Jac Caglianone named to 2024 Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List
Florida first baseman and left-handed pitcher Jac Caglianone leads the 55-man 2024 Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List released on Friday by USA Baseball.
Caglianone finished as a finalist for the award in 2023, but LSU‘s Dylan Crews was named the best amateur baseball player in the nation. Naturally, Caglianone returns as a favorite to win the award in 2024, with Crews and the other finalist, Paul Skenes, now turned pro.
A year ago, Caglianone set the BBCOR-era record for home runs in a season with 33. He won’t have to top his own number to win the Golden Spikes, but doing so might lock things up for him without much debate. The other path to winning the award involves Caglianone taking a step forward on the mound and becoming a realistic two-way prospect in the pros.
High velocity from the left side is coveted at any level of baseball, but pitching in the majors (or minors) requires accuracy. If Caglianone can prove to scouts that he has control of his 98-99 mph fastball, a slight dip offensively won’t matter at all.
It won’t be easy to beat out some of nation’s best, though. Several SEC stars made the list, including Georgia‘s Charlie Condon, South Carolina’s Ethan Petry, Arkansas‘ Hagen Smith and LSU’s Tommy White — all of whom were semifinalists a year ago.
Perhaps the biggest threat to Caglianone’s Golden Spikes pursuit is Wake Forest first baseman Nick Kurtz. He plays the same position and is expected to be a top-5 pick in the upcoming draft. North Carolina‘s Vance Honeycutt is another name to watch from the ACC.
The 2024 Golden Spikes Award timeline is as follows:
April 4: Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List announced.
May 20: Golden Spikes Award semifinalists announced, and fan voting begins.
June 3: Golden Spikes Award semifinalists fan voting ends.
June 5: Golden Spikes Award finalists are announced, and fan voting begins.
June 21: Golden Spikes Award finalists’ fan voting ends.
June 23: Golden Spikes Award winner announced.
The last Gator to win the award was catcher Mike Zunino in 2012.
A complete list of the 55-player 2024 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List is as follows:
Name; Position; School; Conference
Matt Ager; RHP; UC Santa Barbara; Big West
Wehiwa Aloy; INF; Arkansas; SEC
Billy Amick; INF; Tennessee; SEC
Ethan Anderson; C/UTIL; Virginia; ACC
Travis Bazzana; INF; Oregon State; Pac-12
Kevin Bazzell; C/INF; Texas Tech; Big 12
Drew Beam; RHP; Tennessee; SEC
Derek Bender; C/INF; Coastal Carolina; Sun Belt
Carson Benge; OF/RHP; Oklahoma State; Big 12
Brody Brecht; RHP; Iowa; Big Ten
Chase Burns; RHP; Wake Forest; ACC
Jac Caglianone; 1B/LHP; Florida; SEC
Cam Caminiti; LHP/OF; Saguaro HS (AZ)
Cam Cannarella; OF; Clemson; ACC
Charlie Condon; 1B/OF; Georgia; SEC
Jacob Cozart; C; NC State; ACC
Kaelen Culpepper; INF; Kansas State; Big 12
Randy Flores; INF; Alabama State; SWAC
Rodney Green Jr.; OF; California; Pac-12
Konnor Griffin; OF/RHP; Jackson Prep (MS)
Lawson Harrill; OF; Campbell; CAA
Josh Hartle; LHP; Wake Forest; ACC
Jake Hjelle; OF; Minnesota-Crookston (DII); NSIC
Luke Holman; RHP; LSU; SEC
Carter Holton; LHP; Vanderbilt; SEC
Vance Honeycutt; OF; UNC; ACC
Jeremiah Jenkins; INF; Maine; America East
Ryan Johnson; RHP; Dallas Baptist; C-USA
Lebarron Johnson Jr.; RHP; Texas; Big 12
Dakota Jordan; OF; Mississippi State; SEC
Gavin Kash; INF; Texas Tech; Big 12
Seaver King; INF; Wake Forest; ACC
Sam Kulasingam; INF; Air Force; Mountain West
Nick Kurtz; OF/INF; Wake Forest; ACC
Jace LaViolette; OF; Texas A&M; SEC
Shane Lewis; OF; Troy; Sun Belt
Caleb Lomavita; C; California; Pac-12
Cole Messina; C; South Carolina; SEC
Braden Montgomery; OF/RHP; Texas A&M; SEC
Christian Moore; INF; Tennessee; SEC
Malcolm Moore; C; Stanford; Pac-12
Tyson Neighbors; RHP; Kansas State; Big 12
Griff O’Ferrall; INF; Virginia; ACC
Ethan Petry; OF/INF; South Carolina; SEC
Tanner Reaves; INF; Blinn CC (JUCO); NJCAA
Brett Sanchez; RHP; Belhaven (DIII); CCS
Nolan Schubart; OF; Oklahoma State; Big 12
Mike Sirota; OF; Northeastern; CAA
Hagen Smith; LHP; Arkansas; SEC
Devin Taylor; OF; Indiana; Big Ten
Payton Tolle; LHP/INF; TCU; Big 12
JJ Wetherholt; INF; West Virginia; Big 12
Tommy White; 3B; LSU; SEC
Trey Yesavage; RHP; East Carolina; AAC
Gage Ziehl; RHP; Miami; ACC
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