2023 Golden Spikes Award Finalists revealed

The 2023 Golden Spikes Award Finalists were revealed on Wednesday afternoon and the players who earned the prestigious honor were no surprises at all: LSU slugger Dylan Crews, LSU pitcher Paul Skenes, and Florida slugger Jac Caglianone. All three players have been nothing short of spectacular during the 2023 college baseball campaign. USA Baseball announced the news on Wednesday in a press release on their website. The Golden Spikes Award is given to the top player in college baseball who best shows on-field ability and sportsmanship. The winner of the 45th Golden Spikes Award will be announced on June 25th, during a special presentation on ESPN at 2:30 PM EST. The presentation will be leading up to Game 2 of the 2023 College World Series.

“USA Baseball is honored to name Jac Caglianone, Dylan Crews, and Paul Skenes the finalists for the 2023 Golden Spikes Award,” said USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO Paul Seiler. “All three of these athletes are beyond worthy of this recognition, thanks to both their terrific play on the field and their tremendous character off the field. The winner of this award will join a long list of established and successful baseball players, and we look forward to crowning the recipient of the 45th Golden Spikes Award later this month.”

Florida two-way sophomore Jac Caglianone is in the middle of a record-breaking season for the Gators. He’s been critical in their run to the 2023 NCAA Super Regionals. He currently leads the nation with 31 home runs–shattering Florida’s single season record. Caglianone also ranks fifth in the country with 84 RBIs. He earned first team All-SEC honors after having a .779 slugging percentage this year. As a pitcher, Caglianone has a 7-3 record this year and a 3.78 ERA during his 16 starts. He’s earned SEC Player of the Week honors twice this year and also earned MVP honors for the 2023 Gainesville Regional. Caglianone is the sixth player from Florida to be named a Golden Spikes Award finalist and the first since Brady Singer in 2018.

LSU slugger Dylan Crews is expected to be the No. 1 overall selection for the 2023 MLB Draft. He was recently named SEC Player of the Year for the second straight season. He’s reached base in all of the Tigers’ 61 games in 2023, including a 26-game hitting streak. Crews ranks among the nation’s leaders in numerous offensive categories: on-base percentage (2nd–.573), runs scored (2nd–87), and batting average (3rd–.432). The junior slugger also leads the SEC in batting average, hits (95), on-base percentage, runs scored, and walks (61). As a fielder, he also posted a flawless 1.000 fielding percentage. Crews earned Baton Rouge Regional MVP honors in helping guide LSU to the 2023 Super Regional. He’s been a frequent member of the Golden Spikes Award lists the past two seasons.

SEC Pitcher of the Year Paul Skenes has had a remarkably dominant season this year. Following the end of NCAA Regionals, the right hander led all pitchers in college baseball with 179 strikeouts in 99.1 innings of work. Keep in mind, that’s 41 more strikeouts than the pitcher with the second-most. Skenes also leads the country in strikeouts per nine innings (16.22) and WHIP (0.79). He’s played a critical role in guiding the Tigers to the NCAA Super Regional, going 11-2 overall with a 1.90 ERA. Skenes has allowed three or fewer runs in all but one start during his first season with LSU. He leads the SEC in nearly every important statistical pitching category: batting average against, ERA, innings pitched, strikeouts, and wins. He landed on the Baton Rouge Regional All-Tournament team. Skenes also joined Dylan Crews as the Tigers’ first Golden Spikes Award finalists since Alex Bregman did it in 2015.

Both Florida and LSU have one winner in the 45-year history of the Golden Spikes Award. The 2023 winner will look to join a talented group of recent winners, such as former Texas slugger Ivan Melendez.