Kansas baseball: Jayhawks rack up multiple All-Big 12 honors

The Kansas baseball team recently wrapped up the regular season in their first year under new head coach Dan Fitzgerald.

His presence appears to be already making an impact as five different players from this year’s roster received Big 12 honors following the conclusion of the regular season – including one that marks a first in program history.

True freshman Kodey Shojinaga was named Big 12 Co-Freshman of the Year, making him the first player in KU baseball history to receive the award. Shojinaga shared the honor with Oklahoma State’s Nolan Schubart.

Shojinaga came to Kansas from Honolulu, Hawaii, and has had a remarkable first year.

During the regular season, Shojinaga led the team in hits (70) and on-base percentage (.424) while chipping in a team-best .380 batting average. That average is good enough for second overall in the conference and seventh in the country among true freshmen.

"“Kodey has worked hard and played at a very high level since day one on campus,” said Fitzgerald. “He’s a winner in every way – a 4.0 student, a great teammate, and an elite worker. His success is not surprising, and I could not be more proud of Kodey.”"

Shojinaga also took home Second Team All-Big 12 honors and was a unanimous selection to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.

Other All-Big 12 recipients

Outfielder Janson Reeder, a junior transfer from Cowley Community College in his first year at Kansas, was the team’s lone First Team All-Big 12 selection.

He was selected thanks to his role as designated hitter in which he hit 11 home runs, knocked in 41 RBIs, and had a .278 batting average this season.

It was an impressive achievement for a first-year transfer, and a testament to how well Fitzgerald and his staff can identify, recruit, and develop talent.

In addition to Shojinaga, three more Jayhawks were selected to the All-Big 12 Second Team: graduate pitcher Collin Baumgartner, senior catcher/first baseman Cole Elvis, and sophomore outfielder Chase Jans.

Baumgartner, in his lone season at Kansas after transferring from SIU-Edwardsville, finished the season 5-1 with a 3.79 ERA. He also led the team in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched.

Elvis, also a senior transfer who joined the Jayhawks after spending four seasons at Cal, led the team with 14 home runs, 51 RBIs, and 118 total bases. His 10 home runs in conference play were tied for most among all Big 12 players, and his 32 RBIs and 67 total bases led the league.

What’s even more impressive is that 10 of Elvis’ 14 home runs this year came in the sixth inning or later – showing just how clutch he could be late in games.

In one of the highlights of the season, Elvis had a four-game stretch in April when he hit a home run in every single game – making him the first Jayhawk to accomplish that feat in at least 30 years.

Jans, a local kid from nearby Overland Park, Kansas, made big strides in his sophomore year. He finished second on the team in slugging percentage, hits, and RBIs. He also chipped in 10 home runs, compared to just three a season ago.

Jans had some incredible catches on defense as well – two of which ended up as top 10 plays on SportsCenter.

Fitzgerald and his staff deserve a lot of credit for how these players performed this year, but he says the players are the ones who deserve all the praise.

"“My staff did a great job with these guys,” said Fitzgerald. “We built a good foundation and map for them to follow – but ultimately – all the credit goes to the players. They are the ones who actually have to do it, and those guys have really done it at a high level all year.”"

To see all these individual accolades pile up for this Kansas team is a good sign that they are in the right hands under Fitzgerald.

If the individual success can translate into even more team success, then this program could reach new heights in the years ahead.