Golden Spikes Award 2018 Candidates

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- Andrew Vaughn
- Infielder, California
- winner
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- winner
- 2018
- Andrew Vaughn
- Infielder, California
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .414 | H: 79 | R: 57 | HR: 23 | RBI: 60
- California sophomore first baseman Andrew Vaughn has enjoyed an incredible 2018 campaign as he followed up a freshman season in which he was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. Ranked at or near the top of the national home run list throughout the entire season, Vaughn entered the final week of the regular season tied for the Cal single-season home run record with All-American and major leaguer Xavier Nady. A contender for the Pac-12 triple crown all year, Vaughn entered the final series of the regular season as the conference's leader in batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage.
- Alec Bohm
- Infielder, Wichita State
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Alec Bohm
- Infielder, Wichita State
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .332 | H: 70 | R: 56 | HR: 15 | RBI: 52
- Wichita State third baseman Alec Bohm earned all-conference honors in his first season in the American Athletic Conference. In the regular-season, Bohm started all 54 games and hit .332 with 56 runs, 70 hits, 13 doubles, one triple, 15 home runs, 52 RBI, 38 walks and eight stolen bases. He leads the Shockers in multiple-hit games with 21 and he ranks 35th nationally in home runs. Four of his home runs have given the Shockers the lead in a game and he has homered to every part of the field including three to left field, five to left-center, three to centerfield, three to right-center and one to right field. A native of Omaha, Nebraska, he has three grand slams this season and had a stretch with home runs in four-straight games.
- Brady Singer
- Pitcher, Florida
- finalist
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- finalist
- 2018
- Brady Singer
- Pitcher, Florida
- Bats/Throws: R/R | IP: 88 | W-L: 10-1 | ERA: 2.25 | BB: 18 | SO: 92
- Junior Brady Singer has lived up to the preseason billing as a potential top MLB draft pick in 2018. As the Gators' ace, he led the SEC with 10 wins, posted a career-best 2.25 earned run average (best in the SEC) and limited hitters to a .186 batting average against (second-best in SEC). Singer has pitched at least 7.0 innings in 10 of 13 starts this year. He has allowed more than three earned runs just once this season. Over his last five starts, Singer is 3-0 with a 1.22 ERA in 37.0 innings. He's gone at least seven innings in all five starts with a complete game shutout at Texas A&M.
- Kody Clemens
- Infielder, Texas
- finalist
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- finalist
- 2018
- Kody Clemens
- Infielder, Texas
- Bats/Throws: L/R | Avg: .344 | H: 72 | R: 53 | HR: 19 | RBI: 61
- University of Texas junior second baseman Kody Clemens has produced at an incredible rate for the Longhorns this season. Offensively, Clemens has hit .344 with 19 home runs (including two grand slams and a walk-off), 12 doubles, three triples, and 61 RBI so far this season. His 19 homers are tied for third-most in a single season in Texas Baseball history. He is slugging at a .703 clip and compiling a 1.140 OPS. On the year, Clemens is fielding .984 while helping turn 63 double plays, the second-most in the country.
- Brian Brown
- Pitcher, NC State
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Brian Brown
- Pitcher, NC State
- Bats/Throws: L/L | IP: 87.1 | W-L: 6-1 | ERA: 2.37 | BB: 24 | SO: 85
- NC State pitcher Brian Brown has turned in a stellar senior season, as he was named the 2018 ACC Pitcher of the Year while also earning First Team All-ACC honors. He has recorded a 6-1 record this season complemented by a 2.37 earned run average (ERA), which leads the ACC and ranks among the top pitchers nationally. The Glenmoore, Pa., native has started 14 games on the mound this season to lead all active ACC pitchers in career starts and tie for national lead with 59, one shy of the program record. Brown has gone at least five innings in every start this season and NC State has won 12 of the 14 games he has started. He was named to the Midseason Watch List for the Golden Spikes Award, as well as being tabbed a Midseason All-American by D1Baseball and Perfect Game.
