Record Breaker
Apr 27, 2026 | Baseball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Home run history hit Tointon Family Stadium just 14 minutes into a game between Kansas State and No. 16 Kansas on Saturday, and it was a beauty, as 5-foot-11, 190 pound junior shortstop Dee Kennedy smashed a homer over the left field wall for his 18th blast of the 2026 season, etching his name into the record book with the most home runs in a single season in K-State history.
Then Kennedy, one of the top 10 home run hitters in Division I baseball this season, didn't have to wait long to add to his school record, as 34 minutes later, he smashed his 19th home run for his fourth game with two or more home runs this season, also belting two home runs against Penn State (2), SIUE (3) and at BYU (2).
"It felt good to hit it," Kennedy, who went 3-for-4 with one double and two home runs in his first three at-bats against the Jayhawks. "I didn't really realize I got the record until I got into the dugout, but I'm happy I did it. I saw what I wanted and I hit it. On the second home run, I saw a beachball, just the shape of a slider."
And he sent the ball over the wall.
Kennedy's record feat came after the native of Fort Worth, Texas, was recently named a semifinalist for the 2026 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award, becoming one of 50 semifinalists for the award that recognizes the nation's top shortstop based on both their offensive and defensive production. Kennedy became the fourth K-State player in history to be named a semifinalist, joining Drew Biery (2009), Austin Fisher (2013) and Nick Goodwin (2023).
A year after batting .279 with 43 RBI and 11 home runs, Kennedy has put together a dominant junior campaign, leading K-State in nearly every offensive category, including batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs, hits, RBI, doubles, home runs and total bases.
This season, Kennedy has a slash line of .395/.495/.837 with 68 hits, including 15 doubles, two triples and a school-record 19 homers. His 65 RBI tie for fourth all-time in single-season history and the most by a K-State player since 2010.
He ranks among the top performers in Division I baseball, ranking top 10 in runs scored, total bases, RBI, slugging percentage and home runs.
Kennedy's 20 stolen bases make him just the second Division I player to have at least 20 stolen bases and at least 19 home runs.
"He's going to go down as one of the best players to play here, obviously, with the records he's broken," K-State head coach Pete Hughes says. "He's broken records, and he can do so many things to beat you, that's for sure. He's one home run from being a 20-20 guy, which in college baseball is rare air.
"He's a difference maker."
Kennedy came to K-State after his freshman season at Texas in 2024.
"We recruited Dee since he was a freshman in high school," Hughes says. "We've known Dee forever. The fact that we got him back through the portal, we knew what we were getting, and he had huge upside and a great kid, with a skillset through the roof."
After showing consistency while making 57 starts at third base last season for the Wildcats, Kennedy exploded onto the national scene at the start of the 2026 season when in a span of 48 hours he mopped up virtually every possible national college baseball award following outstanding efforts against Iowa, UConn, Penn State and Air Force in the MLB Desert Invitational in Scottsdale, Arizona.
He hit a grand slam in the season opener against Iowa and another grand slam against Penn State while producing a monstrous 1.857 OPS and hitting .500 (7 for 14) with five extra-base hits, including three home runs — including his two grand slams. He slugged an impressive 1.286 while posting a .571 on-base percentage. Kennedy was also perfect on the base paths, going 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts, while he scored 10 runs.
For his outstanding performance over the four-game season-opening slate, Kennedy was named the Golden Spikes Award x D1 Baseball Player of the Week and Big 12 Conference Player of the Week. Then he was named the Brooks Wallace Award Player of the Week. Finally, he was named the National College Baseball Writers Association Dick Howser Trophy Co-National Hitter of the Week, and he was selected to Baseball America's Week 1 National Team of the Week.
Now in the twilight of his junior season, Kennedy continues to shine among the brightest stars in Division I baseball.
And he's a bonafide record breaker at K-State, as witnessed by his record-setting 18th home run — and then his 19th home run — on Saturday.
"His home run was a no-brainer," Hughes says. "It was right off the bat. He saw the ball good with two home runs and a double in his first three times up. He's been our go-to guy all year long. He tried to single-handedly win the game for us."
Time ticks down on Kennedy's remarkable junior season. Hughes has produced 27 MLB draftees taken in the first 10 rounds, including eight in the first round. Maximus Martin and Jacob Frost were both taken in the 10th round of the 2025 MLB Draft. Kaelen Culpepper (first round), Tyson Neighbors (fourth round), Jackson Wentworth (fifth round) and Brady Day (10th round) went in the first 10 rounds of the 2024 MLB Draft.
Baseball America calls Kennedy "another major draft breakout who emerged quickly as one of college baseball's most well-rounded offensive contributors."
Kennedy takes much pride in his preparation and performance.
"I hold myself to a very high standard," he says. "It's just day-by-day how I step onto the field and how I carry myself off the field. I've learned that I just have to play confident, believe in myself, and that I'm good, and I'm able to be out there with everybody else."
