Alex Fernandez

A Miami native, Alex Fernandez is the only Golden Spikes Award winner who didn't win the award as a player at a four-year college. Fernandez had transferred from the University of Miami to be eligible for the MLB Draft sooner. The plan worked, as Fernandez was selected fourth overall by the Chicago White Sox in the 1990 Draft and made his debut in August of that year. Fernandez was an effective Major Leaguer with the White Sox and his hometown Florida Marlins for 10 seasons, with whom he won a World Series in 1997. But arm surgery derailed Fernandez's entire 1998 season, and the righty would appear in just 32 more games before retiring at the still-young age of 30.