- Casey Mize
- Pitcher, Auburn
- finalist
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- finalist
- 2018
- Casey Mize
- Pitcher, Auburn
- Bats/Throws: R/R | IP: 95 | W-L: 9-4 | ERA: 2.94 | BB: 10 | SO: 133
- Coming off an All-American season in 2017, Mize has posted a 9-4 record with a 2.94 ERA. He leads the SEC in innings pitched (95.0) and has 30 more strikeouts than any other hurler in the league (133). His 133 strikeouts are the most by an Auburn pitcher since 1999, and Mize has walked only 10 batters to go along with the strikeout total. Mize turned in the ninth no-hitter in program history and the team's first since 2002 vs. Northeastern on Mar. 9. He also matched the single-game strikeout record with 15 vs. Vanderbilt on May 4, marking the most strikeouts by an Auburn pitcher since 1999 and the most by a SEC pitcher in conference play since 2012. Mize is tied for the SEC lead in complete games (three) and shutout (one), ranks tied for second in wins and it third in opponent's batting average (.189).
- Kyle Brnovich
- Pitcher, Elon
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Kyle Brnovich
- Pitcher, Elon
- Bats/Throws: L/R | IP: 96.1 | W-L: 8-2 | ERA: 1.68 | BB: 34 | SO: 141
- Elon University right-handed pitcher Kyle Brnovich wrapped up the regular season as the nation's leader in strikeouts. His 141 strikeouts this season obliterated Elon's previous season record of 113 and is just 10 shy of the CAA record set by Justin Verlander in 2004. He is the first player in program history to record multiple 100-strikeout seasons. Named to the 2018 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, Brnovich went 8-2 with a 1.68 ERA over 96.1 innings this season. The Milton, Ga., resident has held opponents to a .152 batting average over 14 starts in 2018. In two seasons, Brnovich, who was named Elon's male athlete of the year, has 244 career strikeouts, rating third on Elon's career chart.
- Joey Bart
- Catcher, Georgia Tech
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Joey Bart
- Catcher, Georgia Tech
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .368 | H: 78 | R: 55 | HR: 16 | RBI: 38
- Bart, a consensus preseason all-American, has continued to produce for the Jackets this season, hitting .368 (78-for-212) with a team-high 16 home runs, 12 doubles, 41 walks, 38 RBIs and a team-high 55 runs scored. Behind the plate, he has thrown out 12-of-33 would-be base stealers and has three pickoffs. In ACC play this season, Bart is hitting .342 (40-for-117) with 10 home runs, six doubles and 24 RBIs. Bart leads the ACC in hitting (.368), slugging percentage (.651) and on-base percentage (.481), while also ranking second in hits (78), second in runs scored (55) and third in home runs (16). The junior catcher is ranked as the No. 1 catcher in all of Division I baseball by Baseball America and No. 2 by D1Baseball.com and is a potential top-10 pick in June's MLB First-Year Player Draft.
- Frank German
- Pitcher, North Florida
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Frank German
- Pitcher, North Florida
- Bats/Throws: R/R | IP: 82.1 | W-L: 7-3 | ERA: 1.64 | BB: 14 | SO: 98
- University of North Florida junior ace Frank German paced the Ospreys pitching staff throughout the 2018 campaign. On the mound, German led the ASUN with a 1.64 ERA which ranks inside the Top 20 nationally while also compiling a Top 10 nationally-ranked WHIP. He notched 98 strikeouts to set an Osprey single season record in the D1 era and also set the UNF career record in the D1 era with his 17 career victories. German finished the regular season with a 7-3 record and in 13 starts.
- Devlin Granberg
- Infielder / Outfielder, Dallas Baptist
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Devlin Granberg
- Infielder / Outfielder, Dallas Baptist
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .423 | H: 90 | R: 58 | HR: 10 | RBI: 62
- Dallas Baptist senior outfielder Devlin Granberg was named the Joe Carter Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year in 2018. Granberg ranks third in the nation in batting average, fourth in on-base percentage, and 21st in RBI. Granberg has totaled 87 hits this year, a mark that ranks as the seventh most in a single-season in school history. He is also on pace to break the school record for batting average in a season and establish a new career batting average record at DBU.
