Thirty New Players Added…
UCLA's Jeff Gelalich is among 30 new players named to the 2012 Golden Spikes Watch List.
DURHAM, N.C. — USA Baseball released its 60-man midseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List on Tuesday, bringing the organization one step closer to naming the top amateur baseball player in the country.
The Watch List will continue to be a “rolling” list until May 29 — when the final 30 semifinalists for the award are announced — ensuring that athletes can play themselves into consideration for the award. The Golden Spikes Award trophy will be awarded live at MLB Network’s studios for the second year in a row, with a presentation scheduled for Friday, July 6. Through USA Baseball’s partnership with Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM), the presentation will also be simulcast with a live stream available from GoldenSpikesAward.com, MLB.com and USABaseball.com.
Thirty new players have been added to the list since its initial release on Feb. 16, while another 30 remain. Florida and the Southeastern Conference continue to lead all schools and conferences with Watch List players, placing four and 16 on the midseason update, respectively. Carlos Rodon of North Carolina State is a new addition and currently stands as the list’s lone freshman. Adam Brett Walker of Jacksonville, Michael Roth of South Carolina and Mike Zunino of Florida each carry over as the only players who were semifinalists for the Golden Spikes Award in 2011.
USA Baseball officials will announce the 30 semifinalists for the 2012 Golden Spikes Award on Tuesday, May 29. The list of 30 will then be sent to a voting body consisting of past USA Baseball National Team coaches and press officers, members of media that closely follow the amateur game, select professional baseball personnel and current USA Baseball staff, representing a group of more than 200 voters in total.
Fan voting will once again be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2012. Tuesday, May 29, marks the day when amateur baseball fans from across the country will be able to vote for their favorite semifinalist 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 5, USA Baseball will announce the three finalists, and voting will once again commence that same day.
Beginning with Florida State’s Buster Posey in New York in 2008, USA Baseball partnered with MLBAM to create GoldenSpikesAward.com, and until 2011, streamed its annual presentations online live from MLB All-Star FanFest. Stephen Strasburg of San Diego State won the award in 2009 in St. Louis, and Bryce Harper of Southern Nevada took home the trophy from Anaheim, Calif., in 2010. UCLA’s Trevor Bauer was the 2011 winner, accepting the trophy as part of a live presentation on “MLB Tonight” in MLB Network’s Studio 42.
Other past winners of the Golden Spikes Award include Terry Francona (1980), Will Clark (1985), Robin Ventura (1988), Jason Varitek (1994), Rickie Weeks (2003), Jered Weaver (2004), Tim Lincecum (2006), and David Price (2007).
Important 2012 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award dates include:
Thursday, Feb. 16: 50-man preseason Watch List released, shaped by USA Baseball officials and advisors
Tuesday, May 1: 60-man midseason Watch List released, shaped by USA Baseball officials and advisors
Tuesday, May 29: 30 semifinalists announced, selected by USA Baseball officials; semifinalist voting begins; voters select three
Friday, June 1: Deadline to vote for finalists, 5 p.m. ET
Tuesday, June 5: Three finalists announced; finalist voting begins; voters to select o
ne Friday, June 15: Deadline to vote for winner, 5 p.m. ET
Friday, July 6: Live Golden Spikes Award presentation from MLB Network studios
The complete 2012 midseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List is as follows:
Name, Position, Class, School, Conference (in order of name, new players bolded)
Justin Amlung, RHP, Junior, Louisville, Big East
Mark Appel, RHP, Junior, Stanford, Pac-12
Adam Brett Walker, OF/C, Junior, Jacksonville, Atlantic Sun
Kris Bryant, IF, Sophomore, San Diego, WCC
J.T. Chargois, RHP/IF, Junior, Rice, C-USA
Jason Coats, OF, Senior, Texas Christian, Mountain West
Joey DeMichele, IF, Junior, Arizona State, Pac-12
Josh Elander, C/OF, Junior, Texas Christian, Mountain West
Austin Elkins, IF, Junior, Dallas Baptist, Independent
Kent Emanuel, LHP, Sophomore, North Carolina, ACC
Dylan Floro, RHP, Junior, Cal State Fullerton, Big West
Marty Gantt, OF, Senior, College of Charleston, SoCon
Kevin Gausman, RHP, Sophomore, Louisiana State, SEC
Jeff Gelalich, OF, Junior, UCLA, Pac-12
Marco Gonzales, LHP/IF, Sophomore, Gonzaga, WCC
Nick Goody, RHP, Junior, Louisiana State, SEC
Trevor Gott, RHP, Sophomore, Kentucky, SEC
Andrew Heaney, LHP, Junior, Oklanhoma State, Big 12
Kurt Heyer, RHP, Junior, Arizona, Pac-12
D.J. Hicks, IF, Junior, Central Florida, C-USA
Travis Jankowski, OF, Junior, Stony Brook, America East
Brian Johnson, LHP/IF, Junior, Florida, SEC
Derek Jones, OF, Junior, Washington State, Pac-12
Corey Knebel, RHP, Sophomore, Texas, Big 12
Pat Light, RHP, Junior, Monmouth, Northeast
Michael Lorenzen, OF/RHP, Sophomore, Cal State Fullerton, Big West
Josh Ludy, C, Senior, Baylor, Big 12
Austin Maddox, RHP/IF, Junior, Florida, SEC
Luke Maile, C/IF, Junior, Kentucky, SEC
Michael Morin, RHP, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
Trenton Moses, IF, Senior, Southeast Missouri State, Ohio Valley
Tyler Naquin, OF, Junior, Texas A&M, Big 12
T.J. Oakes, RHP, Junior, Minnesota, Big Ten
Peter O’Brien, C, Senior, Miami (Fla.), ACC
D.J. Peterson, IF, Sophomore, New Mexico, Mountain West
Stephen Piscotty, IF/RHP, Junior, Stanford, Pac-12
Danny Poma, OF, Senior, Hofstra, CAA
Matt Price, RHP, RS Junior, South Carolina, SEC
James Ramsey, OF, Senior, Florida State, ACC
Matthew Reckling, RHP , Senior, Rice, C-USA
Tony Renda, IF, Junior, California, Pac-12
Raph Rhymes, OF , Junior, Louisiana State, SEC
Brady Rodgers, RHP, Junior, Arizona State, Pac-12
Carlos Rodon, LHP, Freshman, North Carolina State, ACC
Michael Roth, LHP/IF, Senior, South Carolina, SEC
Richie Shaffer, IF, Junior, Clemson, ACC
Ryne Stanek, RHP , Sophomore, Arkansas, SEC
Zach Stephens, IF, Sophomore, Tennessee Tech, Ohio Valley
Chris Stratton, RHP, Junior, Mississippi State, SEC
Ross Stripling, RHP, Senior, Texas A&M, Big 12
Marcus Stroman, RHP, Junior, Duke, ACC
Preston Tucker, IF, Senior, Florida, SEC
Josh Turley, LHP, Junior, Baylor, Big 12
Michael Wacha, RHP, Junior, Texas A&M, Big 12
Tyler Wagner, RHP, Sophomore, San Diego, WCC
Bobby Wahl, RHP, Sophomore, Mississippi, SEC
Christian Walker, IF, Junior, South Carolina, SEC
Alex Yarbrough, IF, Junior, Mississippi, SEC
Kyle Zimmer, RHP, Junior, San Francisco, WCC
Mike Zunino, C, Junior, Florida, SEC