Nation’s Top Shortstops Named 2026 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award Semifinalists
OVERLAND PARK, Kansas – Fifty of the nation’s best shortstops were named 2026 Brooks Wallace Award semifinalists on Wednesday by the College Baseball Foundation. The top 50 shortstops in the country were selected based on both their offensive and defensive production this season.
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.
Narrowing our list to even 50 is a difficult task to take on as there are so many deserving shortstops at midseason,“ said Larry Wallace, co-chair of the Brooks Wallace Award. “All these kids are piling up big offensive numbers with power. But just as important are the defensive skills and how well they field their position.”
The watch list includes 2025 Brooks Wallace Award winner Roch Cholowsky (UCLA). Cholowsky and fellow semifinalists Dee Kennedy Jr. (Kansas State), Camden Kozeal (Arkansas), Ryder Robinson (BYU) and Jake Schaffner (North Carolina) have already won Brooks Wallace Award weekly honors in 2026.
Previous winners of the award are Kurt Suzuki, C, Cal State Fullerton, 2004; Alex Gordon, 3B, Nebraska, 2005; Brad Lincoln, SP/DH, Houston, 2006; David Price, SP, Vanderbilt, 2007; Buster Posey, C, Florida State, 2008; Ben Orloff, SS, UC Irvine, 2009; Jedd Gyorko, SS, West Virginia, 2010; Brad Miller, SS, Clemson, 2011; Zach Vincej, SS, Pepperdine, 2012; Alex Bregman, SS, LSU, 2013; Trea Turner, SS, NC State, 2014; Dansby Swanson, SS, Vanderbilt, 2015; Sheldon Neuse, SS, Oklahoma, 2016; Logan Warmoth, SS, North Carolina, 2017; Cadyn Grenier, SS, Oregon State, 2018; Grae Kessinger, SS, Ole Miss, 2019; Cal Conley, SS, Texas Tech, 2021; Brooks Lee, SS, Cal Poly, 2022; Matt Shaw, SS, Maryland 2023; Griff O’Ferrall, SS, Virginia, 2024 and Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA 2025.
The CBF annually presents the Brooks Wallace Award (Nation’s Most Outstanding Shortstop), the National Pitcher of the Year Award, the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, the Skip Bertman Coach of the Year Award, the George H.W. Bush Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the Wayne Graham Award for Teaching Excellence.
For more information on the Brooks Wallace Award or any of the CBF awards, visit the College Baseball Foundation website at www.collegebaseballhall.org.
2026 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award Semifinalists
Name, Classification, School, Conference
· Eric Becker, Junior, Virginia, ACC
· Chase Bloomer, Senior, SIUE, OVC
· Kolby Branch, Senior, Georgia, SEC
· Roch Cholowsky, Junior, UCLA, Big Ten
· Owen Clyne, Senior, George Mason, A-10
· Noah Coy, Sophomore, Notre Dame, ACC
· Dylan Cupp, Junior, Dallas Baptist, CUSA
· Caden Dulin, Senior, Pittsburgh, ACC
· Kade Dupont, RS-Senior, ULM, SBC
· Linkin Garcia, Freshman, Texas Tech, Big 12
· Johnathan Gomez, Sophomore, Farleigh Dickinson, Northeast
· Reid Howard, Sophomore, Western Kentucky, CUSA
· Matt Ineich, Sophomore, West Virginia, Big 12
· Titan Kamaka, Senior, Mercer, ASUN
· Dee Kennedy Jr., Junior, Kansas State, Big 12
· Carson Kerce, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC
· Camden Kozeal, Junior, Arkansas, SEC
· Jamie Laskofski, Sophomore, William & Mary, CAA
· Luke Lawrence, Senior, Kentucky, SEC
· Brendan Lawson, Sophomore, Florida, SEC
· Justin Lebron, Junior, Alabama, SEC
· Jackson Lyda, Sophomore, Western Carolina, CUSA
· Tanner Marsh, Junior, Liberty, CUSA
· Michael Maloney, Graduate, Western Michigan, MAC
· Manny Marin, Sophomore, Tennessee, SEC
· Steven Milam, Junior, LSU, SEC
· Bo Moody, Freshman, Presbyterian, Big South
· Reece Moroney, Junior, Rhode Island, A-10
· PJ Moutzouridis, Junior, Arizona State, Big 12
· Ben North, Graduate, Creighton, BIG EAST
· Dawson Park, Sophomore, Texas State, SBC
· Zandt Payne, Graduate, Abilene Christian, WAC
· Willie Ponce, Graduate, High Point, Big South
· Andrew Ramirez, Senior, Southeast Missouri State, OVC
· Chris Ramirez, Sophomore, California Baptist, WAC
· Ryder Robinson, Junior, BYU, Big 12
· Ricky Sanchez, Gonzaga, WCC
· Travis Sanders, RS-Junior, Baylor, Big 12
· Jake Schaffner, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
· Kooper Schulte, Senior, Iowa, Big Ten
· Charlie Scholvin, Junior, Toledo, MAC
· Ike Shirey, Senior, Tarleton State, WAC
· Julio Solier, Sophomore, Boston College, ACC
· Petey Soto Jr., Junior, Utah Tech, WAC
· Jack Spanier, Junior, Minnesota, Big Ten
· Rhett Stokes, Senior, Nebraska, Big Ten
· Ryker Waite, Sophomore, Vanderbilt, SEC
· Karsen Waslefsky, Senior, New Mexico, MWC
· Jaxon Willits, Junior, Oklahoma, SEC
· Dyerson Wouters, Senior, Dayton, A-10
