http://collegebaseball360.com/college-baseball-360-fall-notebook-oct-3-2011/ http://collegebaseball360.com/college-baseball-360-fall-notebook-oct-3-2011/#comments Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:20:22 +0000 http://collegebaseball360.com/?p=23167

www.simplesharebuttons.com

Here’s a look at some noteworthy players with college connections and other things going on in the world of college baseball…

The Ax Man Cometh…

If you have spent any time watching the MLB Playoffs, Baseball Tonight or the MLB Network this season you have likely heard the incredible story about how Milwaukee’s John Axford has gone from cell phone salesman to Big League closer in the course of the last few years. However, that’s not even half of the journey that “Ax”, “The Ax Man” – pick your moniker – has gone through to get to where is is now.

Axford, who posted a 1.95 ERA with 46 saves for the NL Central champs this season, turned down the Seattle Mariners after they drafted him in the seventh round of the 2001 MLB Draft. He opted to play instead at Notre Dame, where he went to the College World Series as a freshman in 2002.

He was 5-2 that year after making 12 starts with five appearances out of the Irish bullpen. His fourth relief appearance was one of his most memorable. Axford entered game two of the Tallahassee Super Regional in the middle innings of what would be a 12-5 Irish loss.

In the fifth inning of that game, Florida State fans did what they always do-sang Oh Canada as the Seminoles prepared to bat in the home half of the inning. It’s doubtful the FSU faithful even gave thought to the fact that the lanky 6’6 Axford-a native of Port Dover, Ontario-was on the mound during their spirited chorus. “It fired me up a little,” Axford told me the next day.

While Axford’s 4 2/3 innings in that loss won’t go down in the Irish records books, they were important none the less. Axford did that day what a pro does. He did the same thing Tim Wakefield did for the Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS when he chewed-up 3 1/3 innings in relief in a blowout loss to the Yankees-he held the line. Notre Dame, led by current LSU skipper Paul Mainieri (current Virginia head coach Brian O’Connor was his pitching coach), knocked off the top ranked Seminoles 3-1 the next day to advance to Omaha.

Axford made one relief appearance at the CWS, but it would be the last NCAA Tournament appearance of his career. While teammates like Steve Stanley and Brian Stavisky were drafted that year by Billy Beane and eventually mentioned in Michael Lewis‘ book Moneyball, Axford is one of just two players from that ’02 team to make it to the MLB (they other was Matt Macri who missed the postseason due to injury).

He pitched for Mainieri and O’Connor again in 2003, missed all of ’04 after Tommy John surgery and then complete his collegiate career at Canisus in 2006.

But it wasn’t the elbow surgery that held Axford back as much as his problems with control. The Ax Man had 133 strikeouts, but walked 109 with 21 wild pitches in his two seasons under the Golden Dome. Things were no better as Canisus, where he walked and struckout 79 with 15 wild pitches in 70 innings, while going 3-8.

The guy who was considered by some publications to be the top prep player in Canada in 2001 could lather and rinse, but he just couldn’t repeat. Axford could be brilliantly dominant one day and then dumbfoundedly disastrous the next. Think Nuke Laloosh.

It was never more evident that two midweek starts for the Irish in 2003. Axford struckout 12 with no walks in 7.0 innings in an April 9 win over Western Michigan. However, he followed that start with 5 BB and just 4 K in a win over Central Michigan. Throw-in a 7 BB performance in 2 1/3 innings of relief in a Big East Tournament loss to Rutgers that May and it’s easy to see why it took the guy who now sports the second most recognizable facial hair in the Big Leagues to matriculate his way to Milwaukee.

Ask anyone who knows John Axford though, and they will tell you he is as good a person as he is a pitcher. He’s a case study in perseverance paying off over the long haul. Axford is doing now what he did that day in June in Tallahassee-holding the line.

The Dan Man Can…

Dan Johnson

Tampa Bay Rays first baseman, Dan Johnson, is another big league player with college connections. Johnson is probably now best known for his two-out, two-strike home run in the bottom of the ninth last week against the Yankees to help propel the Rays into the AL Playoffs. Like Axford, Johnson is also well traveled.

Johnson started his collegiate career at Butler University in Indianapolis before transferring to a junior college and eventually Nebraska. He batted .361 with 25 home runs and 86 RBIs in 2001 to help the program reach its first ever College World Series.

