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Golden Spikes Award facts for kids

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Golden Spikes Award
The words "GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD" in gold on a brown polygonal background, with a pair of golden baseball spikes dangling from the last "S" in "Spikes". Above the lettering reads "USA" in white colour.
Logo for the Golden Spikes Award
Given for Amateur baseball's best regular season player
Country United States
Presented by USA Baseball
History
First award 1978
Most recent Dylan Crews, LSU
Website Golden Spikes Award

The Golden Spikes Award is bestowed annually to the best amateur baseball player in the United States. The award, created by USA Baseball and sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Association, was first presented in 1978. It is given to an amateur player who best exhibits and combines "exceptional on-field ability and exemplary sportsmanship". The award is considered the most prestigious in amateur baseball.

Ten winners of the Golden Spikes Award are members of the National College Baseball Hall of Fame, including Bob Horner, the inaugural winner in 1978. In that same year, he was the first overall MLB draft pick and proceeded to win the Rookie of the Year Award. Seven Golden Spikes Award winners went on to become the first overall MLB draft pick. Only Horner achieved the MLB Rookie of the Year Award in the same year (although Jason Jennings and Buster Posey were voted the top rookies of the National League several years after winning the Golden Spikes Award). Jim Abbott, Jered Weaver and Tim Lincecum are the only award winners to pitch an MLB no-hitter, while Horner is the only one to hit four home runs in one MLB game. Furthermore, 17 players won the Dick Howser Trophy (considered to be the Heisman Trophy of college baseball) alongside the Golden Spikes Award. No player has won the award more than once, and no Golden Spikes recipient has yet been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

The winner has been announced annually during a live broadcast of ESPN's SportsCenter since 2014. Immediately following the announcement, the award winner and the other finalists are honored at a banquet in Los Angeles. The most recent recipient of the award is Dylan Crews of the LSU Tigers. Although it can be given to any amateur player, the award has always been given to a college baseball player.

Winners

Bob Horner
Bob Horner, who won the inaugural Golden Spikes Award in 1978, also received the Rookie of the Year Award and was the first overall MLB draft pick in the same year.
Jered Weaver on June 27, 2012
Jered Weaver, the 2004 recipient, is one of three award winners to pitch a no-hitter.
Tim Lincecum 2009
Tim Lincecum, the 2006 winner, received the Cy Young Award in 2008 and 2009.
Key
Year Links to the article about the corresponding baseball year
Player Name of the player
Position The player's position(s) at the time he won the award
School The player's college when he won the award
Italics Player was the first overall MLB draft pick in the same year
^ Player won the Rookie of the Year Award
§ Player also won the Dick Howser Trophy in the same year
dagger Member of the National College Baseball Hall of Fame
footnote Player is active
Winners
Year Player Position School Ref.
1978 Horner, BobBob Hornerdagger^ 3B Arizona State
1979 Wallach, TimTim Wallachdagger 3B Cal State Fullerton
1980 Francona, TerryTerry Franconadagger 1B Arizona
1981 Fuentes, MikeMike Fuentes OF Florida State
1982 Schmidt, AugieAugie Schmidt SS New Orleans
1983 Magadan, DaveDave Magadandagger 3B Alabama
1984 McDowell, OddibeOddibe McDowelldagger OF Arizona State
1985 Clark, WillWill Clarkdagger 1B Mississippi State
1986 Loynd, MikeMike Loynd P Florida State
1987 Abbott, JimJim Abbottdagger P Michigan
1988 Ventura, RobinRobin Venturadagger§ 3B Oklahoma State
1989 McDonald, BenBen McDonalddagger P LSU
1990 Fernández, AlexAlex Fernández§ P Miami-Dade Community College
1991 Kelly, MikeMike Kelly OF Arizona State
1992 Nevin, PhilPhil Nevin 3B Cal State Fullerton
1993 Dreifort, DarrenDarren Dreifortdagger P Wichita State
1994 Varitek, JasonJason Varitek§ C Georgia Tech
1995 Kotsay, MarkMark Kotsay OF Cal State Fullerton
1996 Lee, TravisTravis Lee 1B San Diego State
1997 Drew, J. D.J. D. Drew§ OF Florida State
1998 Burrell, PatPat Burrell 3B Miami (FL)
1999 Jennings, JasonJason Jennings§^ P Baylor
2000 Bouknight, KipKip Bouknight P South Carolina
2001 Prior, MarkMark Prior§ P Southern California
2002 Greene, KhalilKhalil Greene§ SS Clemson
2003 Weeks, RickieRickie Weeks§ 2B Southern
2004 Weaver, JeredJered Weaver§ P Long Beach State
2005 Gordon, AlexAlex Gordon§ 3B Nebraska
2006 Lincecum, TimTim Lincecum P Washington
2007 Price, DavidDavid Pricedouble-dagger§ P Vanderbilt
2008 Posey, BusterBuster Posey§^ C Florida State
2009 Strasburg, StephenStephen Strasburgdouble-dagger§ P San Diego State
2010 Harper, BryceBryce Harperdouble-dagger^ C/OF College of Southern Nevada
2011 Bauer, TrevorTrevor Bauerdouble-dagger P UCLA
2012 Zunino, MikeMike Zuninodouble-dagger§ C Florida
2013 Bryant, KrisKris Bryantdouble-dagger§^ 3B San Diego
2014 Reed, A. J.A. J. Reed§ 1B/P Kentucky
2015 Benintendi, AndrewAndrew Benintendidouble-dagger§ OF Arkansas
2016 Lewis, KyleKyle Lewisdouble-dagger^ OF Mercer
2017 McKay, BrendanBrendan McKaydouble-dagger§ 1B / P Louisville
2018 Vaughn, AndrewAndrew Vaughndouble-dagger 1B California
2019 Rutschman, AdleyAdley Rutschmandouble-dagger§ C Oregon State
2020 Not awarded
—
—
2021 Kopps, KevinKevin Koppsdouble-dagger§ P Arkansas
2022 Melendez, IvanIvan Melendezdouble-dagger§ 1B Texas
2023 Dylan Crewsdouble-dagger OF LSU

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Premio Golden Spikes para niños

  • List of college baseball awards
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