BSB | Jared Mettam Named to Brooks Wallace Award Watch List for Nation’s Best Shortstop
4/18/2025 11:06:00 AM | Baseball
OVERLAND PARK, Kansas - The nation's best shortstops are featured on the 2025 watch list for the Brooks Wallace Award, which was released Friday 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 to 1980. Wallace died of leukemia at the age of 27.
The top-100 shortstops were announced Friday morning with Saint Mary's very own Jared Mettam being named to the watch list for the first time in his three-year career. Mettam has been a stellar middle infielder for the Gaels since his freshman season in 2023 where he stepped in as the team's everyday shortstop, starting in all 51 games.
This season, Mettam is putting up career numbers hitting .267 from the plate with 20 runs scored and 18 RBI. Mettam fought through an injury in the team's road series against Utah Tech but has since returned to the starting lineup. Mettam showcases smooth fielding abilities with great range at shortstop and a slashing approach at the plate, making him a dangerous hitter in the team's second half of the lineup. He has seven multi-hit games this season and tied his career high with four RBI in the team's extra-inning defeat to Portland just a couple weeks prior.
The Brooks Wallace award was established in 2004 and was previously given to the best overall player in college baseball. Notable winners included David Price, Buster Posey and the award's first winner in catcher Kurt Suzuki in 2004. In 2009 though, the award was adjusted to the nation's top shortstop and went on to see current MLB stars Alex Bregman, Trea Turner and Dansby Swanson earn the award during their collegiate careers.
"It's a great time of the year when we get to start diving into looking at all the shortstops from around the country and who might best represent the Brooks Wallace Award this year," said Larry Wallace, co-chair of the Brooks Wallace Award. "This list doesn't disappoint with some stellar offensive numbers along with some outstanding gloves to represent the shortstop position."
"It's a great honor for Jared to be mentioned with lots of great talent across the country. He's had a solid year so far and has so much ability with his glove and at the plate", said Gaels head coach Eric Valenzuela. "We're excited to see him continue to improve physically and mentally and help lead us the rest of this season" (Valenzuela).
Jared Mettam was one of four WCC shortstops named to the watch list including San Diego's Isaiah Lane, San Francisco's Tj Rogers and LMU's Cam Hassert. The full Brooks Wallace Award watch list can be found HERE.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
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.
The top-100 shortstops were announced Friday morning with Saint Mary's very own Jared Mettam being named to the watch list for the first time in his three-year career. Mettam has been a stellar middle infielder for the Gaels since his freshman season in 2023 where he stepped in as the team's everyday shortstop, starting in all 51 games.
This season, Mettam is putting up career numbers hitting .267 from the plate with 20 runs scored and 18 RBI. Mettam fought through an injury in the team's road series against Utah Tech but has since returned to the starting lineup. Mettam showcases smooth fielding abilities with great range at shortstop and a slashing approach at the plate, making him a dangerous hitter in the team's second half of the lineup. He has seven multi-hit games this season and tied his career high with four RBI in the team's extra-inning defeat to Portland just a couple weeks prior.
The Brooks Wallace award was established in 2004 and was previously given to the best overall player in college baseball. Notable winners included David Price, Buster Posey and the award's first winner in catcher Kurt Suzuki in 2004. In 2009 though, the award was adjusted to the nation's top shortstop and went on to see current MLB stars Alex Bregman, Trea Turner and Dansby Swanson earn the award during their collegiate careers.
"It's a great time of the year when we get to start diving into looking at all the shortstops from around the country and who might best represent the Brooks Wallace Award this year," said Larry Wallace, co-chair of the Brooks Wallace Award. "This list doesn't disappoint with some stellar offensive numbers along with some outstanding gloves to represent the shortstop position."
"It's a great honor for Jared to be mentioned with lots of great talent across the country. He's had a solid year so far and has so much ability with his glove and at the plate", said Gaels head coach Eric Valenzuela. "We're excited to see him continue to improve physically and mentally and help lead us the rest of this season" (Valenzuela).
Jared Mettam was one of four WCC shortstops named to the watch list including San Diego's Isaiah Lane, San Francisco's Tj Rogers and LMU's Cam Hassert. The full Brooks Wallace Award watch list can be found HERE.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
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