CARY, N.C. \u2013 USA Baseball today announced the 25 semifinalists for the 2026 Golden Spikes Award, moving one step closer to identifying the top amateur baseball player in the nation. The 48th Golden Spikes Award will be presented on June 29 on MLB Network at 7:30 p.m. ET.<\/p>\n
Twenty different schools are represented in this year\u2019s semifinalist group, including four schools that placed two or more players on the list: Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Texas, and Texas A&M.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are thrilled to honor the twenty-five best players in the country as Golden Spikes Award semifinalists,\u201d said USA Baseball CEO\/Executive Director Paul Seiler. \u201cIt has been an excellent season of amateur baseball, and these athletes are extremely deserving of this honor. We anticipate an exciting race throughout the remainder of the season and look forward to naming the forty-eighth winner of the Golden Spikes Award on MLB Network next month.\u201d<\/p>\n
Georgia Tech\u2019s Drew Burress has been named a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist for the third consecutive year, becoming just the third player to accomplish the feat behind Anthony Rendon (2009, 2010, and 2011) and Brendan McKay (2015, 2016, and 2017). Burress, along with Jarren Advincula and Vahn Lackey, represent the Yellow Jackets on this year\u2019s list, marking just the eighth time a school has had three players named semifinalists.<\/p>\n
UCLA\u2019s Roch Cholowsky and Texas\u2019 Dylan Volantis have been named Golden Spikes Award semifinalists for the second consecutive year after being named to the list in 2025. Cholowsky and Volantis, along with eight other semifinalists, have consistently showcased top talent the entire season and appeared on both the preseason and midseason watch lists: Advincula, Jason DeCaro (North Carolina), Evan Dempsey (FGCU), Grady Emerson (Fort Worth Christian School), Jackson Flora (UC Santa Barbara), Ryder Helfrick (Arkansas), Lackey, and Caden Sorrell (Texas A&M). In total, 20 of the 25 semifinalists were featured on at least one watch list this year.<\/p>\n
Emerson, who has been projected as one of this year\u2019s top picks in the MLB Draft, is the only non-Division I player to appear on the list. He is the first high school player since Bobby Witt Jr. in 2019 to be named a semifinalist.<\/p>\n
Overall, six different conferences are represented among the 25 semifinalists. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) features 10 players, followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) with six and the Big 12 with four. Additionally, the Big Ten has two athletes and the Atlantic Sun (ASUN) and Big West have one player apiece.<\/p>\n
Arkansas\u2019 Wehiwa Aloy is the most recent winner of the Golden Spikes Award, earning the prestigious honor after a prolific season in 2025. He joins an elite group of recent winners including Charlie Condon (2024), Dylan Crews (2023), Ivan Melendez (2022), Kevin Kopps (2021), Adley Rutschman (2019), Andrew Vaughn (2018), Brendan McKay (2017), Kyle Lewis (2016), Andrew Benintendi (2015), A.J. Reed (2014), Kris Bryant (2013), Mike Zunino (2012), Trevor Bauer (2011), Bryce Harper (2010), Stephen Strasburg (2009), Buster Posey (2008), and David Price (2007).<\/p>\n
Fan voting will again play a part in the Golden Spikes Award in 2026. Following today\u2019s semifinalist announcement, baseball fans can vote for their favorite players on GoldenSpikesAward.com<\/a> to help determine the finalists. USA Baseball will announce the finalists for the award on June 10, and fan voting will once again open at GoldenSpikesAward.com<\/a> to help determine the winner before closing on June 28. <\/p>\n The 2026 Golden Spikes Award timeline is as follows:<\/p>\n May 14: Golden Spikes Award semifinalists announced, and fan voting begins To stay up to date on the 2026 Golden Spikes Award, visit GoldenSpikesAward.com<\/a> and follow @USAGoldenSpikes on Instagram<\/a> and Twitter\/X<\/a>.<\/p>\n Name – Position – Year – School – Conference<\/p>\n Jarren Advincula – INF – Junior – Georgia Tech – ACC
\nJune 9: Golden Spikes Award semifinalists fan voting ends
\nJune 10: Golden Spikes Award finalists announced, and fan voting begins
\nJune 28: Golden Spikes Award finalists fan voting ends
\nJune 29: Golden Spikes Award winner announced<\/p>\n
\nDrew Burress – OF – Junior – Georgia Tech – ACC
\nLorenzo Carrier – OF – R-Senior – Pittsburgh – ACC
\nRoch Cholowsky – INF – Junior – UCLA – Big Ten
\nTague Davis – INF – Sophomore – Louisville – ACC
\nJason DeCaro – RHP – Junior – North Carolina – ACC
\nEvan Dempsey – RHP\/OF – Junior – FGCU – ASUN
\nHunter Dietz – LHP – R-Sophomore – Arkansas – SEC
\nMason Edwards – LHP – Junior – Southern Cal – Big Ten
\nGrady Emerson – INF – Senior (HS) – Fort Worth Christian (HS)
\nJackson Flora – RHP – Junior – UC Santa Barbara – Big West
\nGavin Grahovac – INF – Junior – Texas A&M – SEC
\nLandon Hairston – INF – Sophomore – Arizona State – Big 12
\nRyder Helfrick – C – Junior – Arkansas – SEC
\nDaniel Jackson – C – Junior – Georgia – SEC
\nGavin Kelly – C\/INF – Sophomore – West Virginia – Big 12
\nDee Kennedy – INF – Junior – Kansas State – Big 12
\nAidan King – RHP – Sophomore – Florida – SEC
\nVahn Lackey – C\/INF – Junior – Georgia Tech – ACC
\nKollin Ritchie – OF – Junior – Oklahoma State – Big 12
\nAiden Robbins – OF – Junior – Texas – SEC
\nCaden Sorrell – OF – Junior – Texas A&M – SEC
\nCade Townsend – RHP – Sophomore – Ole Miss – SEC
\nTomas Valincius – LHP – Sophomore – Mississippi State – SEC
\nDylan Volantis – LHP – Sophomore – Texas \u2013 SEC<\/p>\n