2026 Golden Spikes Award: Preseason Watch List & Top MLB Draft Prospects
The search for the nation’s top amateur baseball player took a significant step forward on Friday with the release of USA Baseball’s Preseason Watch List for the 2026 Golden Spikes Award. This list of 55 players, drawn from both high school and college programs, represents the initial pool of candidates vying for one of the most prestigious honours in collegiate baseball.
recognising Excellence
The Golden Spikes Award has a rich history of recognising future Major League stars. Past winners include Stephen Strasburg, Kris Bryant, and Adley Rutschman, all of whom went on to become impactful players at the professional level. More recently, Dylan Crews and Charlie Condon earned the award before being selected early in the MLB Draft. Last year’s recipient, Wehiwa Aloy, was drafted 31st overall by the Baltimore Orioles and is currently ranked among their top 10 prospects.
A Blend of Established Talent and Rising Stars
The 55 players named to the watch list were selected by the Golden Spikes Award Advisory Board based on their performance in 2025. While the list is designed to highlight potential draft prospects, it also includes players who are already making a name for themselves. Notably, 40 players on the watch list also appear on MLB Pipeline’s Draft Top 100 list, demonstrating a strong overlap between current performance and future potential.
Leading the charge is Roch Cholowsky of UCLA, ranked as the No. 1 draft prospect. Several players who were semifinalists for the award last year also made the cut for 2026, including Drew Burress (Georgia Tech), Daniel Cuvet (Miami), Justin Lebron (Alabama), and Kade Lewis (Wake Forest). Jack Ohman (Yale) and Dylan Volantis (Texas) were also semifinalists but did not make the Draft Top 100 rankings.
Opportunities to Follow the Contenders
Fans interested in following the progress of these players will have several opportunities to do so. Yale’s Jack Ohman and his team will be competing in the Andre Dawson Classic, with all games streamed live on MLB.com, MLB.tv, and the MLB app. Yale’s game against Jackson State on February 21st will be broadcast on MLB Network.
Drew Burress, in particular, is a familiar face on these lists, appearing on six consecutive watch lists dating back to the 2024 Midseason list. Several other players, including Jason DeCaro (North Carolina), Henry Ford (Tennessee), Gabe Gaeckle (Arkansas), A.J. Gracia (Virginia), and Zion Rose (Louisville), have been recognised on the preseason list for the second year in a row.
Looking Ahead
Georgia Tech leads all programs with three players represented on the watch list – Jarren Advincula, Drew Burress, and Vahn Lackey – while a dozen other schools have two players each. The list also includes several high school players, such as Grady Emerson and Jacob Lombard, who could join a select group of players from non-Division I schools to win the award.
As the season progresses, the watch list is expected to evolve based on player performance. Fans will have a chance to participate in the selection process when semifinalists are announced in May, with voting open on GoldenSpikesAward.com to help determine the finalists and ultimate winner.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Golden Spikes Award?
The Golden Spikes Award is an annual award presented to the top amateur baseball player in the United States.
How are players selected for the watch list?
Players are selected for the watch list by the Golden Spikes Award Advisory Board based on their performance in the previous year, 2025.
Will the watch list change throughout the season?
Yes, the watch list is dynamic and will change based on player performance throughout the 2026 season.
As the 2026 season unfolds, which players will rise to the top and contend for this prestigious award?