May 2, 2013
DURHAM, N.C. – USA Baseball released its 60-man midseason Golden Spikes Award watch list on Thursday, bringing the organization one step closer to naming the top amateur baseball player in the country. Three Georgia Tech players are on the list, as senior Buck Farmer is joined by juniors Zane Evans and Daniel Palka.
Georgia Tech and LSU are the only two schools with three players on the list. The SEC led the way with 11 on the midseason update, followed by the ACC with seven. Twenty-eight new players, including Palka and Evans, were added to the list since its initial release on February 14, joining Farmer and 31 others from the original watch list.
Farmer, who is also on the watch list for the National Pitcher of the Year Award, is 7-3 this season with a 2.51 ERA and wins over top-five teams Florida State and Virginia. Farmer is the NCAA’s active leader in strikeouts (348) and wins (31).
Evans, who is also on national watch lists for both the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award and the Johnny Bench Award (top college catcher), is hitting .362 with a team-best 51 RBI and leads the ACC with a career-best 13 home runs and a .669 slugging percentage. Evans has also recorded three saves as Tech’s closer.
A preseason All-America, Palka is second in the ACC with 12 home runs and is hitting .360 with 12 doubles and 47 RBI. His .462 on-base percentage and 43 runs are also team highs.
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.
USA Baseball officials will announce the 30 semifinalists for the 2013 Golden Spikes Award on Tuesday, May 28. The list of 30 will then be sent to a voting body consisting of past USA Baseball National Team coaches and press officers, members of media that closely follow the amateur game, select professional baseball personnel, and current USA Baseball staff, representing a group of more than 200 voters in total.
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.
2013 Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List (alphabetically)
Chris Anderson, RHP, Junior, Jacksonville, Atlantic Sun
Mark Appel, RHP, Senior, Stanford, Pac-12
Barrett Astin, RHP, Junior, Arkansas, SEC
Michael Bass, IF, Senior, UNC-W, Colonial Athletic
Tyler Beede, RHP, Sophomore, Vanderbilt, SEC
Aaron Blair, RHP, Junior, Marshall, C-USA
Matt Boyd, LHP, Senior, Oregon State, Pac-12
Alex Bregman, IF, Freshman, Louisiana State, SEC
Kris Bryant, UTL, Junior, San Diego, West Coast
Danny Collins, OF, Junior, Troy, Sun Belt
Michael Conforto, OF, Sophomore, Oregon State, Pac-12
Kyle Crockett, LHP, Junior, Virginia, ACC
LB Dantzler, IF, Senior, South Carolina, SEC
Kent Emanuel, LHP, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
Phillip Ervin, OF, Junior, Samford, SoCon
Thomas Eshelman, RHP, Freshman, Cal State Fullerton, Big West
Zane Evans, C/RHP, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC
Buck Farmer, RHP, Senior, Georgia Tech, ACC
Johnny Field, OF, Junior, Arizona, Pac-12
Mitchell Garver, C, Senior, New Mexico, Mountain West
Marco Gonzales, LHP, Junior, Gonzaga, West Coast
Jonathan Gray, RHP, Junior, Oklahoma, Big 12
Ryon Healy, IF, Junior, Oregon, Pac-12
Jeff Hoffman, RHP, Sophomore, ECU, C-USA Jason Hursh, RHP, RS Sophomore, Oklahoma St, Big 12
Eric Jagielo, IF, Junior, Notre Dame, Big East
Aaron Judge, OF, Junior, Fresno State, Mountain West
Mason Katz, IF, Senior, Louisiana State, SEC
Jared King, OF, Junior, Kansas State, Big 12
Andrew Knapp, C, Junior, California, Pac-12
Corey Knebel, RHP, Junior, Texas, Big 12
Michael Lorenzen, OF/RHP, Junior, Cal State Fullerton, Big West
Sean Manaea, LHP, Junior, Indiana State, Missouri Valley
Trey Masek, RHP, Junior, Texas Tech, Big 12
Kyle McGowin, RHP, Junior, Savannah State, Mid-Eastern
Colin Moran, IF, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
Aaron Nola, RHP, Sophomore, Louisiana State, SEC
Matt Oberste, IF, Junior, Oklahoma, Big 12
Daniel Palka, UTL, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC
D.J. Peterson, IF, Junior, New Mexico, Mountain West
Nick Petree, RHP, RS Junior, Missouri State, Missouri Valley
Andrew Pierce, RHP, Senior, Southern Mississippi, C-USA
Adam Plutko, RHP, Junior, UCLA, Pac-12
Bryan Radziewski, LHP, Junior, Miami, ACC
Hunter Renfroe, OF, Junior, Mississippi State, SEC
Carlos Rodon, LHP, Sophomore, NC State, ACC
Kyle Schwarber, C/OF, Sophomore, Indiana, Big Ten
Jimmie Sherfy, RHP , Junior, Oregon, Pac-12
Braden Shipley, RHP, Junior, Nevada, MWC
Dan Slania, RHP, Junior, Notre Dame, Big East
Ryne Stanek, RHP, Junior, Arkansas, SEC
Jeff Thompson, RHP, Junior, Louisville, Big East
Trea Turner, IF, Sophomore, NC State, ACC
Stuart Turner, C, Junior, Mississippi, SEC
Bobby Wahl, RHP, Junior, Mississippi, SEC
Trevor Williams, RHP, Junior, Arizona State, Pac-12
Tom Windle, LHP, Junior, Minnesota, Big 10
Derrick Workman, OF, Junior, Mercer, Atlantic Sun
Jimmy Yezzo, IF, Junior, Delaware, Colonial Athletic
Kevin Ziomek, LHP, Junior, Vanderbilt, SEC