The 32-year-old made his Big League debut with the Oakland A’s in 2005. He stayed there through 2008, when Tampa Bay claimed him off waivers. Johnson then spent the 2009 season with the Yokohama Baystars in Japan. He has spent the last two seasons back in Tampa. His last hit prior to last week’s dramatic home run was in April.

Johnson and Axford are among 175 former college players on the 40-man rosters of this year’s MLB Playoff teams. Click Here to see more.

Who Needs High School…

Vanderbilt's Chris Harvey

Bryce Harper is probably the most famous player to skip his final year of high school to prepare for a future in baseball, but he is not the only one. Harper skipped his last two years of high school to enroll and play for a year at a junior college before the Washington Nationals made him their top draft pick.

Like Harper, Chris Harvey has jumped from high school to college early. However, unlike Harper, Harvey is doing at a higher level – both academically and athletically.

Harvey, a catcher like Harper, should be a senior at Germantown Academy in Pennsylvania, but instead he is working toward a shot to be Vanderbilt’s catcher in a year Tim Corbin‘s Commodores are coming off their first College World Series appearance.

The 6’6 Harvey was projected by many to go in the first three rounds of the 2012 MLB Draft, but the itch to play college ball was something he could not resist.

“It’s something that I wanted to do for a while,” Harvey recently told Max Preps. “This gives me an extra year of college, it helps me become a more well-rounded person, and the academics had a lot to do with it. I always wanted to come to Vanderbilt, and to be honest, me and my family weren’t really depending on what we were hearing [from Major League scouts and teams]. I think they basically all said what I wanted to hear.”

Other players who left high school in recent years to begin their college careers early include Levi Michael of North Carolina and UCLA’s Trevor Bauer. Things worked out well for both of them, as both made it to Omaha with their teams. Bauer was the third overall pick by Arizona in this year’s MLB Draft, while Michael went 30th overall to Minnesota.

Who Needs Two?

Speaking of Vanderbilt, tickets are on sale now for the DeMarini Fall Classic between the Commodores and Cal State Fullerton. The two games will take place October 22 & 23 at Vandy’s Hawkins Field in Nashville. The Titans are led by first year head coach Rick Vanderhook, who was an assistant on UCLA’s 2010 CWS runner-up team. Vanderhook was hired after Dave Serrano left Fullerton to become head coach at Tennessee.

Missouri and Iowa Lending A Helping Hand…

The Missouri and Iowa baseball teams will play a pair of fall exhibition games this weekend (October 8 & 9) and the proceeds from the games will go to a worthy cause.

All proceeds from those games will go directly toward rebuilding Joplin, Missouri’s Little League baseball programs, which were ravaged by tornadoes last May. Saturday’s baseball game will be held prior to the Missouri-Kansas State football game. First pitch for the exhibition is set for 12:30 (Central Time) and kickoff for the football game is at 2:30 pm. Sunday’s game starts at 1 pm.

Fans who can’t attend the games but would like to donate to the cause can contact Missouri director of baseball operations, Evan Pratte, at 573-882-1917 or via e-mail at prattee@missouri.edu.

CLICK HERE to see a video with Mizzou head coach Tim Jamieson further discussing the Joplin relief effort.

Schedules, Schedules and More Schedules…

Now that October is here, we will continue to see more and more college baseball teams release their 2012 schedules. we will link them along with team rosters on our master Schedule Page as they are released.

Long Beach State has the best non-conference slate that I have seen so far. Cal, UCLA, USC, Oregon, Arizona State Washington State, and Wichita State are all among the teams the Dirt Bags will face in 2012.

www.simplesharebuttons.com

]]> http://collegebaseball360.com/college-baseball-360-fall-notebook-oct-3-2011/feed/ 0

#1 Pick Harper Heads List Of Signees…

It came right down to the wire, but number one overall MLB draft pick Bryce Harper signed his first professional contract with the Washington Nationals just before the deadline late Monday night.  The 17-year-old junior college player inked a five year contract worth a reported $9.9 million, including a $6.25 million signing bonus.

Bryce Harper

Harper’s deal was inked just seconds before the 12:01 am E.T. deadline early Tuesday morning.  Like Harper, last year’s top pick, Stephen Strasburg, is also represented by Scott Boras. Like Harper, Strasburg’s negotiations with the Nationals went down to the wire.

