPN and local TV. Shortstop has been redefined and they are hitting with power and high average. Fielding and defense are extremely strong as well. It’s going to be tough as we narrow the choices the upcoming rounds.”

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

2023 Brooks Wallace Award Watch List

Name, School, Conference, Class

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