May 2, 2013
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Junior All-American Kris Bryant of the University of San Diego baseball team has been named to the 60-man Midseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List.
Bryant, a 6-5 third baseman from Las Vegas, Nev., has been nothing short of amazing in his third year in a Torero uniform. Bryant currently leads the nation in home runs with 22. These 22 home runs are now a new USD single-season record, breaking a 25-year old record that was held by Dave Rolls of 18. With the 22 home runs, Bryant also breaks the 25-year old career home runs record that was held by Sean Baron, as he runs his career total to 45 and counting. Bryant by himself has now hit more home runs than 219 of Division I's 296 teams. Bryant's per-game home run average of 0.50 is on pace to be the highest since Kent Matthes of Alabama hit 28 in 56 games in 2009. Bryant also leads the nation in walks (53), and slugging percentage (.844). Bryant has been named the National Player of the Week two times, and WCC Player of the Week two times this season.
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 2012 Golden Spikes Award winner was Mike Zunino of the University of Florida. Past winners of this prestigious award include current Major League Baseball players such as Bryce Harper ('10), Stephen Strasburg ('09), Buster Posey ('08), David Price ('07), Tim Lincecum ('06), Alex Gordon ('05), Jered Weaver ('04), Rickie Weeks ('03) and Mark Kotsay ('95). Former Major League stars that have captured the award include Pat Burrell ('98), Robin Ventura ('88), Jim Abbott ('87), Will Clark ('8 5), Dave Magadan ('83), Terry Francona ('80), Tim Wallach ('79), and Horner ('78). For more information, please visit GoldenSpikesAward.com. Fans can follow the Golden Spikes Award on Twitter @USAGoldenSpikes.
The watch list will continue to be a "rolling" list until May 28 -- when the 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 on MLB Network for the third year in a row, with a live presentation scheduled during The Rundown on Friday, July 19. Through USA Baseball's partnership with MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM), the presentation will also be simulcast with a live stream available from GoldenSpikesAward.com and USABaseball.com.
Fan voting will once again be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2013. Tuesday, May 28, 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 4, USA Baseball will announce the three finalists, and voting will once again commence that same day.
USA Baseball partnered with MLBAM to create GoldenSpikesAward.com in 2008. Later that year, Florida State's Buster Posey was presented the award at MLB All-Star FanFest in New York City. Stephen Strasburg of San Diego States 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 and Florida's Mike Zunino won the 2012 award. Bauer and Zunino accepted their trophies as part of live presentations from 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), J.D. Drew (1997), Mark Prior (2001), Jered Weaver (2004), Tim Lincecum (2006) and David Price (2007).
The complete 2013 preseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List is as follows:
Name, Position, Class, School, Conference (in order of last name)Chris Anderson, RHP, Junior, Jacksonville, Atlantic SunMark Appel, RHP, Senior, Stanford, Pac-12Barrett Astin, RHP, Junior, Arkansas, SECMichael Bass, IF, Senior, UNC-W, Colonial AthleticTyler Beede, RHP, Sophomore, Vanderbilt, SECAaron Blair, RHP, Junior, Marshall, C-USAMatt Boyd, LHP, Senior, Oregon State, Pac-12Alex Bregman, IF, Freshman, Louisiana State, SECKris Bryant, UTL, Junior, San Diego, West CoastDanny Collins, OF, Junior, Troy, Sun BeltMichael Conforto, OF, Sophomore, Oregon State, Pac-12Kyle Crockett, LHP, Junior, Virginia, ACCLB Dantzler, IF, Senior, South Carolina, SECKent Emanuel, LHP, Junior, North Carolina, ACCPhillip Ervin, OF, Junior, Samford, SoConThomas Eshelman, RHP, Freshman, Cal State Fullerton, Big WestZane Evans, C/RHP, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACCBuck Farmer, RHP, Senior, Georgia Tech, ACCJohnny Field, OF, Junior, Arizona, Pac-12Mitchell Garver, C, Senior, New Mexico, Mountain WestMarco Gonzales, LHP, Junior, Gonzaga, West CoastJonathan Gray, RHP, Junior, Oklahoma, Big 12Ryon Healy, IF, Junior, Oregon, Pac-12Jeff Hoffman, RHP, Sophomore, ECU, USAJason Hursh, RHP, RS Sophomore, Oklahoma St, Big 12Eric Jagielo, IF, Junior, Notre Dame, Big EastAaron Judge, OF, Junior, Fresno State, Mountain WestMason Katz, IF, Senior, Louisiana State, SECJared King, OF, Junior, Kansas State, Big 12Andrew Knapp, C, Junior, California, Pac-12Corey Knebel, RHP, Junior, Texas, Big 12Michael Lorenzen, OF/RHP, Junior, Cal State Fullerton, Big WestSean Manaea, LHP, Junior, Indiana State, Missouri ValleyTrey Masek, RHP, Junior, Texas Tech, Big 12Kyle McGowin, RHP, Junior, Savannah State, Mid-EasternColin Moran, IF, Junior, North Carolina, ACCAaron Nola, RHP, Sophomore, Louisiana State, SECMatt Oberste, IF, Junior, Oklahoma, Big 12Daniel Palka, UTL, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACCD.J. Peterson, IF, Junior, New Mexico, Mountain WestNick Petree, RHP, RS Junior, Missouri State, Missouri ValleyAndrew Pierce, RHP, Senior, Southern Mississippi, C-USAAdam Plutko, RHP, Junior, UCLA, Pac-12Bryan Radziewski, LHP, Junior, Miami, ACCHunter Renfroe, OF, Junior, Mississippi State, SECCarlos Rodon, LHP, Sophomore, NC State, ACCKyle Schwarber, C/OF, Sophomore, Indiana, Big TenJimmie Sherfy, RHP , Junior, Oregon, Pac-12Braden Shipley, RHP, Junior, Nevada, MWCDan Slania, RHP, Junior, Notre Dame, Big EastRyne Stanek, RHP, Junior, Arkansas, SECJeff Thompson, RHP, Junior, Louisville, Big EastTrea Turner, IF, Sophomore, NC State, ACCStuart Turner, C, Junior, Mississippi, SECBobby Wahl, RHP, Junior, Mississippi, SECTrevor Williams, RHP, Junior, Arizona State, Pac-12Tom Windle, LHP, Junior, Minnesota, Big 10Derrick Workman, OF, Junior, Mercer, Atlantic SunJimmy Yezzo, IF, Junior, Delaware, Colonial AthleticKevin Ziomek, LHP, Junior, Vanderbilt, SEC