- Logan Gilbert
- Pitcher, Stetson
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Logan Gilbert
- Pitcher, Stetson
- Bats/Throws: R/R | IP: 93 | W-L: 9-1 | ERA: 2.61 | BB: 20 | SO: 134
- Junior right-hander Logan Gilbert (Apopka, Fla.) set a new Stetson University record for strikeouts in a season. The 2017 ASUN Pitcher of the Year currently has 134 Ks on the year, two better than the former school record of 132 set by Lenny DiNardo in 2000. Gilbert's strikeouts this year put him on pace to perhaps have the 2nd greatest strikeout season in ASUN history. He needs just 25 Ks to move into second on the ASUN season strikeout list and he is 16 strikeouts away from 300 in his career. Was selected as the 2017 ASUN Pitcher of the Year and 2018 ASUN Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Twice named ASUN Pitcher of the Week (March 5/April 23) giving him four career ASUN POW honors. Is second in Stetson history with a 2.41 career ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .198 batting average for his career. Has nine double-figure strikeout games this year in 13 starts. Has pitched into the sixth inning in every start and into at least the eighth inning in seven starts. Was named to the Perfect Game mid-season All-America team. Has a 3.34 cumulative GPA and is Stetson's nominee for ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
- Luke Heyer
- Infielder / Outfielder, Kentucky
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Luke Heyer
- Infielder / Outfielder, Kentucky
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .340 | H: 69 | R: 46 | HR: 18 | RBI: 57
- The senior burst onto the national scene early this season with a prodigious power display against the quality field in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Classic, where he was named Most Outstanding Player. Heyer has been named National and SEC Player of the Week twice this season. The Lithia, Florida native has shown his versatility in starting 39 games at third base, 10 in right field and four in left field this season. He led the SEC in home runs, RBI and total bases, while ranking in the top five in doubles, runs scored and slugging percentage. OPS for the season was a ridiculous 1.123, he had 21 multi-hit games and 15 multi-RBI games. Had a game-tying, two-run home run in the ninth inning against Auburn in a game the Cats went on to win.
- Jonathan India
- Infielder, Florida
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Jonathan India
- Infielder, Florida
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .365 | H: 65 | R: 55 | HR: 16 | RBI: 40
- Junior third baseman Jonathan India is having one of the best seasons ever for a UF player. He had a 24-game hitting streak earlier this year, tied for the third-longest in school history. In addition, India just the 12th player in program history with 20+ HR, 100+ RBI and 30+ steals in their career. He has a .311 career batting average with 26 HR, 114 RBI and 37 stolen bases. In the regular season, India finished third in the SEC in batting average (.365), first in slugging percentage (.730) and first in on-base percentage (.506).
- Joey Murray
- Pitcher, Kent State
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Joey Murray
- Pitcher, Kent State
- Bats/Throws: R/R | IP: 88.1 | W-L: 8-1 | ERA: 1.63 | BB: 31 | SO: 132
- Joey Murray set the single-season strikeout record for Kent Stat with a sensational 2018 regular season. He finished with 132 strikeouts and just 31 walks on the season. Murray will start post-season play with an 8-1 record and an ERA of 1.63. The Dublin, Ohio native recorded double-digit strikeout totals in six of his 14 starts. He held the opposition to four hits or fewer in 13 of his 14 starts.
- Trevor Larnach
- Outfielder, Oregon State
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Trevor Larnach
- Outfielder, Oregon State
- Bats/Throws: L/R | Avg: .347 | H: 61 | R: 45 | HR: 15 | RBI: 56
- Launcher of home runs. Masher of fastballs, curveballs and anything thrown in the zone. Trevor Larnach has split time between the No. 4 and No. 5 spots in the lineup this season, and has become one of the most feared hitters in the country. His home runs are beginning to be measured in miles rather than feet. Larnach is ranked nationally in home runs, RBIs and slugging percentage while maintaining a top-10 spot in every major statistical category in the Pac-12. He's also become a steadying force in right field, with runners leery of testing his arm, in addition to making many highlight-reel catches. Fun fact: Larnach has hit multiple home runs over the stands in right at Oregon State's Goss Stadium, and beyond the berms at Utah's Smith's Ballpark and Missouri State's Hammons Field.
