NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Junior Carter Holton has been named to the 2024 Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List for the second consecutive season, USA Baseball announced Friday.
Holton, a native of Guyton, Georgia, is one of eight players on this year’s watch list to earn the selection in consecutive seasons. Vanderbilt has had a student-athlete appear on the Golden Spikes Award preseason watch list 31 times under head coach Tim Corbin.
The Golden Spikes Award goes to the best amateur baseball player in the nation at the conclusion of the season, as decided by the Golden Spikes Advisory Board. The preseason list includes 55 players across high school and college baseball. The Golden Spikes Advisory Board will maintain the award’s watch list on a rolling basis, allowing athletes to play themselves into consideration for the award based on in-season performance.
Holton joins an elite list of Commodores to appear on the preseason watch list multiple times, joining Enrique Bradfield Jr., Sonny Gray, Kumar Rocker and Kyle Wright.
Holton was named to the Preseason All-SEC second team Thursday. He owned a 4-1 record over 11 starts last season before battling an injury down the stretch. Holton was a unanimous freshman All-American in 2022 and earned SEC All-Freshman honors along with an ABCA/Rawlings Southeast All-Region nod.
Vanderbilt, ranked No. 6 in the D1Baseball preseason poll, begins the 2024 campaign with a three-game home series against Florida Atlantic on Feb. 16-18.
