Freshman Jayhawk adds to growing resume with All-American honors

LAWRENCE, Kan. (WIBW) - The Kansas freshman infielder continues to earn recognition after a stellar rookie season.

The Collegiate Baseball Newspaper announced Wednesday that Kansas second baseman Kodey Shojinaga was named a Freshman All-American.

Shojinaga, a true freshman, receives the recognition following his rookie campaign, where he set a Kansas freshman record with a .378 batting average.

With this award, Shojinaga adds to an already impressive resume that includes the Big 12 Co-Freshman of the Year, an All-Big 12 Second Team infielder, and a unanimous selection to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.

“If you look at what Kodey has done as a freshman and compare it to freshmen around the country, he’s clearly one of the top guys,” Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald said. “I think that he’s a guy that you can build around. He’s a middle of the order bat as a true freshman. There is no question in my mind that he is one of the top freshman players in the country. He’s one of the top players in the country, and the fact that he happens to be a freshman is pretty special.”

The Honolulu, Hawaii product led the team in batting average (.378), hits (74), multi-hit games (20), on-base percentage (.421), and OPS (.947). He also posted a .418 batting average and 41 hits in conference games —both league-best.

Shojinaga is the eighth Kansas player in program history to receive freshman All-American honors and the first since 2017. He joins James Cosentino (2017), Devin Foyle (2016), Stephen Villines (2014), Wally Marciel (2007), John Nelson (1998 honorable mention), Clint Wyrick (1998 honorable mention), and Jamie Splittorf (1993).

Initially recruited as a catcher and converted to an infielder, Shojinaga had the seventh-highest batting average in the nation amongst true freshmen and the second-highest in the Big 12 after the regular season.