Thompson Named to Golden Spikes Award Watch List
May 02, 2013 | Baseball
May 2, 2013
DURHAM, N.C. - Louisville junior righthander Jeff Thompson was among the 60 players named to the midseason Golden Spikes Award watch list released on Thursday by USA Baseball.
The Golden Spikes Award trophy, presented annually to the top amateur baseball player in the country, will be awarded live on MLB Network for the third year in a row, with a live presentation scheduled during The Rundown on Friday, July 19.
As 11th-ranked Louisville's team-leader in wins, Thompson (Greenville, Ind./Floyd Central HS) is 7-1 overall with a 1.83 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 69.0 innings pitched this season. Six of Thompson's 11 starts have been scoreless outings and opposing batters are hitting just .181 against him. For his career, Thompson is 18-6 on the mound as a Cardinal with a 2.94 ERA and 187 strikeouts in 187.0 innings pitched.
USA Baseball officials will announce the 30 semifinalists for the 2013 Golden Spikes Award on Tuesday, May 28. The list of 30 will then be sent to a voting body consisting of past USA Baseball National Team coaches and press officers, members of media that closely follow the amateur game, select professional baseball personnel, and current USA Baseball staff, representing a group of more than 200 voters in total.
Fan voting will once again be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2013. Tuesday, May 28, marks the day when amateur baseball fans from across the country will be able to vote for their favorite semifinalist on GoldenSpikesAward.com. As part of this selection process, all voters will be asked to choose three players from the list of 30 names. On Tuesday, June 4, USA Baseball will announce the three finalists, and voting will once again commence that same day.
Up next, No. 11 Louisville travels to Plymouth Meeting, Pa., for a three-game BIG EAST Conference series at Villanova. The series is scheduled for Friday (3:45 p.m., ET), Saturday (1:15 p.m.) and Sunday (12:15 p.m.) with live audio for all three games available to subscribers of CardsTV at GoCards.com.
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter at http://twitter.com/uoflbaseball and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ulbaseball.
About 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. The 2012 Golden Spikes Award winner was Mike Zunino of the University of Florida. Past winners of this prestigious award include current Major League Baseball players such as Bryce Harper ('10), Stephen Strasburg ('09), Buster Posey ('08), David Price ('07), Tim Lincecum ('06), Alex Gordon ('05), Jered Weaver ('04), Rickie Weeks ('03) and Mark Kotsay ('95). Former Major League stars that have captured the award include Pat Burrell ('98), Robin Ventura ('88), Jim Abbott ('87), Will Clark ('8 5), Dave Magadan ('83), Terry Francona ('80), Tim Wallach ('79), and Horner ('78). For more information, please visit GoldenSpikesAward.com. Fans can follow the Golden Spikes Award on Twitter @USAGoldenSpikes.
About USA Baseball
USA Baseball is the national governing body for the sport of baseball in the United States and is a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the International Baseball Federation (IBAF). The organization selects and trains the World Baseball Classic, World Cup and Pan Am teams (and all other USA Baseball Professional Teams); the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team; the USA Baseball 18U, 15U and 12U National Teams; and the USA Baseball Women's National Team, all of which participate in various international competitions each year. USA Baseball also presents the Golden Spikes Award annually to the top amateur baseball player in the country. For more information, please visit USABaseball.com.
The complete 2013 preseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List is as follows:
Name, Position, Class, School, Conference (in order of last name, new players bolded)
Chris Anderson, RHP, Junior, Jacksonville, Atlantic Sun
Mark Appel, RHP, Senior, Stanford, Pac-12
Barrett Astin, RHP, Junior, Arkansas, SEC
Michael Bass, IF, Senior, UNC-W, Colonial Athletic
Tyler Beede, RHP, Sophomore, Vanderbilt, SEC
Aaron Blair, RHP, Junior, Marshall, C-USA
Matt Boyd, LHP, Senior, Oregon State, Pac-12
Alex Bregman, IF, Freshman, Louisiana State, SEC
Kris Bryant, UTL, Junior, San Diego, West Coast
Danny Collins, OF, Junior, Troy, Sun Belt
Michael Conforto, OF, Sophomore, Oregon State, Pac-12
Kyle Crockett, LHP, Junior, Virginia, ACC
LB Dantzler, IF, Senior, South Carolina, SEC
Kent Emanuel, LHP, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
Phillip Ervin, OF, Junior, Samford, SoCon
Thomas Eshelman, RHP, Freshman, Cal State Fullerton, Big West
Zane Evans, C/RHP, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC
Buck Farmer, RHP, Senior, Georgia Tech, ACC
Johnny Field, OF, Junior, Arizona, Pac-12
Mitchell Garver, C, Senior, New Mexico, Mountain West
Marco Gonzales, LHP, Junior, Gonzaga, West Coast
Jonathan Gray, RHP, Junior, Oklahoma, Big 12
Ryon Healy, IF, Junior, Oregon, Pac-12
Jeff Hoffman, RHP, Sophomore, ECU, C-USA
Jason Hursh, RHP, RS Sophomore, Oklahoma St, Big 12
Eric Jagielo, IF, Junior, Notre Dame, Big East
Aaron Judge, OF, Junior, Fresno State, Mountain West
Mason Katz, IF, Senior, Louisiana State, SEC
Jared King, OF, Junior, Kansas State, Big 12
Andrew Knapp, C, Junior, California, Pac-12
Corey Knebel, RHP, Junior, Texas, Big 12
Michael Lorenzen, OF/RHP, Junior, Cal State Fullerton, Big West
Sean Manaea, LHP, Junior, Indiana State, Missouri Valley
Trey Masek, RHP, Junior, Texas Tech, Big 12
Kyle McGowin, RHP, Junior, Savannah State, Mid-Eastern
Colin Moran, IF, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
Aaron Nola, RHP, Sophomore, Louisiana State, SEC
Matt Oberste, IF, Junior, Oklahoma, Big 12
Daniel Palka, UTL, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC
D.J. Peterson, IF, Junior, New Mexico, Mountain West
Nick Petree, RHP, RS Junior, Missouri State, Missouri Valley
Andrew Pierce, RHP, Senior, Southern Mississippi, C-USA
Adam Plutko, RHP, Junior, UCLA, Pac-12
Bryan Radziewski, LHP, Junior, Miami, ACC
Hunter Renfroe, OF, Junior, Mississippi State, SEC
Carlos Rodon, LHP, Sophomore, NC State, ACC
Kyle Schwarber, C/OF, Sophomore, Indiana, Big Ten
Jimmie Sherfy, RHP , Junior, Oregon, Pac-12
Braden Shipley, RHP, Junior, Nevada, MWC
Dan Slania, RHP, Junior, Notre Dame, Big East
Ryne Stanek, RHP, Junior, Arkansas, SEC
Jeff Thompson, RHP, Junior, Louisville, Big East
Trea Turner, IF, Sophomore, NC State, ACC
Stuart Turner, C, Junior, Mississippi, SEC
Bobby Wahl, RHP, Junior, Mississippi, SEC
Trevor Williams, RHP, Junior, Arizona State, Pac-12
Tom Windle, LHP, Junior, Minnesota, Big 10
Derrick Workman, OF, Junior, Mercer, Atlantic Sun
Jimmy Yezzo, IF, Junior, Delaware, Colonial Athletic
Kevin Ziomek, LHP, Junior, Vanderbilt, SEC
