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LOOK: Ivan Melendez poses with 2022 Golden Spikes Award

IMG_0985by:Griffin McVeigh•06/24/22•

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David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

For such a storied baseball program, a Texas player was never able to win the Golden Spike Award, given to amateur baseball’s top player. That changed on Friday night when first basemen Ivan Melendez was announced as the 2022 winner.

Shortly after the news was made official, the official Texas Baseball Twitter account posted a photo of Melendez holding the award. Not only are there real golden spikes on top but the name of every past winner is engraved into the trophy.

You can see the photo here.

Melendez was nearly unstoppable for Texas this season, breaking the program’s single-season home run record with 32. He hit an outstanding .387 and knocked in over 90 RBIs, if you include the Big 12 and NCAA Tournament.

The slugger also became the first player in college baseball to hit 30 or more home runs since Kris Bryant did so in 2013. Bryant was also named a Golden Spikes Award winner with San Diego, being one of the many impressive names on Melendez’s new trophy.

More on Ivan Melendez winning Golden Spikes Award

USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO Paul Seiler said what Melendez did in college baseball was one to “remember” after being named the Golden Spikes Award winner. He had nothing but praise for the Texas slugger as he becomes the 44th player to win the award.

“Ivan Melendez put together a season to remember for baseball fans,” Seiler said in a statement. “He became one of the most feared hitters in college baseball this year thanks to consistent and staggering power numbers, and he made every at-bat a must-see event. We are honored to celebrate Ivan and his record-breaking accomplishments by naming him our forty-fourth Golden Spikes Award winner.”

From a team perspective, Melendez helped Texas finish fifth in the Big 12 and make the conference tournament final. From there, the Longhorns were able to win the Austin Regional and survive a ruckus atmosphere against East Carolina in a Super Regional. The program made a 38th appearance at the College World Series.