Three Gators Named to Golden Spikes Preseason Watch List
Wednesday, February 15, 2017 | Baseball
DURHAM, N.C. – Three Gators were named to the Golden Spikes Award watch list on Wednesday, the most from any school in the country.
The award is given annually to the top amateur baseball player in the country. Former Gators catcher Mike Zunino won the award in 2012 and is the only player in school history to win the award.
Included on the watch list are Gators right-handed pitcher Alex Faedo, shortstop Dalton Guthrie and catcher/first baseman JJ Schwarz.
This marks the 40th anniversary of the Golden Spikes Award, presented by USA Baseball in partnership with the Rod Dedeaux Foundation. The winner will be announced June 29 in Los Angeles.
The preseason watch list features 55 of the nation's top amateur players, from high school and college baseball. The Golden Spikes Award Advisory Board will maintain a rolling list of players, allowing athletes to play themselves into consideration for the award throughout the season.
Starting on March 27 and ending April 2, fans will be able to nominate their favorite players for the Golden Spikes Award prior to the reveal of Midseason Watch List on April 12. The semifinalists list will be sent to a voting body consisting of past USA Baseball National Team coaches and press officers, members of the media that follow the amateur game closely, select professional baseball personnel, current USA Baseball staff and the 39 previous winners of the award, representing a group of more than 200 voters.
Fan voting will continue to be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2017, starting on May 31 with the naming of the Golden Spikes Award semifinalists. Amateur baseball fans across the country will be able to vote for their favorite semifinalists at GoldenSpikesAward.com. On June 14, USA Baseball will announce the finalists and voting will begin that day and last until June 23.
Last year, Mercer University outfielder Kyle Lewis took home the prestigious award, joining a group of recent winners that include Andrew Benintendi (2015), A.J. Reed (2014), Kris Bryant (2013), Zunino (2012), Trevor Bauer (2011), Bryce Harper (2010), Stephen Strasburg (2009), Buster Posey (2008), and David Price (2007).
A complete list of the 55-player USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award watch list is as follows:
The award is given annually to the top amateur baseball player in the country. Former Gators catcher Mike Zunino won the award in 2012 and is the only player in school history to win the award.
Included on the watch list are Gators right-handed pitcher Alex Faedo, shortstop Dalton Guthrie and catcher/first baseman JJ Schwarz.
This marks the 40th anniversary of the Golden Spikes Award, presented by USA Baseball in partnership with the Rod Dedeaux Foundation. The winner will be announced June 29 in Los Angeles.
The preseason watch list features 55 of the nation's top amateur players, from high school and college baseball. The Golden Spikes Award Advisory Board will maintain a rolling list of players, allowing athletes to play themselves into consideration for the award throughout the season.
Starting on March 27 and ending April 2, fans will be able to nominate their favorite players for the Golden Spikes Award prior to the reveal of Midseason Watch List on April 12. The semifinalists list will be sent to a voting body consisting of past USA Baseball National Team coaches and press officers, members of the media that follow the amateur game closely, select professional baseball personnel, current USA Baseball staff and the 39 previous winners of the award, representing a group of more than 200 voters.
Fan voting will continue to be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2017, starting on May 31 with the naming of the Golden Spikes Award semifinalists. Amateur baseball fans across the country will be able to vote for their favorite semifinalists at GoldenSpikesAward.com. On June 14, USA Baseball will announce the finalists and voting will begin that day and last until June 23.
Last year, Mercer University outfielder Kyle Lewis took home the prestigious award, joining a group of recent winners that include Andrew Benintendi (2015), A.J. Reed (2014), Kris Bryant (2013), Zunino (2012), Trevor Bauer (2011), Bryce Harper (2010), Stephen Strasburg (2009), Buster Posey (2008), and David Price (2007).
