MLB's top 5 Draft prospects lead Golden Spikes Watch List

USA Baseball announced its Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List on Feb. 7, giving fans something to chew on as they await Division I college baseball¡¯s Opening Day this Friday, Feb. 14.

The watch list, headlined by each of MLB Pipeline¡¯s top five Draft prospects, features a total of 55 players, 31 of whom are on the Top 100 Draft Prospects list.

The Golden Spikes Advisory Board will maintain the award¡¯s watch list on a rolling basis, giving players the opportunity to gain consideration for the award based on in-season performance.

The Golden Spikes Award is given to the top amateur baseball player in the country. The honor goes to the player who exhibits exceptional athletic ability and exemplary sportsmanship. Last year, Rockies first-rounder Charlie Condon ¨C No. 29 on MLB Pipeline¡¯s Top 100 Prospects list ¨C was crowned the winner. The former Georgia Bulldog took the nation by storm, slugging a BBCOR-era record 37 big flies and posting a NCAA leading .443 batting average and 1.565 OPS in 60 contests.

The 2025 iteration of the list features four players who were named Golden Spike Award semifinalists in 2024 ¨C Texas A&M outfielder Jace LaViolette (No. 2 on the Top 100 Draft Prospects list), Florida State southpaw Jamie Arnold (No. 3), Troy catcher Brooks Bryan and Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress.

Additionally, LaViolette, Clemson¡¯s Cam Cannarella (No. 15), Indiana¡¯s Devin Taylor (No. 20), South Carolina¡¯s Ethan Petry (No. 29), Oklahoma State¡¯s Nolan Schubart (No. 30) and Arkansas¡¯ Wehiwa Aloy (No. 39) are all making their second appearance on the preseason watch list.

MLB's No. 1 Draft prospect Ethan Holliday leads a group of four high schoolers on the list.

Like last season, fans will be involved in the voting process. Following the midseason watch list on April 3 and semifinalist announcement on May 18, fans will be able to vote for the finalists and winner on GoldenSpikesAward.com. The 2025 award winner will be announced in late June alongside the end of the amateur baseball season.

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Here is the complete list of all 55 players on the 2024 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award preseason watch list and where they fall on MLB Pipeline's Draft prospect rankings:

Ben Abeldt, LHP, TCU
Wehiwa Aloy, SS, Arkansas (No. 39 Draft prospect)
Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State (No. 3 Draft prospect)
Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State (No. 7 Draft prospect)
RJ Austin, UTIL, Vanderbilt (No. 79 Draft prospect)
Max Belyeu, OF, Texas (No. 14 Draft prospect)
Evan Blanco, LHP, Virginia
Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina (No. 41 Draft prospect)
Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara (No. 4 Draft prospect)

Brooks Bryan, C, Troy
Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech
Easton Carmichael, C, Oklahoma
Eric Colaco, OF, Denison (DIII)
Brandon Compton, OF, Arizona State (No. 54 Draft prospect)
Cam Cannarella, OF, Clemson (No. 15 Draft prospect)
Ethan Conrad, OF, Wake Forest (No. 22 Draft prospect)
Kayson Cunningham, SS, Johnson HS (TX) (No. 6 Draft prospect)
Dean Curley, SS, Tennessee (No. 24 Draft prospect)
Daniel Cuvet, 3B, Miami
Jason DeCaro, RHP, North Carolina
Harrison Didawick, OF, Virginia
Nick Dumesnil, OF, Cal Baptist
Jalin Flores, INF, Texas
Henry Ford, 1B, Virginia (No. 32 Draft prospect)
Gabe Gaeckle, RHP, Arkansas
AJ Gracia, OF, Duke
Gavin Grahovac, UTIL, Texas A&M
Grayson Grinsell, LHP, Oregon
Seth Hernandez, RHP/INF, Corona HS (CA) (No. 5 Draft prospect)
Ethan Holliday, INF, Stillwater HS (OK) (No. 1 Draft prospect)

Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest (No. 16 Draft prospect)
Ike Irish, C, Auburn (No. 18 Draft prospect)
Ben Jacobs, LHP, Arizona State (No. 72 Draft prospect)
Kyle Johnson, UTIL, Duke
Jared Jones, 1B, LSU
Alex Lane, 1B/OF, Northeastern
Jace LaViolette, OF, Texas A&M (No. 2 Draft prospect)
Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama
Anthony Martinez, 1B, UC Irvine
Mason McConnaughey, RHP, Nebraska
Ethan Petry, OF, South Carolina (No. 29 Draft prospect)
Tre Phelps, INF, Georgia (No. 19 Draft prospect)
Dennis Pierce, UTIL, East Stroudsburg (DII)
Ryan Prager, LHP, Texas A&M (No. 70 Draft prospect)
Zion Rose, OF, Louisville
Nolan Schubart, OF, Oklahoma State (No. 30 Draft prospect)
Austin Smith, LHP/OF/DH, San Diego
Kolten Smith, RHP, Georgia (No. 47 Draft prospect)
Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina (No. 13 Draft prospect)
Brendan Summerhill, OF, Arizona (No. 10 Draft prospect)

Devin Taylor, OF, Indiana (No. 20 Draft prospect)
Tanner Thach, 1B, UNCW (No. 67 Draft prospect)
Gavin Turley, OF, Oregon State (No. 84 Draft prospect)
Kyle Walker, 2B, Arizona State
Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma (No. 26 Draft prospect)