Del Castillo, McMahon Named to Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami sophomore catcher Adrian Del Castillo and junior right-handed pitcher Chris McMahon were named to the preseason Golden Spikes Award watch list, as announced by USA Baseball Thursday, beginning the process of identifying the top amateur baseball player in the country for the 2020 season.
The preseason watch list features 55 of the nation’s top amateur players, from 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. Miami is one of 12 schools with multiple student-athletes represented.
A Preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball, D1 Baseball, the NCBWA and Perfect Game, Del Castillo was an offensive juggernaut in his debut season with the Canes. The standout finished the 2019 season batting .331 with 78 hits, 22 doubles and 72 RBI, all team-bests. The Miami native also scored 58 runs and clubbed 12 homers, while striking out just 24 times in 236 at-bats. A versatile player who saw time in right field, catcher, designated hitter and third base, he tied for the team lead with 22 multi-hit games and was second on the team with 18 multi-RBI performances.
Del Castillo’s 72 RBI were the second-most by a UM freshman in program history, finishing just four shy of Ryan Braun’s record 76, set in 2003. The 72 runs batted in were also the most by a Miami freshman since Yonder Alonso drove in 69 as a freshman in 2006. His 18 multi-RBI games were the most by a Hurricane freshman since Zack Collins posted 15 in 2014. A Freshman All-America selection by four publications, Del Castillo earned a host of awards after his collegiate debut season, including Second Team All-ACC, ACC All-Freshman Team, ABCA All-Region and All-Starkville Regional Team honors.
McMahon is one of the most exciting arms in college baseball, entering his junior season as a top draft prospect. The right-hander had an impressive second season with the Hurricanes in 2019, finishing 3-2 with a 3.72 ERA over 12 starts. Primarily serving as the Canes’ Saturday starter, McMahon struck out 67 batters and walked just 23 over 60.1 innings pitched.
A native of West Chester, Pa., McMahon starred for the U.S. Collegiate National Team over the summer. He led Team USA with 15 strikeouts in 12 innings with a 2.25 ERA and .154 batting average against.
Miami has had 12 different players named to the preseason Golden Spikes Award watch list since 2008. Chris Hernandez (2009-10) and Zack Collins (2015-16) each were two-time selections, while Yonder Alonso (2008), Jemile Weeks (2008), Ryan Jackson (2009), Yasmani Grandal (2010), Harold Martinez (2011), Peter O’Brien (2012), Andrew Suarez (2015) and Carl Chester (2017) preceded Del Castillo and McMahon as preseason honorees.
The 43rd Golden Spikes Award will be presented on June 11 in Omaha, Neb., for the second consecutive year.
Fan nominations and voting will once again play a part in the Golden Spikes Award in 2020. Amateur baseball fans will be able to nominate their favorite players to be in consideration for the 2020 award starting 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 for the award on May 28 and fan voting will open at GoldenSpikesAward.com concurrently, remaining open through June 7.
The Winner of the 43rd Golden Spikes Award will be named Thursday, June 11. To stay up-to-date on the 2020 Golden Spikes Award visit GoldenSpikesAward.com and follow @USAGoldenSpikes on Twitter and Instagram.
The 2020 Golden Spikes Award timeline:
February 14: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award fan nominations begin
April 6: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award fan nominations end
April 9: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award midseason watch list announced
May 14: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award semifinalists announced, fan voting begins
May 24: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award semifinalists fan voting ends
May 28: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award finalists announced, fan voting begins
June 7: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award finalists fan voting ends
June 11: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award trophy presentation
A complete list of the 55-player USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award preseason watch list is as follows:
Name; Class; Position; School
Logan Allen; Jr.; LHP; Florida International
Patrick Bailey; Jr.; C; NC State
Ian Bedell; Jr.; RHP; Missouri
Alex Binelas; So.; IF; Louisville
Tyler Brown; Jr.; RHP; Vanderbilt
Alec Burleson; Jr.; LHP/IF; East Carolina
Tanner Burns; Jr.; RHP; Auburn
Daniel Cabrera; Jr.; OF; LSU
Burl Carraway; Jr.; LHP; Dallas Baptist
Cade Cavalli; Jr.; RHP/IF; Oklahoma
Colton Cowser; So.; OF; Sam Houston State
Jeff Criswell; Jr.; RHP; Michigan
Garrett Crochet; Jr.; LHP; Tennessee
Pete Crow-Armstrong; Sr.; OF; Harvard-Westlake High School
Adrian Del Castillo; So.; C; Miami
Trenton Denholm; Jr.; RHP; UC Irvine
Reid Detmers; Jr.; LHP; Louisville
Blake Dunn; Jr.; OF; Central Michigan
Josh Elvir; Sr.; OF; Angelo State
Justin Foscue; Jr.; IF; Mississippi State
Nick Frasso; Jr.; RHP; Loyola Marymount
JT Ginn; So.; RHP; Mississippi State
Nick Gonzales; Jr.; IF; New Mexico State
Emerson Hancock; Jr.; RHP; Georgia
Hudson Haskin; So.; OF; Tulane
Robert Hassell; Sr.; OF/1B/LHP; Independence High School
Cole Henry; So.; RHP; LSU
Bryce Jarvis; Jr.; RHP/IF; Duke
Heston Kjerstad; Jr.; OF; Arkansas
Brian Klein; Sr.; IF; Texas Tech
Asa Lacy; Jr.; LHP; Texas A&M
Chris Lanzilli; Jr.; OF; Wake Forest
Nick Loftin; Jr.; IF; Baylor
Austin Martin; Jr.; IF; Vanderbilt
Casey Martin; Jr.; IF; Arkansas
Chris McMahon; Jr.; RHP; Miami
Max Meyer; Jr.; RHP; Minnesota
Garrett Mitchell; Jr.; OF; UCLA
Carmen Mlodzinski; R-Jr.; RHP; South Carolina
Jordan Nwogu; Jr.; OF; Michigan
Holden Powell; Jr.; RHP; UCLA
Kumar Rocker; So.; RHP; Vanderbilt
Aaron Sabato; So.; IF; North Carolina
Casey Schmitt; Jr.; IF; San Diego State
Josh Sears; R-Fr.; INF; Freed-Hardeman
Bobby Seymour; Jr.; IF; Wake Forest
Alerick Soularie; Jr.; OF; Tennessee
Luke Summers; Jr.; RHP/OF; Fontbonne
Spencer Torkelson; Jr.; IF; Arizona State
CJ Van Eyk; Jr.; RHP; Florida State
Austin Wells; So.; C; Arizona
Cole Wilcox; So.; RHP; Georgia
Alika Williams; Jr.; IF; Arizona State
Ethan Wilson; So.; OF; South Alabama
Gage Workman; Jr.; IF; Arizona State
Miami opens the 2020 season on Feb. 14 with the opener of a three-game series against Rutgers (Feb. 14-16). For information on season tickets, click HERE or call 305-284-2263.