Harper is expected to be introduced to the Washington D.C. media next week during the Nationals’ next homestand. He will begin his career in the Gulf Coast League and then play in the fall Instructional League.

Seven other college players who were taken in the first round of June’s draft also inked deadline deals.  The highest of those pick is former Ole Miss pitcher Drew Pomeranz.  The lefty was taken with the #5 pick and signed with the Cleveland Indians for $2.65 million.

Other college first round signees (with their corresponding draft order) include:

7. Matt Harvey-RHP-North Carolina/New York Mets – $2.525 million signing bonus

11. Deck McGuire-RHP-Georgia Tech/Toronto Blue Jays – $2 million signing bonus

12. Yasmani Grandal-C-Miami (FL)/Cincinnati Reds – $2.99 million four-year contract

24. Gary Brown-OF-Cal State Fullerton/San Francisco Giants – $1.45 million signing bonus

25. Zack Cox-3B-Arkansas/St. Louis Cardinals – $2.99 million four-year contract

26. Kyle Parker-OF-Clemson/Colorado Rockies – $1.4 million bonus

CLICK HERE to continue reading about the college player drafted in the first round who didn’t sign as well as Kyle Parker’s unique contract.

Nine College Players Among Unsigned First Rounders…

The countdown is on for big league teams to sign players who were selected in the 2010 MLB Draft. With the deadline Monday night at midnight E.T. (officially 12:01 am Tuesday, August 17), 17 first round draft picks remain unsigned. Nine of those 17 are college baseball players.

Overall #1 draft pick Bryce Harper

Number one overall pick, Bryce Harper, played just a year at the College of Southern Nevada. The 17-year-old phenom got his GED so he could skip his senior year of high school to begin his march toward the professional ranks. He hit ,442 with 29 home runs and 89 RBIs while leading Coyotes to the Junior College World Series. He also received the Golden Spikes Award as the nation’s top amateur baseball player.

The Washington Nationals took Harper with the top pick in this year’s draft, just as they did with former San Diego State pitcher Stephen Strasburg last year. Like Strasburg, Harper is a client of mega agent Scott Boras, who is known as a tough negotiator. Harper also still has three years of college eligibility remaining, which gives him plenty of bargaining leverage.

Interestingly, Harper’s junior college coach, Tim Chambers, has already left Southern Nevada to become the head coach at UNLV.

Most of the other eight unsigned first round college players are juniors, which gives them negotiating leverage as well.  Zack Cox of Arkansas is one of the exceptions. He is a draft eligible sophomore because he is already 21 years old.  Cox was taken by St. Louis with the 25th overall pick in June.

Here’s a look at other unsigned first round college players with their corresponding draft order:

5. Drew Pomeranz-LHP-Ole Miss./Cleveland Indians

6. Barret Loux-RHP-Texas A&M/Arizona Diamondbacks

7. Matt Harvey-RHP-North Carolina/New York Mets

11. Deck McGuire-RHP-Georgia Tech/Toronto Blue Jays

12. Yasmani Grandal-C-Miami (FL)/Cincinnati Reds

24. Gary Brown-OF-Cal State Fullerton/San Francisco Giants

26. Kyle Parker-OF-Clemson/Colorado Rockies

Parker is a bit of a wild card, because he plays both football and baseball at Clemson. This past year he became the first player in Division One history to throw 20 touchdown passes and hit at least 20 home runs in the same academic year. He has three years of eligibility remaining on the football team, but just one season remaining with the baseball team.

Parker’s self-imposed deadline for the Rockies to sign him passed last month, but there is always the chance he could sign with Colorado before the deadline, continue to play football for the Tigers and then play minor league baseball next spring and summer.

ANAHEIM, CA. – USA Baseball announced Tuesday the selection of Southern Nevada’s Bryce Harper as the recipient of the 2010 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award (GSA). This year marks the 33rd consecutive year that the Golden Spikes Award has been presented to the nation’s premier amateur baseball player.

In partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB) and Major League Baseball Advanced Media, the interactive media and Internet company of MLB, the award was presented at MLB All-Star FanFest in Anaheim. In conjunction with the presentation, an award show highlighting the five finalists for the GSA was aired www.MLB.com.

