3 from LSU on Golden Spikes list
DURHAM, N.C. — Three LSU players are on the 60-man midseason Golden Spikes Award watch list released by USA Baseball, bringing the organization one step closer to naming the top amateur baseball player in the country.
Junior outfielder Raph Rhymes, sophomore right-handed pitcher Kevin Gausman and junior right-handed pitcher Nick Goody are the LSU representatives on the list.
The watch list will continue to be a “rolling” list until May 29 — when the 30 semifinalists for the award are announced — ensuring that athletes can play themselves into consideration for the award. The Golden Spikes Award trophy will be awarded live at MLB Network’s studios for the second year in a row, with a presentation scheduled for July 6.
Rhymes, a native of Monroe, leads the nation in hitting with a .503 (80-for-159) average, and he has collected 11 doubles, three homers, 46 RBIs and 34 runs.
Gausman, a native of Centennial, Colo., leads the SEC and is No. 3 in the nation in strikeouts with 97 while compiling a 7-1 record and a 3.12 ERA in 75 innings.
Goody, an Orlando, Fla., native, has eight saves and a 0.77 ERA as the Tigers’ closer with 34 strikeouts in 23.1 innings.
The list of 30 semifinalists announced on May 29 will be sent to a voting body consisting of past USA Baseball National Team coaches and press officers, members of media that closely follow the amateur game, select professional baseball personnel and current USA Baseball staff, representing a group of more than 200 voters in total.
Fan voting will once again be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2012. May 29 marks the day when fans will be able to vote for their favorite semifinalist on GoldenSpikesAward.com. As part of this selection process all voters will be asked to choose three players from the list of 30 names. On June 5, USA Baseball will announce the three finalists, and voting will once again commence that same day.
The complete 2012 60-man midseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List is as follows:
Name, Position, Class, School
Justin Amlung, RHP, jr., Louisville; Mark Appel, RHP, jr., Stanford; Adam Brett Walker, OF/C, jr., Jacksonville;
Kris Bryant, IF, soph., San Diego; J.T. Chargois, RHP/IF, jr., Rice; Jason Coats, OF, sr., Texas Christian; Joey DeMichele, IF, jr., Arizona State; Josh Elander, C/OF, jr., Texas Christian; Austin Elkins, IF, jr., Dallas Baptist; Kent Emanuel, LHP, soph., North Carolina; Dylan Floro, RHP, jr., Cal State Fullerton; Marty Gantt, OF, sr., College of Charleston; Kevin Gausman, RHP, soph., LSU; Jeff Gelalich, OF, jr., UCLA; Marco Gonzales, LHP/IF, soph., Gonzaga; Nick Goody, RHP, jr., LSU.
Trevor Gott, RHP, soph., Kentucky; Andrew Heaney, LHP, jr., Oklanhoma State; Kurt Heyer, RHP, jr., Arizona; D.J. Hicks, IF, jr., Central Florida; Travis Jankowski, OF, jr., Stony Brook; Brian Johnson, LHP/IF, jr., Florida; Derek Jones, OF, jr., Washington State; Corey Knebel, RHP, soph., Texas; Pat Light, RHP, jr., Monmouth; Michael Lorenzen, OF/RHP, soph., Cal State Fullerton; Josh Ludy, C, sr., Baylor; Austin Maddox, RHP/IF, jr., Florida; Luke Maile, C/IF, jr., Kentucky; Michael Morin, RHP, jr., North Carolina; Trenton Moses, IF, sr., Southeast Missouri State; Tyler Naquin, OF, jr., Texas A&M.
T.J. Oakes, RHP, jr., Minnesota; Peter O’Brien, C, sr., Miami (Fla.); D.J. Peterson, IF, soph., New Mexico; Stephen Piscotty, IF/RHP, jr., Stanford; Danny Poma, OF, sr., Hofstra; Matt Price, RHP, RS Junior, South Carolina; James Ramsey, OF, sr., Florida State; Matthew Reckling, RHP , sr., Rice; Tony Renda, IF, jr., California; Raph Rhymes, OF, jr., LSU; Brady Rodgers, RHP, jr., Arizona State; Carlos Rodon, LHP, fr., North Carolina State; Michael Roth, LHP/IF, jr., South Carolina; Richie Shaffer, IF, jr., Clemson; Ryne Stanek, RHP, soph., Arkansas.
Zach Stephens, IF, soph., Tennessee Tech; Chris Stratton, RHP, jr., Mississippi State; Ross Stripling, RHP, sr., Texas A&M; Marcus Stroman, RHP, jr., Duke; Preston Tucker, IF, sr., Florida; Josh Turley, LHP, jr., Baylor; Michael Wacha, RHP, jr., Texas A&M; Tyler Wagner, RHP, soph., San Diego; Bobby Wahl, RHP, soph., Ole Miss; Christian Walker, IF, jr., South Carolina; Alex Yarbrough, IF, jr., Ole Miss; Kyle Zimmer, RHP, jr., San Francisco; Mike Zunino, C, jr., Florida.