Miss. pair nominated for nation’s best shortstop award

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - A pair of in-state college baseball players have been added to the 2023 Brooks Wallace Award watch list, an award given to the nation’s best shortstop in college baseball.

Junior shortstops Dustin Dickerson of Southern Miss and Ole Miss’ Jacob Gonzalez have been nominated for the annual award.

Dickerson leads the Golden Eagles in batting average this season, hitting .336 at the plate on the year and has recorded a hit in 15 consecutive games - the most in his career.

He provides a steady hand in the field as well, safely fielding 116 of 125 chances and has played a role in 12 double plays for Southern Miss. The Laurel, Mississippi native has also appeared in all but one game in his Golden Eagles career, missing out against fellow Mississippi shortstop Gonzalez and Ole Miss at Trustmark this season on March 28 due to suspension.

Dickerson would be the first Golden Eagle to win the Brooks Wallace Award if he receives enough votes.

Gonzalez is having his best season as a Rebel despite the team’s major drop-off after winning the College World Series last season.

The California native is having a career best season in batting average and fielding percentage. Gonzalez is batting .338 at the plate and has a fielding percentage of 98% this season. He has also hit seven home runs in what will likely be his last season at Ole Miss due to interest from the MLB.

The Ole Miss shortstop has a chance to become the second Rebel ever to win the Brooks Wallace Award, with Grae Kessinger winning the award in 2019.

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