2010 Golden Spikes Award winner Bryce Harper.

Chris Duffy (Central Florida), Yasmani Grandal (Miami [Fla.]), Drew Pomeranz (Mississippi) and Chris Sale (Florida Gulf Coast) were the other finalists for the award.

“This year’s five finalists for the Golden Spikes Award presented our voting committee with another difficult challenge,” said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO.

“Each player authored an incredible season in 2010, and they are all deserving of the award. In the end, however, the committee determined that Bryce Harper’s incredible season with Southern Nevada stood above the rest. We at USA Baseball are honored to recognize Bryce’s achievements with the award for the top amateur baseball player in the country.”

The No. 1 overall selection by the Washington Nationals in the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft, Harper exceeded all expectations during his freshman season at Southern Nevada (CSN), belting 31 home runs (CSN single-season record), with 98 RBIs and a .443 average. The Las Vegas native was named 2010 Scenic West Athletic Conference (SWAC) Player of the Year and First Team SWAC All-Conference.

The Coyotes backstop also received several accolades from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) including ABCA Division I Baseball Player of the Year, Division I Baseball First-Team All-American and Division I Rawlings Big Stick Award Winner.

The selection of Harper marks the second time in the history of the GSA that a junior college player won the award. Alex Fernandez (Miami Dade CC) took home the trophy in 1990. Harper and Fernandez are also the only two non-NCAA Division I players to ever win the award as well.

Harper becomes the second catcher in three years to win the GSA, joining 2008’s recipient, Buster Posey (Florida State). Jason Varitek (Georgia Tech, 1994) is the only other backstop to have won the GSA.

For the third year in a row, fans were able to stay up to date on the award by visiting www.GoldenSpikesAward.com. The Web site features content devoted exclusively to the GSA, including news, voting history, past-winner photo galleries, and photographs and video highlights for 2010 finalists.

Since 1978 USA Baseball has honored the top amateur baseball player in the country with the GSA. Following the first ever presentation of the trophy to Bob Horner of Arizona State, the GSA has been awarded each year to the player who exhibits exceptional athletic ability and exemplary sportsmanship.

The 2009 GSA winner was Stephen Strasburg of San Diego State. Past winners of the prestigious award include current Major League Baseball players such as 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).

Juco Coach Moves To D1 Ranks…

Tim Chambers

“Tim Chambers brings an incredibly accomplished resume with him to UNLV after his years at Bishop Gorman High School and at the College of Southern Nevada,” Livengood said. “His knowledge for the game, his love of this community and his total commitment to excellence were all factors that brought us to the decision to hire him to lead our baseball program. Timing is everything and this is the right time for Tim Chambers and the right time for UNLV.”

Named the Scenic West Athletic Conference Coach of the Year four times, including this season, Chambers built the Coyotes’ powerful program from the ground up and has enjoyed stunning success: seven conference championships, three region titles, two district crowns and the 2003 JUCO World Series Championship. This year’s squad, led by top Major League Baseball draft pick Bryce Harper, was ranked second in the nation and finished 52-16 overall after reaching the national semifinals earlier this month.

“I want to thank my family at CSN for everything over the past 11 years and now I am looking forward to starting a new family at UNLV,” Chambers said. “I’m doing this to have a chance to go to Omaha (for the College World Series). I don’t know of many people who get the opportunity to coach at the high school, junior college and Division One levels all in the same town, so this can be something really special.”

Before moving to CSN, Chambers served as head coach at Las Vegas’ Bishop Gorman High School from 1991-99 where he won six consecutive Sunset Division championships (1992-97) and was the state runner-up in 1997. The NIAA High School Baseball Coach of the Year in 1993 and ’94 was also head coach of the American Legion Las Vegas Knights from 1991-99, winning numerous local, regional and national awards. The three-time state champions played in the 1998 American Legion World Series and finished the season ranked fifth in the nation.

After a college playing career that saw him named all-conference at three different schools, including earning All-America honors at Dixie College in 1984, Chambers earned his bachelor’s degree from Southern Utah University in 1989. He and his wife, Kimberlie, have two daughters, McKenzie (16) and Chase (3).

