The two-way standout is the lone returning Golden Spikes Award finalist from 2023.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – USA Baseball announced its 2024 Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List on Friday afternoon, with Florida two-way standout Jac Caglianone<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jac-caglianone/16365> making the cut.
Caglianone is one of 55 players across high school and college baseball to earn mention on the watch list. Of that contingent, he is the only returning Golden Spikes Award finalist from last season.
“It is always an exciting time when we kick off the amateur baseball season with the announcement of the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List,” said USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO Paul Seiler. “With baseball season right around the corner, we look forward to following along as these fifty-five student-athletes and many more compete in yet another thrilling year of amateur baseball.”
Overall, 41 schools and 16 conferences are represented on the 2024 Preseason Watch List. The SEC leads all conferences with 15 players, followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) with 10 and the Big 12 Conference with nine.
Already holding status as a Unanimous First Team Preseason All-American, Caglianone slugged an NCAA-leading and program-record 33 homers last season while slashing .323/.389/.738. The Tampa, Fla. product also set the team record with 90 RBI and was the lone Gator to play in and start all 71 games as Florida made a deep run to the College World Series Finals. The southpaw also delivered a 7-4 record, 4.34 ERA, .190 batting average against and 87 strikeouts across 18 starts spanning 74 2/3 frames.
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 announced, and fan voting begins
* June 21: Golden Spikes Award finalists’ fan voting ends
* June 23: Golden Spikes Award winner announced
Fan voting will again play a part in the Golden Spikes Award in 2024. Baseball fans can vote for their favorite players on GoldenSpikesAward.com beginning on May 20 with the naming of the semifinalists. USA Baseball will announce the finalists for the award on June 5 and fan voting will once again open at GoldenSpikesAward.com before closing on June 21.
A complete list of the 55-player 2024 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List is as follows:
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<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jac-caglianone/16365>; 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
About Golden Spikes Award
Since 1978, USA Baseball has honored the top amateur baseball player in the country with the Golden Spikes Award. The Award, which is presented on ESPN annually, goes to the amateur baseball player who exhibits exceptional athletic ability and exemplary sportsmanship. The 2023 Golden Spikes Award winner was Dylan Crews from Louisiana State University. Winners of this prestigious award from the past 20 years include Major League Baseball All-Stars such as Adley Rutschman (’19), Andrew Benintendi (’15), Kris Bryant (’13), Mike Zunino (’12), Trevor Bauer (’11), Bryce Harper (’10), Stephen Strasburg (’09), Buster Posey (’08), David Price (’07), Tim Lincecum (’06), Alex Gordon (’05), and Jered Weaver (’04).
