• Complete Brooks Wallace Award Release
Southeast Missouri’s Andrew Ramirez and SIUE’s Chase Bloomer are two of 50 semifinalists for the Brooks Wallace Award, honoring the best shortstop in college baseball. The list was released Wednesday by the College Baseball Foundation.
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 1977-1980. Wallace died of leukemia at the age of 27.
Ramirez is the leader of the nation’s third best defense as SEMO Baseball holds a .986 fielding mark and ranks atop the Ohio Valley Conference. The senior himself is fielding at a .985 mark and over 133 chances this season, he has just two errors. He has recorded 42 putouts, 89 assists, and has been involved in 14 double plays. At the plate he is hitting .321 on the season and is ranked as the nation’s fifth toughest hitter to strikeout (18.7). He has 42 hits, seven doubles, a home run, and has driven in 29 RBIs in 2026.
Bloomer has started 40 of SIUE’s 41 games and is third on the team and among the top 50 in hitting in the OVC, currently at .293. He is tied for 16th with seven home runs so far this season. He has a .976 fielding percentage in 164 total chances at short.