USA Baseball has named 60 players placed to the 2011 Golden Spikes Award midseason watch list. The Golden Spikes Award is given to the top amateur baseball player in the country.
The midseason list includes 23 new athletes who have played themselves into consideration for the award, while 13 players have been removed from the 50-member preseason watch list. The watch list will continue to be a “rolling list” up until May 31 when 30 semifinalists are announced. This will ensure that athletes can still play themselves into consideration over the course of the month of May.
The 60-man midseason Golden Spikes Award watch list is as follows:
Name, Position, Class, School, Conference
Daniel Aldrich, OF, RS-Freshman, College of Charleston, SoCon
James Allen, RHP, Junior, Kansas State, Big 12
Tyler Anderson, LHP, Junior, Oregon, Pac-10
Matt Barnes, RHP, Junior, Connecticut, Big East
Trevor Bauer, RHP, Junior, UCLA, Pac-10
Jed Bradley, LHP, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC
Adam Bryant, IF, Senior, Troy, Sun Belt
Garrett Buechele, IF, Junior, Oklahoma, Big 12
Andrew Chafin, LHP, RS-Sophomore, Kent State, MAC
Gerrit Cole, RHP, Junior, UCLA, Pac-10
C.J. Cron, C, Junior, Utah, Mountain West
Alex Dickerson, OF, Junior, Indiana, Big Ten
Kenny Diekroeger, IF, Sophomore, Stanford, Pac-10
Jason Esposito, IF, Junior, Vanderbilt, SEC
Sam Gaviglio, RHP, Junior, Oregon State, Pac-10
Sean Gilmartin, LHP, Junior, Florida State, ACC
Greg Gonzalez, RHP, Senior, Fresno State, WAC
Sonny Gray, RHP, Junior, Vanderbilt, SEC
Kurt Heyer, RHP, Sophomore, Arizona, Pac-10
Paul Hoilman, RHP/IF, Senior, East Tennessee State, Atlantic Sun
Danny Hultzen, LHP/IF, Junior, Virginia, ACC
Brian Johnson, LHP/IF, Sophomore, Florida, SEC
Taylor Jungmann, RHP, Junior, Texas, Big 12
Branden Kline, RHP, Sophomore, Virginia, ACC
Jake Lowery, C, Junior, James Madison, CAA
Mikie Mahtook, OF, Junior, Louisiana State, SEC
Deven Marrero, IF, Sophomore, Arizona State, Pac-10
Cody Martin, RHP, Senior, Gonzaga, WCC
Nick Martini, OF, Junior, Kansas State, Big 12
Mike McGee, RHP/OF, Senior, Florida State, ACC
Anthony Meo, RHP, Junior, Coastal Carolina, Big South
Levi Michael, IF, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
Brad Miller, IF, Junior, Clemson, ACC
Peter O’Brien, C, Junior, Bethune-Cookman, MEAC
Ricky Oropesa, IF, Junior, Southern California, Pac-10
Mark Pope, RHP, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC
Matt Price, RHP, RS Sophomore, South Carolina, SEC
Nick Ramirez, IF/LHP, Junior, Cal State Fullerton, Big West
Noe Ramirez, RHP, Junior, Cal State Fullerton, Big West
Hudson Randall, RHP, Sophomore, Florida, SEC
Tyler Ray, RHP, Junior, Troy, Sun Belt
Anthony Rendon, IF, Junior, Rice, C-USA
Matt Rice, C, Senior, Western Kentucky, Sun Belt
Nick Rickles, C, Junior, Stetson, Atlantic Sun
Brance Rivera, OF, Junior, Texas Christian, Mountain West
Victor Roache, OF, Sophmore, Georgia Southern, SoCon
Michael Rocha, RHP, Senior, Oklahoma, Big 12
Michael Roth, LHP, Junior, South Carolina, SEC
George Springer, OF, Junior, Connecticut, Big East
John Stilson, RHP/IF, Junior, Texas A&M, Big 12
Nick Tropeano, RHP, Junior, Stony Brook, America East
Preston Tucker, IF, Junior, Florida, SEC
B.A. Vollmuth, IF, Junior, Southern Mississippi, C-USA
Adam Brett Walker, OF, Sophomore, Jacksonville, Atlantic Sun
Christian Walker, 1B, Sophomore, South Carolina, SEC
Aaron Westlake, IF/C, Junior, Vanderbilt, SEC
Kyle Winkler, RHP, Junior, Texas Christian, Mountain West
Kolten Wong, IF, Junior, Hawaii, WAC
Ryan Wright, IF, Junior, Louisville, Big East
Chad Zurcher, SS, RS-Junior, Memphis, C-USA
On May 31, USA Baseball officials will announce the 30 semifinalists for the GSA. The list of 30 will then be sent to a voting body consisting of select professional baseball personnel, past USA Baseball National Team coaches and press officers, members of media that closely follow the amateur game, and current USA Baseball staff, representing a group of nearly 200 voters in total.
Fan voting will once again be a part of the GSA in 2011. Tuesday, May 31, marks the day when amateur baseball fans from across the country will be able to vote for their favorite player for the GSA on GoldenSpikesAward.com. As part of this selection process all voters will be asked to choose three players from the list of 30 names. On Tuesday, June 7, USA Baseball will announce the three finalists, and voting will once again commence that same day.
For the first time in award’s 34-year history, the winner will be announced live on the MLB Network’s MLB Tonight.
About the Golden Spikes Award
Since 1978, USA Baseball has honored the top amateur baseball player in the country with the Golden Spikes Award. Following the first ever presentation of the Award to Bob Horner of Arizona State, the Golden Spikes Award has been presented each year to the player who exhibits exceptional athletic ability and exemplary sportsmanship. The 2009 Golden Spikes Award winner was Stephen Strasburg of San Diego State. Past winners of this prestigious award include current Major League Baseball players such as Stephen Strasburg (’09), Buster Posey (’08), David Price (’07), Tim Lincecum (’06), Alex Gordon (’05), Jered Weaver (’04), Rickie Weeks (’03), Khalil Greene (’02), Jason Jennings (’00), Pat Burrell (`98), J.D. Drew (’97), Mark Kotsay (’95), and Jason Varitek (’94). Former Major League stars that have captured the award include Robin Ventura (’88), Jim Abbott (’87), Will Clark (’85), Dave Magadan (’83), Terry Francona (’80), Tim Wallach (’79), and Bob Horner (’78). For more information, please visit GoldenSpikesAward.com.