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

• Wehina Aloy, Sacramento State, American, Freshman
• Kohl Abrams, UNC-Ashville, Big South, Junior
• Bryce Arnold, Campbell, Big South, Junior
• Trevor Austin, Mercer, Southern, RS-Senior
• Colton Becker, Morehead State, Ohio Valley, Junior
• Joey Berini, East Carolina, American, Junior
• Ryan Black, UT- Arlington, American, Freshman
• Andy Blake, Columbia, Ivy League, Senior
• Chase Bloomer, Siu-Edwardsville, Ohio Valley, Freshman
• Alex Bouche, Old Dominion, Sun Belt, Freshman
• Kolby Branch, Baylor, Big 12, Freshman
• Peter Brookshaw, North Dakota State, Summit, Senior
• Marcus Brown, Oklahoma State, Big 12, Junior
• Zach Budzik, UNC-Greensboro, Southern, Senior
• Ali Camarillo, Cal-State Northridge, Big West, Sophomore
• Jordan Carrion, Florida State, ACC, Junior
• CJ Castillo, Texas Southern, SWAC, Junior
• Cam Clayton, Washington, Pac-12, Sophomore
• Nolan Clifford, Creighton, Big East, Junior
• Owen Cobb, Stanford, Pac-12, Senior
• Drew Cowley, Oregon, Pac-12, Senior
• Mario Demera, San Francisco, West Coast, Junior
• Austin Denlinger, Monmouth, Colonial, Grad
• Randal Diaz, Indiana State, Missouri Valley, Sophomore
• Dustin Dickerson, Southern Miss, Sun Belt, Junior
• Kevin Dubrule, Army, Patriot, Senior
• Jack Dragum, Charlotte, Conference USA, Senior
• Blake Evans, Georgia Southern, Sun Belt, Senior
• Pascanel Ferraras, Western Carolina, Southern, Junior
• Noah Fisher, Northern Kentucky, Horizon, Grad
• Cole Foster, Auburn, SEC, Junior
• JJ Freeman, Delaware, Colonial, RS-Senior
• Kaster Furr, New Orleans, Southland, Junior
• Jon Jon Gazdar, Austin Peay, ASUN, Sophomore
• Phillip Glasser, Indiana, Big Ten, Grad
• Jacob Gonzalez, Ole Miss, SEC, Junior
• Nick Goodwin, Kansas State, Big 12, Junior
• Clay Grady, Virginia Tech, ACC, Freshman
• Payton Green, North Carolina State, ACC, Sophomore
• Hunter Haas, Texas A&M, SEC, Junior
• Luke Heefner, Dallas Baptist, Conference USA, Sophomore
• Troy Hamilton, USC-Upstate, Big South, RS-Junior
• Dakota Harris, Oklahoma, Big 12, Junior
• Jay Harry, Penn State, Big Ten, Junior
• Luka Hill, Arizona State, Pac-12, Sophomore
• Ty Hill, Jackson State, SWAC, Grad
• Taylor Hopkins, Eastern Michigan, Mid-American, RS-Junior
• Jim Jarvus, Alabama, SEC, Senior
• Cody Jefferis, Michigan, Big Ten, Grad
• Justin Johnson, Wake Forest, ACC, RS-Junior
• Mikey Kane, Oregon State, Pac-12, Sophomore
• Matt King, UTSA, Conference USA, Sophomore
• Christian Knapczyk, Louisville, ACC, Junior
• Josh Kuroda-Grauer, Rutgers, Big Ten, Sophomore
• Josh Leslie, McNeese State, Southland, Senior
• Alex Lodise, North Florida, ASUN, Freshman
• Tracer Lopez, Texas Tech, Big 12, Freshman
• Noah Lucier, Fairfield, Metro Atlantic, Grad
• Chase Malloy, Jacksonville, ASUN, Senior
• Brice Matthews, Nebraska, Big Ten, Junior
• Jacob McCaskey, Gardner-Webb, Big South, Senior
• Nik McClaughry, Arizona, Pac-12, Senior
• Mac McCroskey, Oral Roberts, Summit, RS-Senior
• Kyler McIntosh, Alabama State, SWAC, Sophomore
• Michael McNamara, Kent State, Mid-American, Junior
• Alex Mooney, Duke, ACC, Sophomore
• Sam Mongelli, Sacred Heart, Northeast, Senior
• Zac Morris, VMI, Southern, Grad
• Jake Mummau, Florida Gulf Coast, ASUN, Sophomore
• Paul Myro, UNLV, Mountain West, Junior
• Griff O'Ferrall, Virginia, ACC, Sophomore
• Bryan Padilla, Connecticut, Big East, RS-Sophomore
• Crew Parke, Abilene Christian, American, Junior
• John Peck, Pepperdine, West Coast, Junior
• Dominic Pitelli, Miami, ACC, Junior
• Davis Powell, Texas State, Sun Belt, Junior
• Drew Reckart, Western Kentucky, Conference USA, Grad
• Sawyer Reeves, The Citadel, Southern, Junior
• Jack Renwick, Wofford, Southern, Junior
• Jake Rainess, Maine, American East, RS-Junior
• Josh Rivera, Florida, SEC, Junior
• Nick Rodriguez, Missouri Sate, Missouri Valley, Sophomore
• Kaeber Rog, Southern Illinois, Missouri Valley, Senior
• Matt Ruiz, Georgia State, Sun Belt, Junior
• Simon Scherry, Evansville, Missouri Valley, Junior
• Michael Seegers, Iowa, Big Ten, Junior
• Matt Shaw, Maryland, Big Ten, Junior
• Anthony Silva, TCU, Big 12, Freshman
• Grant Smith, Kentucky, SEC, Senior
• Eric Snow, South Florida, American, Freshman
• John Taylor, Louisiana, Sun Belt, Junior
• Adam Tellier, Ball State, Mid-American, Senior
• Jordan Thompson, LSU, SEC, Junior
• Tevin Tucker, West Virginia, Big 12, RS-Senior
• Jonathan Vastine, Vanderbilt, SEC, Sophomore
• Max Viera, Seton Hall, Big East, Junior
• Jeron Williams, Toledo, Mid-American, Junior
• Colby Wilkerson, North Carolina, ACC, Junior
• Jacob Wilson, Grand Canyon, WAC, Junior
• Braylen Wimmer, South Carolina, SEC, Senior
• Kade York, UTRGV, American, Junior