The College Baseball Foundation announced on Wednesday that Kansas State shortstop Dee Kennedy is a semifinalist for the 2026 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award.
Kennedy is among six Big 12 players featured on the 50-player semifinalist list for the honor, which goes to the nation’s top shortstop based on offensive and defensive performance. Finalists will be named later this year.
This recognition makes Kennedy the fourth Wildcat in program history to reach semifinalist status, following Drew Biery (2009), Austin Fisher (2013), and Nick Goodwin (2023).
After batting .279 with 43 RBIs and 11 home runs last season, Kennedy has delivered a dominant junior year, leading K-State in nearly every major offensive category including batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs, hits, RBIs, doubles, home runs, and total bases.
The Fort Worth native is slashing .392/.497/.823 with 62 hits (13 doubles, two triples, and a program-record 17 home runs). He has driven in 60 RBIs, highlighted by a team-best 17 multi-RBI games, and has also posted 17 multi-hit performances.
His 17 home runs are the most ever by a junior at K-State, making him just the second player in school history to reach that mark.
Nationally, Kennedy ranks third in runs scored, fifth in total bases (130), sixth in RBIs, and seventh in slugging percentage. His 17 homers are tied for 12th in the country. Within the Big 12, he also sits second in stolen bases with 19.
This season, Kennedy has been named to the Baseball America Midseason Player of the Year watch list and the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List, which honors the nation’s top amateur player. He has collected multiple weekly accolades, including Golden Spikes Award x D1 Baseball Player of the Week and Big 12 Player of the Week (Feb. 16). He was also named Brooks Wallace Award Player of the Week, selected to the Baseball America National Team of the Week, and recognized as the NCBWA Co-Hitter of the Week (Feb. 17).
