Palmquist Named to Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — University of Miami left-handed pitcher Carson Palmquist was named to the preseason Golden Spikes Award watch list, USA Baseball announced Tuesday, beginning the process of identifying the top amateur baseball player in the country for the 2022 season.
The preseason watch list features 55 of the nation’s best 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.
“We could not be more excited to kick off the amateur baseball season with the announcement of the fifty-five-player Golden Spikes Award preseason watch list,” said Paul Seiler, Executive Director/CEO of USA Baseball. “The athletes on this year’s initial watch list represent a tremendous amount of talent and character. We are looking forward to watching their journeys unfold during what is sure to be one of the most thrilling and competitive seasons of amateur baseball to date.”
Palmquist is one of the premier arms in college baseball entering the 2022 season.
A consensus preseason All-American, Palmquist received first-team recognition by Baseball America, Perfect Game and the NCBWA and second-team distinction by D1Baseball and Collegiate Baseball.
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound southpaw is considered among the top prospects in the 2022 MLB Draft class. Palmquist has been a lockdown arm in his two years at The U, recording a 2.24 ERA with 90 strikeouts over 56 1/3 innings. Last season, the Fort Myers, Fla., native tallied 14 saves, which ranked third in the nation.
Palmquist earned first-team All-America status from the NCBWA and Perfect Game and second-team accolades from Baseball America and D1Baseball.
The Stopper of the Year Award finalist represented his country as a member of USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team in 2021.
Miami has had 14 different players named to the preseason Golden Spikes Award watch list since 2008. Chris Hernandez (2009-10), Zack Collins (2015-16) and Adrian Del Castillo (2020-21) 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), Carl Chester (2017), Chris McMahon (2020) and Alex Toral (2021) preceded Palmquist as preseason honorees.
Fan voting will once again play a part in the Golden Spikes Award in 2022. Amateur baseball fans will be able to vote for their favorite players on GoldenSpikesAward.com, starting on May 24 with the naming of the Golden Spikes Award semifinalists. USA Baseball will announce the finalists for the award on June 8 and fan voting will open at GoldenSpikesAward.com concurrently, remaining open through June 12.
The winner of the 44th Golden Spikes Award will be named early this summer. To stay up-to-date on the 2021 Golden Spikes Award visit GoldenSpikesAward.com and follow @USAGoldenSpikes on Twitter and Instagram.
The 2022 Golden Spikes Award timeline:
April 5: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award midseason watch list announced
May 24: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award semifinalists announced, fan voting begins
May 29: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award semifinalists fan voting ends
June 8: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award finalists announced, fan voting begins
June 12: USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award finalists fan voting ends
A complete list of the 55-player USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award preseason watch list is as follows:
Name; Position; School; Conference
Hunter Barco; LHP; Florida; Southeastern Conference
Dylan Beavers; OF; California; Pac-12 Conference
Jordan Beck; OF; Tennessee; Southeastern Conference
Jacob Berry; INF; LSU; Southeastern Conference
Enrique Bradfield; OF; Vanderbilt; Southeastern Conference
Justin Campbell; RHP/DH; Oklahoma State; Big 12 Conference
Cam Collier; INF/RHP; Chipola; Panhandle Conference
Dylan Crews; OF; LSU; Southeastern Conference
Gavin Cross; OF; Virginia Tech; Atlantic Coast Conference
Chase DeLauter; OF/LHP; James Madison; Colonial Athletic Association
Hayden Dunhurst; C; Ole Miss; Southeastern Conference
Jud Fabian; OF; Florida; Southeastern Conference
Jacob Gonzalez; INF; Ole Miss; Southeastern Conference
Peyton Graham; INF; Oklahoma; Big 12 Conference
Elijah Green; OF; IMG Academy
Caden Grice; 1B/LHP; Clemson; Atlantic Coast Conference
Pete Hansen; LHP; Texas; Big 12 Conference
Devereaux Harrison; RHP; Long Beach St.; Big West Conference
Sam Highfill; RHP/INF; NC State; Atlantic Coast Conference
Ty Hill; UTL; Jackson State; Southwestern Athletic Conference
Gabriel Hughes; RHP; Gonzaga; West Coast Conference
Termarr Johnson; INF; Mays High School
Brock Jones; OF; Stanford; Pac-12 Conference
Druw Jones; OF; Wesleyan High School
Jace Jung; INF; Texas Tech; Big 12 Conference
Austin Knight; INF; Charlotte; Conference USA
Brooks Lee; SS; Cal Poly; Big West Conference
Dylan Lesko; RHP; Buford High School
Tyler Locklear; INF; VCU; Atlantic 10 Conference
Ethan Long; INF; Arizona St.; Pac-12 Conference
Nick Maldonado; RHP; Vanderbilt; Southeastern Conference
Haydn McGeary; C; Colorado Mesa; Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Jared McKenzie; OF; Baylor; Big 12 Conference
Sean McLain; INF; Arizona St.; Pac-12 Conference
Parker Messick; LHP; Florida State; Atlantic Coast Conference
Robert Moore; INF; Arkansas; Southeastern Conference
Tre’ Morgan; 1B; LSU; Southeastern Conference
Zach Neto; RHP/INF; Campbell; Big South Conference
Carson Palmquist; LHP; Miami; Atlantic Coast Conference
Kevin Parada; C; Georgia Tech; Atlantic Coast Conference
Max Rajcic; RHP; UCLA; Pac-12 Conference
Ryan Ritter; INF; Kentucky; Southeastern Conference
Cam Schlittler; RHP; Northeastern; Colonial Athletic Association
Landon Sims; RHP; Mississippi State; Southeastern Conference
Paul Skenes; C/RHP; Air Force; Mountain West Conference
Jordan Sprinkle; INF; UC-Santa Barbara; Big West Conference
Daniel Susac; C; Arizona; Pac-12 Conference
Logan Tanner; C; Mississippi State; Southeastern Conference
Andrew Taylor; RHP; Central Michigan; Mid-American Conference
Kyle Teel; C/UTL; Virginia; Atlantic Coast Conference
Cayden Wallace; INF/OF; Arkansas; Southeastern Conference
Carson Whisenhunt; LHP; East Carolina; American Athletic Conference
Josh White; RHP; California; Pac-12 Conference
Brock Wilken; INF/C; Wake Forest; Atlantic Coast Conference
Tanner Witt; RHP; Texas; Big 12 Conference
