{"id":121830,"date":"2025-06-22T03:02:28","date_gmt":"2025-06-22T03:02:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/121830\/"},"modified":"2025-06-22T03:02:28","modified_gmt":"2025-06-22T03:02:28","slug":"the-golden-spikes-award-the-ultimate-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/121830\/","title":{"rendered":"The Golden Spikes Award: The ultimate guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Arkansas’ Wehiwa Aloy won the 47th Golden Spikes Award, presented by USA Baseball, ahead of Game 1 of the 2025 Men’s College World Series finals on Saturday, June 21. Aloy is the third Razorback to win the award.<\/p>\n

Georgia’s Charlie Condon won the 46th Golden Spikes Award in 2024, becoming the first Bulldog to win the award.\u00a0Texas’ Ivan Melendez\u00a0became the first Longhorn to win it when he won the 44th Golden Spikes Award in 2022.\u00a0Oregon State’s Adley Rutschman ended his illustrious college career as the winner of the 42nd Golden Spikes Award. The announcement was made June 14 at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha at the MLB in Omaha game between the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

PAST GOLDEN SPIKES WINNERS: 2025<\/a> |\u00a02024<\/a> |\u00a02023<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a02022 <\/a>|\u00a02021<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a02019\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Rutschman joined 2018 winner Andrew Vaughn (California), Navy’s Noah Song and Vanderbilt’s JJ Bleday as the finalists for the 2019 award. The award has gone to amateur\u00a0baseball players ever since Division I college baseball’s Bob Horner took home the first honors in 1978 as a member of the Arizona State Sun Devils. So, what is it that makes the Golden Spikes Award so special?<\/p>\n

\u26be\ufe0f MORE BASEBALL\u00a0\u26be\ufe0f<\/p>\n

THE GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD: What is it?<\/p>\n

The Golden Spikes Award isn’t simply an award for Division I college baseball players, although that’s how it has turned out a majority of the time. USA Baseball<\/a> in conjunction with the Rod Dedeaux Foundation<\/a> awards the Golden Spikes to the student-athlete who combines his skills on the field with his sportsmanship the best.\u00a0<\/p>\n

That includes baseball players from every level including high school, NAIA, and junior colleges as well as all divisions of NCAA play. Just twice in the 41-year history of the award has the honor\u00a0not gone to a DI baseball player:\u00a0Alex Fernandez out of Miami Dade Community College (1990) and Bryce Harper out of Southern Nevada in 2010.\u00a0<\/p>\n

HISTORY: Darling, Viola pitch the greatest college baseball game ever<\/a> | Remembering the first<\/a><\/p>\n

The award itself looks exactly how you would imagine it. Gold is molded into a pair of the baseball player’s footwear but it’s changed a bit over the years. Once\u00a0surrounded by crystal that appears to be in the shape of a baseball, it was mounted atop a base that lists the year and winner’s name. Now the golden spikes rest one atop the other laying in front of a baseball field and resting atop a base with past winners names etched on it. The gold certainly helps add a little shine to any trophy case.<\/p>\n

USA Baseball
\n \"The<\/p>\n

The big mystery is where the name Golden Spikes originated.\u00a0We talked to the people at\u00a0USA Baseball and there seems to be no record\u00a0of how the illustrious award earned its name. An internet search didn’t provide any further insight. We’re going to keep looking to track down where the name came from.<\/p>\n

THE GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD: How it works<\/p>\n

The process has changed a bit over the years but has remained the same in concept. A preseason watch list gets narrowed down throughout the season until a winner is decided.\u00a0But let’s take a look at how we get there.<\/p>\n

USA Baseball trims a list of more than 100 candidates to 55, opening\u00a0the college baseball season with its preseason watch list<\/a>. That list will remain for more than two months, until the 40-player midseason watch list is released, which was announced April 10 this season<\/a>. Beginning in 2007, USA Baseball added the 25-man semifinalist list, which was released on May 15 of the 2019 season<\/a>. For the second consecutive season, the semifinalist release was a historic one. Last season, Delta State’s Zack Shannon was the first Division II baseball player to make the semifinals cut<\/a>, and this season high school standout Bobby Witt, Jr. is the first non-collegiate athlete to make the top 25.<\/p>\n