- Josh Jung
- Infielder / Pitcher, Texas Tech
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Josh Jung
- Infielder / Pitcher, Texas Tech
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .389 | H: 84 | R: 62 | HR: 11 | RBI: 71
- Texas Tech sophomore third baseman Josh Jung has started all 53 games this season for the Red Raiders and leads the team in nearly every offensive category. He paces the squad with a .389 batting average while topping the Red Raiders in hits (84), RBI (71) and runs (62), while putting together a team-leading 28 multi-hit & 21 multi-RBI performances at the plate in 2018. He also leads the Big 12 in batting average, hits, RBI, runs, total bases and on-base percentage heading into the Big 12 Championship this week, helping Tech lead the conference multiple offensive marks. Jung has been named Big 12 Player of the Week twice and earned NCBWA Co-Hitter of the Week honors after hitting for the cycle on April 17 at New Mexico. He did so with the first 5-for-5 bid at the plate to accomplish the feat, racking up two homers and eight RBI.
- John Rooney
- Pitcher, Hofstra
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- John Rooney
- Pitcher, Hofstra
- Bats/Throws: L/L | IP: 89 | W-L: 8-1 | ERA: 1.01 | BB: 22 | SO: 99
- Hofstra University junior pitcher John Rooney put together an outstanding 2018 regular season. A strong candidate for Colonial Athletic Association Pitcher of the Year honors and a three-time CAA Pitcher of the Week, Rooney went 8-1 with a 1.01 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 89 innings over 12 starts. He threw three complete games and two solo shutouts, while holding opposing batters to a .157 average. He leads the CAA and ranks second in the nation in ERA. In addition, he rewrote the Hofstra record book as his ERA and strikeout total are both single season records, and his 262 career strikeouts are the most in program history.
- Nick Sandlin
- Pitcher, Southern Mississippi
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Nick Sandlin
- Pitcher, Southern Mississippi
- Bats/Throws: R/R | IP: 86.1 | W-L: 8-0 | ERA: 1.25 | BB: 14 | SO: 122
- Nick Sandlin, who made the transition from closer to the team's ace pitcher this season, has posted an 8-0 record this season in 13 starts and has fanned 122 batters, while having walked just 14. His ERA of 1.25, WHIP and strikeout-to-walk ratios all rank in the Top 10 nationally. The preseason Conference USA Pitcher of the Year earned National Pitcher of the week honors five times this season, as well as capturing the Conference USA weekly honor four times. Through the regular season, Sandlin ranks among the Top 10 in several Golden Eagle single-season categories, including tied for fifth with most shutouts (2), fifth in strikeouts, while currently in sixth in ERA and first in winning percentage. As for a career, he ranks eighth at the school in victories (21), tied for fifth in saves (20), eighth in strikeouts (246), fifth in winning percentage (.808) and second in ERA (1.85).
- Nick Madrigal
- Infielder, Oregon State
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Nick Madrigal
- Infielder, Oregon State
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .438 | H: 39 | R: 23 | HR: 2 | RBI: 20
- What can't Nick Madrigal do? Oregon State fans still haven't found out as the junior from Elk Grove, Calif., has wowed them in three seasons in Corvallis with the bat and the glove. He's hit for average and for power, to the gaps and placed balls just inside each foul line, racked up RBIs and walks and put opponents on edge with his bunting ability. He's been a defensive wizard, first at short, and now at second, making highlight reel after highlight reel play. He has been consistently rated as one of the top players in the country, and for good reason, using his athletic abilities and leadership to guide Oregon State since his arrival to Beaver Nation in 2016.
- Bren Spillane
- Infielder / Outfielder, Illinois
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Bren Spillane
- Infielder / Outfielder, Illinois
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .407 | H: 66 | R: 53 | HR: 22 | RBI: 57
- Illinois junior Bren Spillane is one of the most feared hitters in the nation, ranking in the NCAA's top 10 in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, OPS and home runs. He crushed 22 home runs during the regular season, including 10 during 22 conference games, and batted .407 with a .512 on-base percentage. Spillane slugged .944 during the regular season, which would be the highest slugging percentage by an NCAA player since Rickie Weeks slugged .987 for Southern in 2003. He leads the Big Ten in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, OPS, home runs, RBIs and total bases.