Home run history hit Tointon Family Stadium just 14 minutes into a game between Kansas State and No. 16 Kansas on Saturday, and it was a beauty, as 5-foot-11, 190 pound junior shortstop Dee Kennedy smashed a homer over the left field wall for his 18th blast of the 2026 season, etching his name into the record book with the most home runs in a single season in K-State history.
Then Kennedy, one of the top 10 home run hitters in Division I baseball this season, didn't have to wait long to add to his school record, as 34 minutes later, he smashed his 19th home run for his fourth game with two or more home runs this season, also belting two home runs against Penn State (2), SIUE (3) and at BYU (2).
"It felt good to hit it," Kennedy, who went 3-for-4 with one double and two home runs in his first three at-bats against the Jayhawks. "I didn't really realize I got the record until I got into the dugout, but I'm happy I did it. I saw what I wanted and I hit it. On the second home run, I saw a beachball, just the shape of a slider."
And he sent the ball over the wall.
Kennedy's record feat came after the native of Fort Worth, Texas, was recently named a semifinalist for the 2026 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award, becoming one of 50 semifinalists for the award that recognizes the nation's top shortstop based on both their offensive and defensive production. Kennedy became the fourth K-State player in history to be named a semifinalist, joining Drew Biery (2009), Austin Fisher (2013) and Nick Goodwin (2023).
A year after batting .279 with 43 RBI and 11 home runs, Kennedy has put together a dominant junior campaign, leading K-State in nearly every offensive category, including batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs, hits, RBI, doubles, home runs and total bases.
This season, Kennedy has a slash line of .395/.495/.837 with 68 hits, including 15 doubles, two triples and a school-record 19 homers. His 65 RBI tie for fourth all-time in single-season history and the most by a K-State player since 2010.
He ranks among the top performers in Division I baseball, ranking top 10 in runs scored, total bases, RBI, slugging percentage and home runs.
Kennedy's 20 stolen bases make him just the second Division I player to have at least 20 stolen bases and at least 19 home runs.
"He's going to go down as one of the best players to play here, obviously, with the records he's broken," K-State head coach Pete Hughes says. "He's broken records, and he can do so many things to beat you, that's for sure. He's one home run from being a 20-20 guy, which in college baseball is rare air.
"He's a difference maker."
Kennedy came to K-State after his freshman season at Texas in 2024.
"We recruited Dee since he was a freshman in high school," Hughes says. "We've known Dee forever. The fact that we got him back through the portal, we knew what we were getting, and he had huge upside and a great kid, with a skillset through the roof."
After showing consistency while making 57 starts at third base last season for the Wildcats, Kennedy exploded onto the national scene at the start of the 2026 season when in a span of 48 hours he mopped up virtually every possible national college baseball award following outstanding efforts against Iowa, UConn, Penn State and Air Force in the MLB Desert Invitational in Scottsdale, Arizona.
He hit a grand slam in the season opener against Iowa and another grand slam against Penn State while producing a monstrous 1.857 OPS and hitting .500 (7 for 14) with five extra-base hits, including three home runs — including his two grand slams. He slugged an impressive 1.286 while posting a .571 on-base percentage. Kennedy was also perfect on the base paths, going 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts, while he scored 10 runs.
For his outstanding performance over the four-game season-opening slate, Kennedy was named the Golden Spikes Award x D1 Baseball Player of the Week and Big 12 Conference Player of the Week. Then he was named the Brooks Wallace Award Player of the Week. Finally, he was named the National College Baseball Writers Association Dick Howser Trophy Co-National Hitter of the Week, and he was selected to Baseball America's Week 1 National Team of the Week.
Now in the twilight of his junior season, Kennedy continues to shine among the brightest stars in Division I baseball.
And he's a bonafide record breaker at K-State, as witnessed by his record-setting 18th home run — and then his 19th home run — on Saturday.
"His home run was a no-brainer," Hughes says. "It was right off the bat. He saw the ball good with two home runs and a double in his first three times up. He's been our go-to guy all year long. He tried to single-handedly win the game for us."
Time ticks down on Kennedy's remarkable junior season. Hughes has produced 27 MLB draftees taken in the first 10 rounds, including eight in the first round. Maximus Martin and Jacob Frost were both taken in the 10th round of the 2025 MLB Draft. Kaelen Culpepper (first round), Tyson Neighbors (fourth round), Jackson Wentworth (fifth round) and Brady Day (10th round) went in the first 10 rounds of the 2024 MLB Draft.
Baseball America calls Kennedy "another major draft breakout who emerged quickly as one of college baseball's most well-rounded offensive contributors."
Kennedy takes much pride in his preparation and performance.
"I hold myself to a very high standard," he says. "It's just day-by-day how I step onto the field and how I carry myself off the field. I've learned that I just have to play confident, believe in myself, and that I'm good, and I'm able to be out there with everybody else."
Players Mentioned
K-State Volleyball | 2026 Spring College Showcase - Omaha
Monday, April 27
K-State Football | Coach Collin Klein First Pitch
Sunday, April 26
K-State Track & Field | Oregon Team Invitational Recap
Thursday, April 23
K-State Football | Collin Klein Press Conference - April 22, 2026
Wednesday, April 22
