2024 Brooks Wallace Award semifinalists unveiled
LUBBOCK, Texas – The Brooks Wallace Award announced the 29 semifinalists for the 2024 award, and the field is proving itself both at the plate and, just as importantly, in the field.
The top shortstops in the country represent a wide array of players from both Power 5 and mid-major schools who are putting up incredible numbers. These players are being counted upon to produce runs and big hits while also backing up their pitchers with stellar defense.
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.
“It’s always difficult to pare down the list of shortstops to so few for the semifinalist list,” said Larry Wallace, co-chair for the Wallace Award. “The number of players hitting for average is phenomenal. Brooks fielded his position incredibly well and that aspect of the game is also what we look for in our winners.”
The 2024 semifinalist list includes three players who were semifinalists for the 2023 award – Rutgers junior Josh Kuroda-Grauer, Virginia junior Griffin O’Ferrall and Vanderbilt junior Jonathan Vastine.
The award honors outstanding defensive play as much as it does production at the plate. Sophomore David Mershon represents both as he ranks in the top 10 in hitting and fielding among the semifinalists, hitting .339 with four home runs and 34 RBI while fielding at a .993 clip with just one error on the season.
Zane Zielinski from Illinois-Chicago is another who is doing both at a high level. The senior is hitting .362 with eight home runs and 38 RBI while compiling a .974 fielding percentage with just five errors on the year.
There’s also plenty of power in this year’s semifinalist class as well. Ball State senior Michael Hallquist is hitting .327 with 17 home runs, the most of all the semifinalists, with 46 RBI. He is fielding .968 with just six errors on the season.
Both South Carolina Upstate senior Troy Hamilton and Florida sophomore Colby Shelton have hit 14 home runs with 36 and 39 RBI, respectively. Hamilton is fielding at .993 and Shelton at .963.
“We are looking for that shortstop of all the candidates who possesses the strongest skillset, primarily from a defensive standpoint, then shows ability to hit, be a leader on his team and represent everything Brooks Wallace stood for value-wise,” Wallace Award co-chair Tom Quigley said. “The one player with all of those skills is our focus. One candidate may be slightly more qualified than the others and that’s why the next phase includes the finalist and then an interview process.”
For more information on the Wallace Award or the Night of Champions event, visit www.collegebaseballhall.org.
2024 Brooks Wallace Award Semifinalists
Name, School, Conference
- Colton Becker, Morehead State, Ohio Valley
- Will Bermudez, UC Irvine, Big West
- Aiden Brewer, UNC-Greensboro, Southern
- Nolan Brown, Stephen F. Austin, WAC
- Ali Camarillo, Texas A&M, SEC
- Nolan Clifford, Creighton, Big East
- Tremayne Cobb, Jr., Troy, Sun Belt
- Collier Cranford, Kansas, Big 12
- Kanin Dodge, Lamar University, Southland
- Brody Fahr, Presbyterian College, Big South
- Jalin Flores, Texas, Big 12
- Camden Gasser, Purdue, Big Ten
- Jon Jon Gazdar, Austin Peay, Atlantic Sun
- Michael Hallquist, Ball State, Mid-American
- Troy Hamilton, South Carolina Upstate, Big South
- Cal Hejza, Illinois, Big Ten
- Jacob Hinderleider, Clemson, ACC
- Matt King, UTSA, AAC
- Josh Kuroda-Grauer, Rutgers, Big Ten
- Luke Lawrence, Illinois State, Missouri Valley
- David Mershon, Mississippi State, SEC
- Griff O'Ferrall, Virginia, ACC
- Jack Renwick, Wofford, Southern
- Colby Shelton, Florida, SEC
- Adam Stuart, High Point, Big South
- Paul Tammaro, Connecticut, Big East
- Jonathan Vastine, Vanderbilt, SEC
- Cooper Weiss, Auburn, SEC
- Zane Zielinski, Illinois-Chicago, Missouri Valley