23 New Players Added To The List

South Carolina's Blake Cooper is 8-0 with a 2.92 ERA. (SC photo)

2010 Major League Baseball All-Star FanFest in Anaheim, Calif.

On the heels of the 50-man preseason list released in February, the updated version includes 23 new athletes who have played themselves into consideration, while there are 13 names that have been removed. The watch list will continue to be a “rolling list” up until June 1 when 30 semifinalists are announced. This will ensure that athletes can still play themselves into consideration over the course of the month of May.

“As with all sports and end-of-season awards there are athletes who perform above and beyond expectations and thus play their way into the conversation,” said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO. “It is our job to identify those players and make sure they are properly considered as we work toward crowning baseball’s top amateur talent in 2010.”

Texas leads all schools with five players named to the watch list. Florida State, Georgia Tech and Louisiana State are tied for second with three names each. Arkansas, Cal State Fullerton, Coastal Carolina, Texas A&M, UCLA, Virginia and Virginia Tech each have two.

The ACC tops all conferences with 13 watch list players. Other leaders include the SEC with 10 athletes, the Big 12 with eight, Conference USA with five and the Big West, Ohio Valley and Pac-10 with three each. Juniors dominate the list with 35 players named. Sophomores are next with 18 players, with seniors having six and Southern Nevada’s Bryce Harper representing the lone freshman.

UCF's Chris Duffy's 17 HR are tied for 6th in the nation.

On Tuesday, June 1, USA Baseball officials will cut the watch list of players to 30 names. The final list of 30 will then be sent to a voting body consisting of select professional baseball personnel, past USA Baseball National Team coaches, select members of the media, former USA Baseball sports information directors, and current USA Baseball staff — close to 150 voters in total.

Fan voting will once again be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2010. June 1 will also mark the day when college baseball fans from across the country will be able to vote for their favorite player for the Golden Spikes Award on www.GoldenSpikesAward.com. As part of this selection process all voters will be asked to choose five players from the list of 30 names. On Tuesday, June 8, USA Baseball will announce the five finalists, and voting will once again commence that same day.

The 2010 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award will be presented nationally July 13 on an award show via live telecast from Anaheim on GoldenSpikesAward.com, USABaseball.com and MLB.com in conjunction with All-Star FanFest.

The updated 2010 Golden Spikes Award Watch List is as follows:

Name, School, Position, Class (in order of name, new players in bold)
Trevor Bauer, UCLA, RHP, Sophomore
Chad Bettis, Texas Tech, RHP, Junior
Daniel Bibona, UC Irvine, LHP, Senior
Bryce Brentz, Middle Tennessee, OF/RHP, Junior
Gary Brown, Cal State Fullerton, IF, Junior
Michael Choice, Texas-Arlington, OF, Junior
Gerrit Cole, UCLA, RHP, Sophomore
Christian Colon, Cal State Fullerton, IF, Junior
Blake Cooper, South Carolina, RHP, Senior
Jordan Cooper, Wichita, RHP, Sophomore
Zack Cox, Arkansas, IF/RHP, Sophomore
Todd Cunningham, Jacksonville State, OF, Junior
Blake Dean, Louisiana State, IF/OF, Senior
Derek Dietrich, Georgia Tech, IF, Junior
Chris Duffy, Central Florida, IF/OF, Senior
Brett Eibner, Arkansas, RHP/OF, Junior
Micah Gibbs, Louisiana State, C, Junior
Sean Gilmartin, Florida State, LHP, Sophomore
Phil Gosselin, Virginia, IF/OF, Junior
Yasmani Grandal, Miami (Fla.), C, Junior
Sonny Gray, Vanderbilt, RHP, Sophomore
Cole Green, Texas, RHP/OF, Junior
Jedd Gyorko, West Virginia, IF, Junior
Jesse Hahn, Virginia Tech, RHP, Sophomore
Bryce Harper, Southern Nevada, C/IF/OF, Freshman
Paul Hoilman, East Tennessee State, RHP/IF, Sophomore
Tyler Holt, Florida State, OF, Junior
Danny Hultzen, Virginia, LHP/IF, Sophomore
Taylor Jungmann, Texas, RHP, Sophomore
A.J. Kirby-Jones, Tennessee Tech, IF/RHP, Junior
Jayson Langfels, Eastern Kentucky, IF, Sophomore
Barret Loux, Texas A&M, RHP, Junior
Zack MacPhee, Arizona State, IF, Sophomore
Mike McGee, Florida State, RHP/OF, Junior
Deck McGuire, Georgia Tech, RHP, Junior
Hunter Morris, Auburn, IF/OF, Junior
Kyle Parker, Clemson, OF/IF, Junior
Tony Plagman, Georgia Tech, IF, Senior
Drew Pomeranz, Mississippi, LHP, Junior
Anthony Ranaudo, Louisiana State, RHP, Junior
Addison Reed, San Diego State, RHP, Junior
Anthony Rendon, Rice, IF, Sophomore
Kyle Roller, East Carolina, IF, Senior
Chance Ruffin, Texas, RHP, Junior
Cameron Rupp, Texas, C, Junior
Chris Sale, Florida Gulf Coast, LHP, Junior
Rob Segedin, Tulane, IF/RHP, RS Sophomore
John Stilson, Texas A&M, RHP/IF, Sophomore
Preston Tucker, Florida, IF, Sophomore
Kolbrin Vitek, Ball State, IF/RHP, Junior
B.A. Vollmuth, Southern Mississippi, IF, Sophomore
Austin Wates, Virginia Tech, OF, Junior
Cody Wheeler, Coastal Carolina, LHP, Junior
Alex Wimmers, Ohio State, RHP, Junior
Mickey Wiswall, Boston College, IF, Junior
Asher Wojciechowski, The Citadel, RHP, Junior
Kolten Wong, Hawaii, IF, Sophomore
Scott Woodward, Coastal Carolina, IF, Junior
Brandon Workman, Texas, RHP, Junior
Phil Wunderlich, Louisville, IF/OF, Junior

