SIOUX FALLS — A couple weeks ago I took my dad to a weekday afternoon Augustana baseball game at Ronken Field.
He used to pull me out of school on warm spring days to go watch Viking baseball when I was a teenager, so I thought it would be fun to kind of return the favor, especially since Augie has become a Division II powerhouse in the years since.
Dad’s eyesight isn’t what it used to be and it had probably been decades since he’d been to a college baseball game, but by maybe the fourth inning, shortstop Kobe Eikmeier had already made an impression.
He was going into the hole, running down pop-ups and charging in on bunts, but when Eikmeier darted some 30 feet to his left to snag a high chopper up the middle and unleash a jump throw across his body to nail a Concordia-St. Paul baserunner by a hair, dad’s mouth was agape.
“Geez,” he said. “That shortstop’s incredible. Where’d they find him?”
Elkhorn, Neb., is where the Vikings found Eikmeier, a 20-year-old sophomore who took over as the Vikings’ starting shortstop last year as a freshman and is starting to come into his own as one of the best and most exciting players in Division II baseball.
Eikmeier was named MVP of last weekend’s NSIC tournament after batting .529 with three homers to lead the Vikings to the title, but as is often the case, it’s his glove work that stole the show.
This year’s NSIC defensive player of the year, Eikmeier is a human highlight reel at shortstop, showcasing speed, range, athleticism and a strong arm to make plays most other infielders wouldn’t even attempt, let alone make.
He’s so quick to his left he can make plays on the right-field side of second base. He’s thrown runners out from the grass going into the hole to his right. He’ll run down bloopers to make over-the-shoulder catches in the outfield and is especially good coming in on slow rollers.
Put simply, there isn’t a play he can’t make in the field.
And oh yeah, he’s hitting .358.
Kobe Eikmeier watches his home run fly over the left field wall in the 8th inning of the NSIC tournament championship game on May 9, 2026 at the Birdcage.
Matt Zimmer/SFL
The Vikings have cycled through dozens of star players in the 18 years since Tim Huber turned them into a regular contender, but few have brought the kind of worth-the-price-of-admission excitement that bursts from Eikmeier at the plate and in the field.
“It’s just fun to watch him play shortstop,” said first baseman Ragan Pinnow. “He can get to balls that look like a sure hit and dive and make a sick play. He’s got such incredible range, and he’s just really smooth. He can go up the middle, he can go to his backhand side, and then to see him come through in the tournament — seven of his nine hits were for extra bases — he’s just playing at a really high level right now.”
Eikmeier wasn’t heavily recruited coming out of high school, mostly because of his lithe frame. He’s 6-0 and 175 pounds, and Huber said he was more like 150 in high school, without much muscle.
Despite that, Eikmeier took over the starting shortstop role midway through his freshman year, and immediately proved himself ready for the job. He was an elite defender as Huber expected, but more surprising, he hit .325, albeit with just one homer and eight extra-base hits.
An offseason in the weight room improved Eikmeier’s strength, and he began driving the ball this year. As the Vikings prepare for Thursday’s Division II Regional against Northwest Missouri State, Eikmeier boasts nine homers, 19 doubles and a .617 slugging percentage, almost 200 points higher than last year’s .425 clip. That all reached a climax in the conference tournament, where Eikmeier went 9-for-17 with three homers, three doubles and a triple.
Kobe Eikmeier was named the 2026 NSIC defensive player of the year.
Matt Zimmer/SFL
Huber said Eikmeier was a little too much of a free swinger as a freshman, and Eikmeier indicated an improved approach at the plate has been a factor in his recent hitting surge.
“I’m seeing the ball well and I think just finally my body was under control,” Eikmeier said. “Instead of jumping at everything coming my way I was able to sit back on the ball and keep my approach the same and hit to the gaps, hit the ball over the fence. My swing just felt super clean.”
Eikmeier certainly isn’t doing it alone, as the Vikings offense is, as usual, among the best in the nation. They’re hitting .327 as a team with a .525 slugging percentage.
Pinnow (.374, 53 RBI), Nate Soelter (.362), Carter Heinsch (.358, 55 RBI, 21 steals), Bjorn Lind (.335), Brandon Weigel (.321, .493 OBP) and Troy Berg (.310, 10 HR, 23 steals) have all taken turns carrying the lineup, but thanks to his five tool skillset, Eikmeier, who is perfect in 23 stolen base attempts, stands out even among a plethora of all-conference teammates.
Augustana shortstop Kobe Eikmeier tosses to first base for the out against Sioux Falls in an NSIC tournament game Thursday, May 7, 2026, at Ronken Field in Sioux Falls.
Peyton Bartsch Photography
“He’s a stud, in so many ways,” Huber said. “Number one, he’s a great kid, he’s got a great personality. He plays the game the right way, plays hard. That’s where it starts. But he’s just truly an elite, elite defender. His first step and his range is incredible. The ball that’s hit in front of him, when he comes and gets it, it’s just different.
“But the hitting piece of it, it’s coming a little ahead of schedule, honestly. He’s still a lot more on the pull side and he can chase when guys execute pitches down in the zone on him, but when he’s getting pitches that are up, he’s got a little bat speed for a skinny guy, and now he’s hitting the ball with authority. Last year I had him usually either leading off or in the 9-hole, but now we’ve got to get him in some RBI spots. He should probably be in our 3-hole but for now I’m just going to leave him in the 5-hole and hope he gets overlooked there.”
Eikmeier said there are still plans for him to add more weight, but acknowledges they don’t want that to come at the expense of his athleticism in the field. He’s pretty confident that won’t be the case, though, because Eikmeier believes there’s more to being a great shortstop than the physical traits.
Augustana shortstop Kobe Eikmeier scores on a sac fly in the first inning of Augustana’s 11-3 win over Concordia-St. Paul on April 22, 2026 at Ronken Field.
Matt Zimmer/SFL
“Confidence is a big part of it,” he said. “Just going out there and telling myself I’m the best guy on the field and playing with a little bit of swagger. I think that’s always good. Even before games I’ll go up to our pitchers and be like, I got your back. Give me all the ground balls because I got your back. And I think them having confidence in me helps them produce on the mound, because they know they can hit their spots and they don’t have to strike everybody out.”
The Vikings use scouting and analytics to position their infield, and that information, coupled with Eikmeier’s instincts, help him get good jumps before the ball is even put in play.
I asked Eikmeier if there was a major league shortstop he tries to model his game after, and to my surprise, he mentioned Ozzie Smith, who retired long before Eikmeier was born. But the Wizard is still regarded as the greatest fielding shortstop of all time, so he makes for a pretty good role model.
Eikmeier still has two years after this, and Huber admits it’s tempting to think about how good his shortstop can be. He made major strides this year and the postseason experience and clutch performances of late show that the game is slowing down for him as he gains confidence.
Augustana’s Kobe Eikmeier stands on third base after hitting a triple against Minnesota State in an NSIC tournament game Friday, May 8, 2026, at The Birdcage in Sioux Falls.
Jurgens Photography
The Vikings have played their last game at home this year, but when they return to Ronken Field next year and the weather warms up, I would strongly recommend taking a day off work (or school) to catch a game. Bring your kids (or your dad).
Kobe Eikmeier is a must-see talent.
DIVISION II NCAA TOURNAMENT
Central Region
Thursday, 6 p.m., Pittsburg, Kan.
No. 4 Northwest Missouri State (36-16) vs No. 5 Augustana (41-13)
Probable starters: Ben Haug (5-2, 4.86) vs Mariano Gomez (8-0, 3.47)