A complete list of the 55-player USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award watch list is as follows:
- Riley Adams, C, Jr., San Diego, West Coast Conference
- Luken Baker, RHP/IF, So., TCU, Big 12 Conference
- Elliott Barzilli, IF, Sr., TCU, Big 12 Conference
- Tristan Beck, RHP, So., Stanford, Pac-12 Conference
- Andrew Beckwith, RHP, Sr., Coastal Carolina, Sun Belt Conference
- Seth Beer, OF, So., Clemson, Atlantic Coast Conference
- Quinn Brodey, OF, Jr., Stanford, Pac-12 Conference
- J.B. Bukauskas, RHP, Jr., North Carolina, Atlantic Coast Conference
- Jake Burger, IF, Jr., Missouri State, Missouri Valley Conference
- Dylan Busby, IF, Jr., Florida State, Atlantic Coast Conference
- Griffin Canning, RHP, Jr., UCLA, Pac-12 Conference
- Carl Chester, OF, Jr., Miami, Atlantic Coast Conference
- Wil Crowe, RHP, Jr., South Carolina, Southeastern Conference
- Joe Davis, C/IF, So., Houston, American Athletic Conference
- Joe Dunand, IF/IF, Jr., NC State, Atlantic Coast Conference
- Colton Eastman, RHP, So., Cal State Fullerton, Big West Conference
- Alex Faedo, RHP, Jr., Florida, Southeastern Conference
- Stuart Fairchild, OF, Jr., Wake Forest, Atlantic Coast Conference
- Nick Feight, C, Jr., UNC Wilmington, Colonial Athletic Conference
- Michael Gigliotti, OF, Jr., Lipscomb, Atlantic Sun Conference
- Luis Gonzalez, LHP/OF, Jr., New Mexico, Mountain West Conference
- Hunter Greene, RHP/IF, HS-Sr., Notre Dame High School,
- Dalton Guthrie, IF, Jr., Florida, Southeastern Conference
- K.J. Harrison, IF, Jr., Oregon State, Pac-12 Conference
- Adam Haseley, UT, Jr., Virginia, Atlantic Coast Conference
- Keston Hiura, OF, Jr., UC Irvine, Big West Conference
- Colton Hock, RHP, Jr., Stanford, Pac-12 Conference
- Tanner Houck, RHP, Jr., Missouri, Southeastern Conference
- Kel Johnson, OF, Jr., Georgia Tech, Atlantic Coast Conference
- Jeren Kendall, OF, Jr., Vanderbilt, Southeastern Conference
- Zach Kirtly, IF, Jr., St. Mary's, West Coast Conference
- Alex Lange, RHP, Jr., LSU, Southeastern Conference
- Royce Lewis, IF/OF, HS-Sr., JSerra Catholic High School,
- Brendon Little, LHP, So., State JC of Florida, Suncoast Conference
- Nick Madrigal, IF, So., Oregon State, Pac-12 Conference
- Jake Mangum, OF, So., Mississippi State, Southeastern Conference
- Corbin Martin, RHP, Jr., Texas A&M, Southeastern Conference
- Brendan McKay, LHP/IF, Jr., Louisville, Atlantic Coast Conference
- Brian Miller, OF, Jr., North Carolina, Atlantic Coast Conference
- Brian Mims, IF, Jr., UNC Wilmington, Colonial Athletic Conference
- Glenn Otto, P, Jr., Rice, Conference USA
- Kramer Robertson, IF, Sr., LSU, Southeastern Conference
- Seth Romero, LHP, Jr., Houston, American Athletic Conference
- Jayson Rose, RHP, Jr., Utah, Pac-12 Conference
- Clarke Schmidt, RHP, Jr., South Carolina, Southeastern Conference
- JJ Schwarz, C/1B, Jr., Florida, Southeastern Conference
- Colton Shaver, C/IF, Jr., BYU, West Coast Conference
- Evan Skoug, C, Jr., TCU, Big 12 Conference
- Kevin Smith, IF, Jr., Maryland, Big 10 Conference
- Pavin Smith, IF/OF, Jr., Virginia, Atlantic Coast Conference
- Peter Solomon, RHP, Jr., Notre Dame, Atlantic Coast Conference
- Trey Truitt, OF, Jr., Mercer, Southern Conference
- Taylor Walls, IF, Jr., Florida State, Atlantic Coast Conference
- Evan White, IF, Jr., Kentucky, Southeastern Conference
- Kyle Wright, RHP, Jr., Vanderbilt, Southeastern Conference
Players Mentioned
Florida vs. Kentucky Highlights 5-9-26
Sunday, May 10
Brendan Lawson Postgame Press Conference May 10, 2026 | Kentucky
Sunday, May 10
Caden McDonald Postgame Press Conference May 10, 2026 | Kentucky
Sunday, May 10
Kevin O'Sullivan Postgame Press Conference May 10, 2026 | Kentucky
Sunday, May 10
