Grae Kessinger Named Brooks Wallace Award Finalist

By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com

Grae Kessinger making a tag at second base.
Photo by Josh McCoy/Ole Miss Athletics

Ole Miss junior Grae Kessinger has been named as one of five finalists for the 2019 Brooks Wallace Award that is given to the best shortstop in the country.

The award, sponsored by Mizuno, honors the nation’s top shortstop and will be presented this summer by the College Baseball Foundation. 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.

A junior out of Oxford, Mississippi, Kessinger was named to First Team All-SEC earlier this month, as well as a finalist for the C-Spire Ferriss Trophy, given to the state of Mississippi’s best college baseball player.

Kessinger, who was also named the Rebels’ team MVP, led Ole Miss to a No. 12 national seed in the NCAA Tournament, as well as a runner-up finish in the SEC Tournament.

He enters NCAA Oxford Regional play with a .336 batting average for the season. He has scored 60 runs and driven in 46 while tallying 18 doubles and five home runs. He’s been efficient at the plate as well, drawing 37 walks while striking out just 31 times in 250 at-bats. His .428 on-base percentage is second on the team. Additionally, Kessinger is 16-for-19 in stolen bases.

The Rebel shortstop was particularly proficient in SEC play, leading the conference with 51 hits against league competition. His .405 batting average and .472 on-base percentage were good for second during the conference season. He was also among the top 10 in the league in doubles, total bases, slugging percentage, RBI and stolen bases.

Kessinger has been outstanding in the field as well. In addition to numerous spectacular plays that have earned him spots on the SportsCenter Top 10 and the NCAA’s Plays of the Week, Kessinger has made just eight errors with 87 putouts and 140 assists. He has made just three errors in his last 39 games.

The Rebels open up the NCAA Tournament at Swayze Field against Jacksonville State this evening at 7 p.m. on ESPN3.