Florida infielder Brendan Lawson (11) rounds third base after his home run as the Florida Gators face the High Point Panthers on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Condron Family Ballpark in Gainesville, Fla. (Matthew Lewis/WRUF)

Two Gators Named as National Baseball Award Semifinalists

Despite an up-and-down year from Florida baseball, two UF athletes are being recognized nationally for their efforts on the diamond.

Earlier Wednesday afternoon, The College Baseball Foundation unveiled its semifinalist list for the 2026 National Pitcher of the Year award. Gators Sophomore right-handed pitcher Aidan King was named among the list of 43 other semifinalists.

King is one of only six SEC players advancing to the semifinals. He currently leads the conference with a 1.71 ERA, and ranks eighth nationally. King also boasts a 0.93 WHIP and six wins, each of which ranks fourth in the conference. He has a 55-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 52 ⅔ innings pitched.

Additionally, the College Baseball Foundation announced the semifinalists for the 2026 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year award, which recognizes the top shortstop in college baseball. Gators sophomore Brendan Lawson is one of 50 shortstops advancing to the semifinal stage.

Lawson boasts a .322 batting average and leads the Gators in home runs (11), slugging (.696), OPS (1.264), and on-base percentage (.533). He has totaled 41 runs, 34 RBIs, 43 walks, and 10 stolen bases in 37 games played this season in what has been a breakout season.

The last time a Gator was named National Pitcher of the Year was in 2018, when Brady Singer was named ABCA National Pitcher of the Year. He also received the Dick Howser trophy that same year, recognizing the top overall college baseball player.

No Gator has ever won the Brooks Wallace Player of the Year award, but Lawson is one of only two UF players in history to be recognized, the other being Nolan Fontana as a quarterfinalist in 2012.

Category: Gators Baseball