USA Baseball Names Barco, Fabian to Golden Spikes Preseason Watch List
Hunter Barco and Jud Fabian are making their second-consecutive appearance on the Golden Spikes Award preseason watch list.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – USA Baseball announced its 55-player Golden Spikes Award preseason watch list today, with Florida left-handed pitcher Hunter Barco<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15091&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=tSkGIeXsqW0qWAMgkAMnXXAr9g7bT-4MR-J6dfDAZFAKQBpZX9q9jC-1p5JOPJkW&s=r6rP2BO8xnOzDHe1ELZ_iSueYqHGLnwDqDfwA8EAQIY&e= > and outfielder Jud Fabian<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D15127&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=tSkGIeXsqW0qWAMgkAMnXXAr9g7bT-4MR-J6dfDAZFAKQBpZX9q9jC-1p5JOPJkW&s=p-1fM67gNKobjloFQ_OK3Y1Ayuym0TFwvYRwUbf41Cw&e= > each making the cut.
This is the second-consecutive season that Barco and Fabian have earned recognition on the Golden Spikes Award preseason watch list. As for Fabian, the Ocala, Fla. native was also named to the midseason watch list in 2021.
“We could not be more excited to kick off the amateur baseball season with the announcement of the fifty-five-player Golden Spikes Award preseason watch list,” said Paul Seiler, Executive Director/CEO of USA Baseball. “The athletes on this year’s initial watch list represent a tremendous amount of talent and character. We are looking forward to watching their journeys unfold during what is sure to be one of the most thrilling and competitive seasons of amateur baseball to date.”
The 2022 preseason watch list features 55 of the nation’s top amateur players from high school and college baseball. The Golden Spikes Award Advisory Board will maintain a rolling list of players, allowing athletes to play themselves into consideration for the award throughout the season.
A Jacksonville, Fla. native, Barco is coming off a 2021 campaign in which he was named to the Newcomer All-SEC Team and Southeast-ABCA/Rawlings All-Region Second Team. Pacing the Gators with 10 wins in a team-high 16 starts, Barco finished the year with a 4.01 ERA, .239 batting average against and 94 strikeouts in 83 innings pitched. The second-year performance came on the heels of a standout freshman season in which Barco went 2-0 with a 1.40 ERA and 26 strikeouts across 19.1 frames.
Fabian returns to Florida for a fourth season after producing a 2021 campaign that saw him become just the fifth Gator to hit 20 home runs in a single season en route to collecting Third Team All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball and the NCBWA. Thanks to a .249/.364/.560 batting line with 30 extra-base hits, 51 runs, 46 RBI and a .971 fielding percentage, Fabian was also named Southeast-ABCA/Rawlings First Team, First Team All-SEC and to the SEC All-Defensive Team. Overall, the Ocala, Fla. native is a .249/.366/.512 career hitter with 32 homers, 25 doubles, 102 runs and 85 RBI in 132 games.
Fan voting will once again play a part in the Golden Spikes Award in 2022. Amateur baseball fans will be able to vote for their favorite players on GoldenSpikesAward.com, starting on May 24 with the naming of the Golden Spikes Award semifinalists. USA Baseball will announce the finalists for the award on June 8 and fan voting will open at GoldenSpikesAward.com concurrently, remaining open through June 12.
Florida is set to open the 2022 season at home the weekend of Feb. 18-20 in the form of a three-game series against Liberty of the Atlantic Sun Conference. All three games of the season-opening series will stream live on SEC Network+.
The 2022 Golden Spikes Award Timeline
April 5: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award midseason watch list announced
May 24: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award semifinalists announced, fan voting begins
May 29: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award semifinalists fan voting ends
June 8: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award finalists announced, fan voting begins
June 12: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award finalists fan voting ends
About the Golden Spikes Award
Since 1978, USA Baseball has honored the top amateur baseball player in the country with the Golden Spikes Award. Following the first-ever presentation of the Award to Bob Horner of Arizona State, the Golden Spikes Award has been presented each year to the player who exhibits exceptional athletic ability and exemplary sportsmanship.
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