Now comes the fun part. A group of more than 200 voters \u2014 consisting of the Golden Spikes Advisory Board, national baseball media, USA Baseball staff members, former Golden Spikes winners, and more \u2014 begins the voting process. But they aren’t alone. Fans can vote up to 25 times a day until Sunday, May 26, contributing to 5 percent of the total vote.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Next come the finalists. Once they\u00a0are announced, the same voting body and fan voting process open once again.<\/p>\n

CWS HISTORY: Coaches with most wins<\/a> | Most titles<\/a> | Most appearances<\/a>\u00a0| Conferences most represented<\/a><\/p>\n

THE GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD: History of past winners<\/p>\n

Arizona State’s Bob Horner was the first to take home the Golden Spikes Award in 1978 in a season that saw him not only become the first overall pick in the MLB draft but go right to the big leagues and win the 1978 National League Rookie of the Year for\u00a0the Atlanta Braves. Here’s some food for thought. Horner was equally impressive in 1977 when he took home College World Series Most Outstanding Player honors. Had there been a Golden Spikes then, we may have had a back-to-back winner.<\/p>\n

HORNER’S LEGACY: Take a look at Arizona State’s all-time starting lineup<\/a><\/p>\n

California’s Andrew Vaughn was the 2018\u00a0winner and had a season worthy of becoming the first repeat recipient, but alas, we still await to see if anyone will go back-to-back. Here are more notable facts from\u00a0the history of the award:<\/p>\n

\tFourteen of the recipients have been full-time pitchers, while Brendan McKay (2017, Louisville) and A.J. Reed (2015, Kentucky) stood out as pitchers and hitters. Eight winners have been outfielders. Sixteen have been infielders and four\u00a0more\u00a0catchers. Then there was Bryce Harper, who played infield, outfield, and catcher.\u00a0
\n\tFive Golden Spikes winners have been the Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year\u00a0through 2022. Horner was the first and is joined by Harper, Kris Bryant, Jason Jennings\u00a0and Buster Posey. Three have won the MVP award (Bryant, Harper, and Posey), while eight have won World Series titles and 18 have made MLB All Star Game appearances through 2022.\u00a0
\n\tEight have gone on to become MLB first overall\u00a0picks through 2022. Horner was the first in 1978, followed by Ben McDonald (1989), Phil Nevin (1992), Pat Burrell (1998), David Price (2007), Stephen Strasburg (2009), Harper (2010) and now Rutschman in 2019.
\n\tTwenty of the Golden Spikes Award winners have also won the Dick Howser Award presented by the NCBWA as their DI college baseball national player of the year. Melendez accomplished both in 2022.<\/p>\n

Below is a list of all of the winners of the Golden Spikes Awards handed out through the 2025 season:\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\tYear
\n\t\t\tWinner
\n\t\t\tPosition
\n\t\t\tSchool<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2025
\n\t\t\tWehiwa Aloy
\n\t\t\tSS
\n\t\t\tArkansas<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2024
\n\t\t\tCharlie Condon
\n\t\t\t3B\/OF
\n\t\t\tGeorgia<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2023
\n\t\t\tDylan Crews
\n\t\t\tOF
\n\t\t\tLSU<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2022
\n\t\t\tIvan Melendez
\n\t\t\t1B
\n\t\t\tTexas<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2021
\n\t\t\tKevin Kopps
\n\t\t\tP
\n\t\t\tArkansas<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2020
\n\t\t\tSeason canceled: COVID-19
\n\t\t\t\u00a0
\n\t\t\t\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2019\u00a0
\n\t\t\tAdley Rutschman
\n\t\t\tC
\n\t\t\tOregon State<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2018
\n\t\t\tAndrew Vaughn
\n\t\t\tIF
\n\t\t\tCalifornia<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2017\u00a0
\n\t\t\tBrendan McKay
\n\t\t\tP\/1B
\n\t\t\tLouisville<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2016
\n\t\t\tKyle Lewis
\n\t\t\tOF
\n\t\t\tMercer<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2015
\n\t\t\tAndrew Benintendi
\n\t\t\tOF
\n\t\t\tArkansas<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2014
\n\t\t\tA.J. Reed
\n\t\t\tP\/IF
\n\t\t\tKentucky<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2013
\n\t\t\tKris Bryant
\n\t\t\tIF
\n\t\t\tSan Diego<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2012
\n\t\t\tMike Zunino
\n\t\t\tC
\n\t\t\tFlorida<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2011
\n\t\t\tTrevor Bauer
\n\t\t\tP
\n\t\t\tUCLA<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2010
\n\t\t\tBryce Harper
\n\t\t\tC\/OF\/IF
\n\t\t\tSouthern Nevada<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

