May 28, 2013
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech junior C/RHP Zane Evans has been named one of 30 semifinalists for the 2013 Golden Spikes Awards, presented this season for the 36th consecutive year by USA Baseball to the nation’s top amateur player.
Evans has done it all in helping lead the Yellow Jackets (34-25) back to the NCAA Tournament for 29th time in school history and the program’s sixth straight appearance and its 27th in the last 29 years. The first-team All-ACC catcher is hitting a team-best .369 (third in the ACC), with career-highs in hits (83), home runs (14) and RBI (62).
Along with ranking third in the ACC in batting average, Evans is second in home runs, fourth in RBI, fourth in slugging percentage (.613) and fifth in hits. He is one of five Jackets to start every game, including 38 at catcher, and has collected a team-best eight game-winning RBI. As Tech’s closer on the mound, he has a win, a team-best three saves and a 3.44 ERA. Evans is the ACC’s only player in the league’s top five in hits, homers, batting average and RBI.
Evans is also a semifinalist for both the Dick Howser Trophy (college player of the year) and the Johnny Bench Award (top college catcher), and is on the watch list for the John OIerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award.
Former Tech catcher Jason Varitek won the Golden Spikes Award in 1994, after being a finalist for the prestigious honor in 1993. Former Jacket first baseman Mark Teixeira was a finalist in 2000, as was second baseman Ty Griffin in 1988. Evans is Tech’s 10th semifinalist all-time for the GSA, and the sixth since 2007, joining another former catcher, Matt Wieters in 2007.
GoldenSpikesAward.com — powered by MLB Advanced Media — will once again be the online home for the award. The website features content devoted exclusively to the GSA, including news, voting history, past winner photo galleries, and photographs and biographical information for the 2013 semifinalists. Fans can follow online at GoldenSpikesAward.com as the list of 30 players is narrowed to three finalists on Tuesday, June 4.
The SEC leads 14 different conferences represented on the list with eight semifinalists, highlighted by three from Louisiana State and three from Vanderbilt. The Atlantic Coast Conference is represented by four players and the Pac-12 earned three nominations. Also from the ACC were North Carolina third baseman Colin Moran and pitcher Kent Emanuel and North Carolina State shortstop Tre Turner.
Tech’s Golden Spikes Award History
1988: Ty Griffin, 2B (finalist)
1993: Jason Varitek, C (finalist)
1994: Jason Varitek, C (winner)
2000: Mark Teixeira, 3B (finalist)
2007: Danny Payne, OF (semifinalist)
2007: Matt Wieters, C (semifinalist)
2009: Deck McGuire, P(semifinalist)
2010: Derek Dietrich, SS(semifinalist)
2011: Mark Pope, P (semifinalist)
