DURHAM, N.C. – Colorado Mesa junior
Haydn McGeary has been named to the USA Baseball 2022 Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List. McGeary is just one of five baseball players from non-NCAA Division I schools on the list
The midseason watch list features 45 of the nation's top amateur players from the high school and college ranks and includes 26 athletes who have played their way onto the watch list since the preseason list was announced on February 15. The Golden Spikes Award Advisory Board will continue to maintain a rolling list of athletes, allowing players to play themselves into consideration for the award before announcing the semifinalists on May 24.
"We are thrilled to recognize these forty-five amateur athletes on the Golden Spikes Award midseason watch list for their incredible performances throughout the first half of the 2022 season," said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball's Executive Director and CEO. "Each of these athletes has proven themselves worthy of consideration for this prestigious award through both their talent and character. We look forward to seeing what the rest of this exciting season holds before crowning the latest Golden Spikes Award winner in June."
The junior has once again had a dominant at the plate this season. He has a .485 batting average (47-for-97) with nine doubles, a triple and 14 home runs. He leads the country in batting average and slugging percentage while ranking second in home runs per game and seventh in on-base percentage.
This season, he has been the RMAC Player of the Week and NCBWA South Central Region Player of the Week twice and was the NCBWA Preseason All-American designated hitter. He has had three games with multiple home runs and went 5-for-5 with three doubles and four runs driven in against Montana State Billings on February 18.
McGeary is the first Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference baseball player to be on the either the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Preseason Watch List or the Midseason Watch List.
On Tuesday, May 24, USA Baseball will announce the semifinalists for the 2022 Golden Spikes Award. The list of semifinalists will then be sent to a voting body consisting of baseball media members, select professional baseball personnel, current USA Baseball staff and the previous winners of the award, representing a group of more than 150 voters. As part of this selection process, all voters will be asked to choose three players from the list of semifinalists. On June 8, USA Baseball will announce the finalists, and voting for the winner will begin that same day.
Fan voting will once again be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2022. Beginning with the semifinalist announcement and continuing through the finalist round voting deadline, fans from across the country will be able to vote for their favorite player on GoldenSpikesAward.com.
The winner of the 44th Golden Spikes Award will be named on Friday, June 24, on ESPN. To stay up-to date on the 2022 Golden Spikes Award visit GoldenSpikesAward.com and follow @USAGoldenSpikes on Twitter and Instagram.