- Spencer Torkelson
- Infielder, Arizona State
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Spencer Torkelson
- Infielder, Arizona State
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .323 | H: 63 | R: 56 | HR: 25 | RBI: 53
- Arizona State University freshman Spencer Torkelson is the NCAA's current national leader in home runs with 25 in 2018 as he attempts to become the first freshman player in NCAA history to lead the country in home runs. Torkelson's 25 homers obliterated the previous Sun Devil Freshman record of 11 set by Barry Bonds in 1983 and also broke the Pac-12 freshman record of 22 that was previously held by USC's Jeff Clement. A native of Petaluma, Calif., Torkelson is slashing .323/.443/.769 on the season with a team-best 53 RBIs - the first Sun Devil to eclipse 50 RBIs since 2012. Torkelson's .769 slugging percentage is second in the Pac-12 and ranked in the top-five nationally while his 56 runs lead the Pac-12. Torkelson is just the sixth player to reach 25 home runs since the BBCOR batting technology changes took effect in 2011 and the only freshman in the NCAA to reach the milestone. Torkelson was the only freshman in the nation represented on the Golden Spikes Award midseason watch list.
- Zack Shannon
- Pitcher / Infielder, Delta State
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Zack Shannon
- Pitcher / Infielder, Delta State
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .416 | H: 79 | R: 71 | HR: 29 | RBI: 87
- Shannon earned his second NCBWA South Region Player of the Year honor after being named the Gulf South Conference Player of the Year and First-Team All-GSC for the second straight year. Shannon, who was named GSC Player of the Week five times this season, leads the GSC and NCAA in home runs (29), home runs per game (.59), RBIs (86), RBIs per game (1.76), total bases (184) and slugging percentage (.989). The Cincinnati, Ohio, native also leads the GSC and ranks in the top 12 nationally in batting average (.425/11th NCAA), on base percentage (.523/10th NCAA), hits (79/25th NCAA) and runs per game (1.45/5th NCAA) while leading the GSC in runs scored (71/3rd NCAA) and hits (79/25th NCAA).
- Steele Walker
- Outfielder, Oklahoma
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Steele Walker
- Outfielder, Oklahoma
- Bats/Throws: L/L | Avg: .369 | H: 66 | R: 40 | HR: 11 | RBI: 47
- University of Oklahoma outfielder Steele Walker has been one of the Big 12 Conference's top hitters all season long. Walker is one of two players in the Big 12 to rank in the top five among league players in hits, home runs, RBI, batting average and slugging percentage. The junior lead the Sooners in hits, runs, batting average, home runs, RBI, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
- Scott Schreiber
- Outfielder, Nebraska
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Scott Schreiber
- Outfielder, Nebraska
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .369 | H: 79 | R: 62 | HR: 18 | RBI: 48
- Senior Scott Schreiber was drafted in the 26th round of the 2017 MLB Draft, but decided to return to Nebraska for his senior season in 2018 and has been the team's best bat. A two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection and 2016 All-American, Schreiber reached the 250-career hit/40-career home run/150-career RBI milestone earlier this season. He ranks in the top 10 among active NCAA Division I players in career hits, career home runs, RBIs and total bases. This season, he's in the top 10 nationally in runs scored, home runs, total bases and slugging percentage.
- Kevin Strohschein
- Outfielder, Tennessee Tech
- 2018
- 2018 Candidates
  GSA Winners
- 2018
- Kevin Strohschein
- Outfielder, Tennessee Tech
- Bats/Throws: R/R | Avg: .396 | H: 93 | R: 62 | HR: 16 | RBI: 60
- Two years after becoming the first player in Ohio Valley Conference history named both Rookie and Player of the Year, Kevin Strohschein has continued to build his legacy as one of the best sluggers in Tennessee Tech history. The junior leads the nation's most potent offense in both home runs and slugging percentage while his team has put forth a record-breaking campaign that includes a 28-game winning streak, a program record for wins, and OVC record for league wins, not to mention a second straight regular-season title. Strohschein ranks among the national leaders in hits, total bases, batting average, slugging percentage, runs and home runs.