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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747336282458.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure><div>Kansas Athletics
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DALLAS &ndash;&nbsp;Kansas baseball sophomore infielder&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/baseball/roster/brady-ballinger/16147" rel="smarttag" rev="16147">Brady Ballinger</a></dfn>&nbsp;was named a 2025 Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) announced on Thursday. Ballinger is one of 67 candidates from 39 different schools to earn a spot on the semifinalist list. &nbsp; Kansas has never had a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy since the inception of the award in 1987. &nbsp; The prestigious honor has been given to the top player based on two rounds of national voting by NCBWA members. This is the 38th year of the Dick Howser Trophy and the 2025 finalists will be announced on Thursday, June 7. &nbsp; Ballinger has been one of the best players in the Big 12 this season. He is first in the Big 12 in walks (tied for sixth nationally), second in runs scored (tied for 19th nationally), on-base percentage (19th nationally) and total bases and third in slugging percentage. &nbsp; The Las Vegas, Nevada, native leads the team in batting average (.364), walks (54) slugging percentage (.682), on-base percentage (.512), runs scored (65), hits (71), doubles (18) and total bases (133). This season, Ballinger has drawn more walks (54) than times he has struck out (39). &nbsp; Ballinger has a team-high 21 multi-hit games, a team-high 16 multi-walk games and 12 multi-RBI games. He also has 14 home runs which are tied for fifth most in program history and his 54 BB are third most in school history. He started the season by reaching base safely and scoring a run in each of the first 19 games. &nbsp; ABOUT THE DICK HOWSER TROPHY The Dick Howser Trophy, presented by The Game Headwear, is given in memory of the former Florida State University All-America shortstop and major league player and manager who died of brain cancer in 1987. The trophy is regarded as baseball's most prestigious award. Criteria for consideration of the trophy include performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage &ndash; all qualities that were exemplified by Dick Howser's life. &nbsp; A Florida native, Howser was twice an All-America shortstop at FSU (1957-58), then coached the Seminoles in 1979, after a career as a major league player and coach. After one year coaching in the college ranks, Howser returned to the majors to manage the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals and won the World Series with the Royals in 1985. The baseball stadium on the Florida State campus is named for Howser. &nbsp;
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⚾ KU's Ballinger named a Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist