Since the inaugural Golden Spikes Award was presented in 1978, there have been seven winners selected first overall in the MLB First-Year Player Draft. In the spirit of the upcoming 2019 Draft, here are the eight Golden Spikes Award winners to be taken with the number one overall pick.
1978 - Bob Horner (Arizona State)
The winner of the first-ever Golden Spikes Award, Bob Horner was selected by the Atlanta Braves with the first overall pick in the 1978 MLB Draft after a junior season in which he batted .412 with 25 home runs and 100 RBIs. Horner skipped the minor league ranks entirely, becoming just the thirteenth player to do so in the decade, and went straight to the Major Leagues where he homered off of current Hall of Fame pitcher Bert Blyleven in his Major League debut. He played 10 years in the show, including nine with the Braves and one season with the St. Louis Cardinals. While still with the Braves, he had four home runs in one game on July 6, 1986, one of only 18 players to ever accomplish the feat.
1989 - Ben McDonald (LSU)
Ben McDonald was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles with the first overall pick in the 1989 MLB Draft after a stellar career at LSU that was capped off with him winning the Golden Spikes Award. In his time with LSU, McDonlad led the Tigers to the College World Series twice and set an SEC record by fanning 202 batters in 1989. The previous summer, he led Team USA to the gold medal at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games, pitching complete-game victories against Korea and Puerto Rico. After McDonald was selected by the Orioles, he went on to become the second player from the 1989 Draft class to receive the call up the Majors. In total, McDonald enjoyed a nine-year Major League career, splitting time between the Orioles and the Milwaukee Brewers. He finished his career with a cumulative 3.91 ERA.
1992 - Phil Nevin (Cal State Fullerton)
Phil Nevin had a big year in 1992 as he was named Most Outstanding Player of the 1992 College World Series, where his Cal State-Fullerton Titans finished second. Nevin was then selected first overall by the Houston Astros in the 1992 MLB Draft, becoming the third Golden Spikes Award winner to be selected first overall. After the Draft, Nevin went on to play in the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games for Team USA where he finished second on the team in batting average (.347) and first in doubles (9). The corner infielder and outfielder made his Major League debut in 1995 and played in the big leagues over the span of 12 years for seven teams. He was named an All-Star when he was with the San Diego Padres in 2001, finishing the season with a .301 batting average and a career-high 41 home runs. Nevin last played in 2006 as a member of the Minnesota Twins and finished his career with 208 home runs.
1998 - Pat Burrell (Miami)
Pat Burrell was the first overall pick out of the 1998 MLB Draft after winning the Golden Spikes Award. A force at the hot corner, Burrell capped off his college career with a .442 batting average and a .888 slugging percentage in his junior campaign, which both rank among the top 10 in college baseball history. Burrell made his Major League debut with the Philadelphia Phillies on May 24, 2000, and went 2-for-5 with a triple and two RBIs. In total, Burrell enjoyed 12 years in the big leagues between the Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays and San Francisco Giants. He won a World Series ring with both the Phillies (2008) and Giants (2010).
2007 - David Price (Vanderbilt)
David Price was the winner of the 2007 Golden Spikes Award after a fantastic season with Vanderbilt in which he recorded 194 strikeouts, shattering the Commodores' single-season record of 155. The figure represents the second most strikeouts in a single season in SEC history behind only fellow Golden Spikes Award winner Ben McDonald's 202 set in 1989. Price's efforts were rewarded as he was the first player selected in the 2007 MLB Draft, going to the Tampa Bay Rays. He would make his Major League debut the next season and was a key piece on a Tampa Bay team that went on to win the 2008 American League Pennant. Price won the American League Cy Young Award as a member of the Rays in 2012 and has since gone on to play for the Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox. He has been named an All-Star five times and won a World Series with the Red Sox in 2018.
2009 - Stephen Strasburg (San Diego State)
Stephen Strasburg won the 2009 Golden Spikes Award after a stellar season with San Diego State University, just a year after he was the youngest member on a Team USA squad that won a bronze medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. He finished the 2009 season with a perfect 12-0 record, 1.34 ERA and 174 punchouts in 94.1 innings pitched and was named the 2009 Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Year. Strasburg was selected by the Washington Nationals with the first pick and made his much-anticipated Major League debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2010, getting the 5-2 win and striking out 14 in seven innings of work. Strasburg is currently in the middle of his tenth year in the Major Leagues, all with the Nationals. He has been named an All-Star four times.
2010 - Bryce Harper (Southern Nevada)
Bryce Harper posted impressive numbers during his one season at the College of Southern Nevada, setting the school's single-season home run record with 31 home runs while also driving in 98 RBIs and posting a .443 batting average. The Las Vegas native was named the 2010 Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year and First Team SWAC All-Conference. At the time, Harper joined Alex Fernandez (Miami Dade CC [JUCO], 1990), Michael Tucker (Longwood [Division II], 1992) and Alex Rodriguez (Westminster Christian High School [Fla.], 1993) as the only non-Division I players selected as Golden Spikes Award finalists in the last 20 years. Harper was the No. 1 overall selection by the Washington Nationals in the 2010 MLB Draft and made his debut in 2012, at the age of 19. He finished his rookie campaign with a .270 batting average and 22 home runs and was named 2012 National League Rookie of the Year. Harper has since gone on to win the 2015 National League MVP award, has been an All-Star six times and is currently a member of the Philadelphia Phillies.
