LUBBOCK, Texas – Junior shortstop Ryan Bliss has been named a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Shortstop of the Year Award, the College Baseball Foundation announced Tuesday.
Bliss is one of 30 semifinalist shortstops, including one of three from the Southeastern Conference.
Coming off an All-American campaign in the shortened 2020 season, the LaGrange, Georgia, native has turned in career-best numbers in 2021, leading the team in average (.349), on-base percentage (.418), slugging percentage (.619), runs (43), hits (66) and total bases (117). Bliss ranks top 10 in the league in average, slugging, hits, home runs and total bases and is second in the league with 76 total bases and tied for second with 42 hits in conference play.
Bliss has turned in a .953 fielding percentage with 118 assists in 45 games this season. He leads an Auburn infield and team that ranks second in the country with 50 doubles plays, including 40 ground ball double plays.
The junior has been a staple in the Auburn lineup since stepping foot on campus prior to the 2019 College World Series season, starting in all but two games in his Auburn career. Bliss is a .320 career hitter and has totaled 165 hits in 129 games played. He has multiple hits in a SEC-best 24 games this season and 55 games in his career.
The Brooks Wallace 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.
Ryan Bliss named Brooks Wallace Award semifinalist