In 2009 Stephen Strasburg dominated college baseball<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2009
\n\t\t\tStephen Strasburg
\n\t\t\tP
\n\t\t\tSan Diego State<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2008
\n\t\t\tBuster Posey
\n\t\t\tC
\n\t\t\tFlorida State<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2007
\n\t\t\tDavid Price
\n\t\t\tP
\n\t\t\tVanderbilt<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2006
\n\t\t\tTim Lincecum
\n\t\t\tP
\n\t\t\tWashington<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2005
\n\t\t\tAlex Gordon
\n\t\t\t3B
\n\t\t\tNebraska<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2004
\n\t\t\tJered Weaver
\n\t\t\tP
\n\t\t\tLong Beach State<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2003
\n\t\t\tRickie Weeks
\n\t\t\t2B
\n\t\t\tSouthern<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2002
\n\t\t\tKhalil Greene
\n\t\t\tSS
\n\t\t\tClemson<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2001
\n\t\t\tMark Prior
\n\t\t\tP
\n\t\t\tSouthern California<\/p>\n

\t\t\t2000
\n\t\t\tKip Bouknight
\n\t\t\tP
\n\t\t\tSouth Carolina<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1999
\n\t\t\tJason Jennings
\n\t\t\tP
\n\t\t\tBaylor<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1998
\n\t\t\tPat Burrell
\n\t\t\t3B
\n\t\t\tMiami<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

In 1998 Miami’s Burrell was baseball’s best<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1997
\n\t\t\tJ.D. Drew
\n\t\t\tOF
\n\t\t\tFlorida State<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1996
\n\t\t\tTravis Lee
\n\t\t\t1B
\n\t\t\tSan Diego State<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1995
\n\t\t\tMark Kotsay
\n\t\t\tOF
\n\t\t\tCal State Fullerton<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1994
\n\t\t\tJason Varitek
\n\t\t\tC
\n\t\t\tGeorgia Tech<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1993
\n\t\t\tDarren Dreifort
\n\t\t\tP\u00a0
\n\t\t\tWichita State<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1992
\n\t\t\tPhil Nevin
\n\t\t\t3B
\n\t\t\tCal State Fullerton<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1991
\n\t\t\tMike Kelly
\n\t\t\tOF
\n\t\t\tArizona State<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1990
\n\t\t\tAlex Fernandez
\n\t\t\tP
\n\t\t\tMiami Dade CC<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1989
\n\t\t\tBen McDonald
\n\t\t\tP
\n\t\t\tLSU<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1988
\n\t\t\tRobin Ventura
\n\t\t\t3B
\n\t\t\tOklahoma State<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

In 1988 Robin Ventura was college baseball’s best<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1987
\n\t\t\tJim Abbott
\n\t\t\tP
\n\t\t\tMichigan<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1986
\n\t\t\tMike Loynd
\n\t\t\tP
\n\t\t\tFlorida State<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1985
\n\t\t\tWill Clark
\n\t\t\t1B
\n\t\t\tMississippi State<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1984
\n\t\t\tOddibe McDowell
\n\t\t\tOF
\n\t\t\tArizona State<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1983
\n\t\t\tDave Magadan
\n\t\t\t1B
\n\t\t\tAlabama<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1982
\n\t\t\tAugie Schmidt
\n\t\t\tSS
\n\t\t\tNew Orleans<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1981
\n\t\t\tMike Fuentes
\n\t\t\tOF
\n\t\t\tFlorida State<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1980
\n\t\t\tTerry Francona
\n\t\t\tOF
\n\t\t\tArizona<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1979
\n\t\t\tTim Wallach
\n\t\t\t1B
\n\t\t\tCal State Fullerton<\/p>\n

\t\t\t1978
\n\t\t\tBob Horner
\n\t\t\t3B
\n\t\t\tArizona State<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

In 1984 Oddibe McDowell was baseball’s best<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Arkansas’ Wehiwa Aloy won the 47th Golden Spikes Award, presented by USA Baseball, ahead of Game 1 of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":121831,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2289],"tags":[5,648,25901,1694,2341],"class_list":{"0":"post-121830","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-college-baseball","8":"tag-baseball","9":"tag-college-baseball","10":"tag-golden-spikes-award","11":"tag-ncaa","12":"tag-ncaa-baseball"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/114724794798688582","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121830","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=121830"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121830\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/121831"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=121830"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=121830"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=121830"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}