USA Baseball Names Sabato to Golden Spikes Award List

USA Baseball has named University of North Carolina sophomore first baseman Aaron Sabato one of 55 players to its 2020 preseason Golden Spikes Award watch list, an award presented to the top amateur baseball player in the country. The 43^rd Golden Spikes Award will be presented on June 11 in Omaha, Neb.

The preseason watch list features 55 of the nation's top amateur players, including high school and college baseball. The Golden Spikes Award Advisory Board will maintain a rolling list of players, allowing athletes to play themselves into consideration for the award throughout the season.

Sabato hit .34 with 25 doubles, 18 home runs and 63 runs batted in last season. The Rye Brook, N.Y., native was Co-National Freshman of the Year, a first-team All-America and All-ACC selection and the ACC Freshman of the Year. He is one of 10 ACC players on the preseason watch list.

"We are thrilled to kick off the 2020 amateur baseball season and the forty-third year of the Golden Spikes Award with the fifty-five-player preseason watch list," said Paul Seiler, Executive Director/CEO of USA Baseball. "This year's initial list features an incredible amount of talent and we cannot wait to follow each player's journey throughout what is sure to be a highly competitive and exciting season."

Eighteen different collegiate conferences are represented on the 2020 preseason watch list.

Oregon State's Adley Rutschman won the 2019 award, joining recent winners that include Andrew Vaughn (2018), Brendan McKay (2017), Kyle Lewis (2016), Andrew Benintendi (2015), A.J. Reed (2014), Kris Bryant (2013), Mike Zunino (2012), Trevor Bauer (2011), Bryce Harper (2010), Stephen Strasburg (2009), Buster Posey (2008) and David Price (2007).

Fan nominations and voting will once again play a part in the 2020 Golden Spikes Award. Fans will be able to nominate their favorite players for consideration for the 2020 award from February 14 until April 6 on GoldenSpikesAward.com, prior to the announcement of the Golden Spikes Award midseason watch list. In addition, fans will once again be able to vote for their favorite players, starting on May 14 with the naming of the Golden Spikes Award semifinalists.

USA Baseball will announce the finalists on May 28 and fan voting will open at GoldenSpikesAward.com, remaining open through June 7.

The Winner of the 2020 Golden Spikes Award will be named June 11. To stay up-to-date on the 2020 Golden Spikes Award visit GoldenSpikesAward.com and follow @USAGoldenSpikes on Twitter and Instagram.

The Tar Heels open the 2020 season with three games against Middle Tennessee beginning on Friday (Feb. 14) at 3 p.m. Games are also scheduled for Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.

Players Mentioned

Aaron Sabato

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