Six 2009 Semifinalists On 2010 List

USA Baseball announced Thursday its preseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List, marking the organization’s first step toward identifying the top amateur baseball player in the country. Sponsored by Major League Baseball, the Golden Spikes Award will be presented in 2010 for the 33rd time.

The Watch List features 50 of the nation’s top amateur talents, and it will be a “rolling” list to ensure that athletes can play themselves into consideration for the Golden Spikes Award, to be presented live on Tuesday, July 13, at the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star FanFest in Anaheim, Calif.

Headlining the 2010 Watch List are six athletes who were among the 30 semifinalists for the 2009 Golden Spikes Award. Those players are Daniel Bibona (LHP, Sr., UC Irvine), Bryce Brentz (OF/RHP, Jr., Middle Tennessee), Deck McGuire (RHP, Jr., Georgia Tech), Addison Reed (RHP, Jr., San Diego State), Anthony Rendon (3B, So., Rice) and Alex Wimmers (RHP, Jr., Ohio State).

“We’re very pleased to announce the 50 members of the preseason Watch List for the 2010 Golden Spikes Award,” said Paul Seiler, Executive Director/CEO of USA Baseball. “The level of amateur baseball talent in our country continues to rise each year, and there is no greater evidence of this than seeing six 2009 semifinalists named to the 2010 Watch List.”

The list of 50 names also features Bryce Harper of the College of Southern Nevada, a junior. The freshman catcher is the only junior-college player named to the list. Alex Fernandez, as a sophomore pitcher for Miami Dade Community College (now Miami Dade College) in 1990, stands as the only junior-college player to ever win the Golden Spikes Award.

LSU leads all schools with four players named to the Watch List. Texas is second with three, and Alabama, Arkansas, Cal State Fullerton, Coastal Carolina, Florida State, Georgia Tech, University of Miami, Rice and Virginia have two apiece.

The SEC tops all conferences with 15 Watch List players. Other leading conferences include the ACC with 10 athletes, the Big 12 with five, and the Big West and Conference USA with three each. Juniors dominate the list with 35 players named. Sophomores are next with nine players, there are five seniors, and Harper is the lone freshman.

On Tuesday, June 1, USA Baseball officials will cut the list of players to 30 names. The final list of 30 will then be sent to a voting body consisting of select professional baseball personnel, past USA Baseball National Team coaches, select members of the media, former USA Baseball sports information directors, and current USA Baseball staff — about 150 voters in total.

All voters will be asked to choose five players from the list of 30 names. Fan voting will once again be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2010. June 1 will also mark the day when college baseball fans from across the country will be able to vote for their favorite player for the Golden Spikes Award on goldenspikesaward.com. On Tuesday, June 8, USA Baseball will announce the five finalists, and voting for a winner will commence that same day.

