OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Westin Boyle’s hot start as Purdue Baseball’s full-time shortstop has earned the freshman a place on the watch list for the Brooks Wallace Award, which recognizes the nation’s top Division I shortstop.
Presented by the College Baseball Foundation, the Brooks Wallace Award is named in honor of 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.
Boyle leads the Boilermakers with five doubles, 21 hits, 16 RBI and 11 runs scored while playing every inning of the first 11 games at shortstop. He has committed just one error in 44 defensive chances – that coming in the season opener – while helping lead Purdue to an 8-3 start.
Boyle has hit safely in nine of the first 11 games and has an RBI in seven games. He delivered the game-winning single in the ninth inning of the Feb. 21 walk-off win vs. Baylor at the Round Rock Classic and went on to join CJ Richmond and Brandon Rogers on the All-Tournament.
Seven multi-hit games, including a trio of three-hit efforts and the first four-hit game by a Purdue true freshman since 2018, has powered Boyle’s .447/.480/.596 slash line over the first 11 games.
Boyle is one of nine freshmen nationally on the Wallace Award watch list, which features 100 shortstops. Maryland’s Ty Kaunas is also on the list as a true freshman. Both players will be on the field next week in College Park for weekend No. 2 of the Big Ten season.
This marks the third year in a row – and fourth time in the last five seasons – a Boilermaker was selected for the Wallace Award watch list. Camden Gasser (2024) and Lukas Cook (2025) advanced to the semifinalist list the last two years.
Boyle is the fifth Boilermaker overall selected to the Brooks Wallace Award watch list since it evolved to spotlight shortstops in 2009. Along with Gasser and Cook, David Miller (2012) and Evan Albrecht (2022) were also recognized among the nation's elite captains of the infield.
Relief pitcher Jake Kramer was also selected to the NCBWA’s Stopper of the Year Award preseason watch list last month. He was a two-time All-American closer at Division II California (Pa.) before joining the Boilermakers as a senior transfer.
Purdue hosts No. 24 Oregon next for its home-opening weekend. The Ducks' Maddox Molony is also on the Wallace Award watch list. They're among the seven Big Ten shortstops on the list.