The 2010 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award will be presented nationally July 13 on an award show via live telecast from Anaheim on goldenspikesaward.com, USABaseball.com and MLB.com in conjunction with All-Star FanFest.

Past winners of the Golden Spikes Award include Terry Francona (1980), Will Clark (1985), Robin Ventura (1988), Jason Varitek (1994), J.D. Drew (1997), Mark Prior (2001), Jered Weaver (2004), Tim Lincecum (2006), David Price (2007), Buster Posey (2008) and last year’s winner, Stephen Strasburg.

2010 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Important Dates

Thursday, Feb. 18 – 50-player Watch List released, shaped by USA Baseball officials, advisors and college SIDs
Tuesday, June 1 – 30 semifinalists announced, selected by USA Baseball officials; semifinalist voting begins; voters select five
Friday, June 4 – Deadline to vote for finalists, 5:00 p.m. ET
Tuesday, June 8 – Five finalists announced; finalist voting begins; voters to select one
Friday, June 18 – Deadline to vote for winner, 5:00 p.m. ET
Tuesday, July 13 – Golden Spikes Award presentation live at All-Star FanFest in Anaheim

Complete 2010 preseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List:

Name, School, Position, Class (in order of name)

Chad Bettis, Texas Tech, RHP, Junior
Daniel Bibona, UC Irvine, LHP, Senior
Bryce Brentz, Middle Tennessee, OF/RHP, Junior
Michael Choice, Texas-Arlington, OF, Junior
Gerrit Cole, UCLA, RHP, Sophomore
Christian Colon, Cal State Fullerton, SS, Junior
Zack Cox, 3B/RHP, Arkansas, Sophomore
Todd Cunningham, OF, Junior
Blake Dean, LSU, Jacksonville State, 1B/OF, Senior
Sam Dyson, South Carolina, RHP, Junior
Brett Eibner, Arkansas, RHP/OF, Junior
Micah Gibbs, LSU, C, Junior
Sean Gilmartin, Florida State, LHP, Sophomore
Yasmani Grandal, University of Miami, C, Junior
Sonny Gray, Vanderbilt, RHP, Sophomore
Justin Grimm, Georgia, RHP, Junior
Jedd Gyorko, West Virginia, 2B/3B, Junior
Rick Hague, Rice, SS, Junior
Bryce Harper, College of Southern Nevada, C/3B/OF, Freshman
Cody Hawn, Tennessee, 1B, Junior
Chris Hernandez, University of Miami, LHP, Junior
Tyler Holt, Florida State, OF, Junior
Danny Hultzen, Virginia, LHP/1B, Sophomore
Kevin Jacob, Georgia Tech, RHP, Junior
Taylor Jungmann, Texas, RHP, Sophomore
Leon Landry, LSU, OF, Junior
Deck McGuire, Georgia Tech, RHP, Junior
Hunter Morris, Auburn, 1B/OF, Junior
Jarrett Parker, Virginia, OF, Junior
Drew Pomeranz, Mississippi, LHP, Junior
Anthony Ranaudo, LSU, RHP, Junior
Addison Reed, San Diego State, RHP, Junior
Anthony Rendon, Rice, 3B, Sophomore
Daniel Renken, Cal State Fullerton, RHP, Junior
Kyle Roller, East Carolina, 1B, Senior
Cameron Rupp, C, Junior, Texas
Chris Sale, Florida Gulf Coast, LHP, Junior
Jake Smith, Alabama, 3B/RHP, Senior
Josh Spence, Arizona State, LHP, Senior
Tony Thompson, Kansas, 3B, Junior
Preston Tucker, Florida, 1B, Sophomore
Kolbrin Vitek, Ball State, 3B/RHP, Junior
Austin Wates, Virginia Tech, OF, Junior
Cody Wheeler, Coastal Carolina, LHP, Junior
Ross Wilson, Alabama, 2B/SS, Junior
Alex Wimmers, Ohio State, RHP, Junior
Mickey Wiswall, Boston College, 3B/1B, Junior
Kolten Wong, Hawaii, 2B, Sophomore
Scott Woodward, Coastal Carolina, 3B, Junior
Brandon Workman, Texas, RHP, Junior