April 20, 2016
The 60-player midseason Golden Spikes watch list released by USA Baseball includes three Commodores with Jeren Kendall joining preseason watch list members Bryan Reynolds and Kyle Wright on the list.
Kendall has led the way offensively for Vanderbilt, hitting .349 heading into the weekend’s series at Tennessee with six home runs and a team-best 40 RBI and 40 runs scored. The 2015 Freshman All-American was named the National Hitter and Player of the week along with SEC Player of the Week for his monster Opening Weekend that saw him go 10-for-15 with three home runs, 10 RBI and seven runs scored in the Dores’ sweep of San Diego. Kendall Rogers of D1Baseball.com spotlighted Kendall after his big Opening Weekend here.
Reynolds has been a steady force for the Commodores while playing an outstanding center field. The Brentwood, Tenn. native leads Vandy in Southeastern Conference play with six home runs and 19 RBI and leads the team for the season with eight round trippers. A preseason All-American, Reynolds entered his junior season on the Golden Spikes Award watch list after posting his second 90-plus hit season as a sophomore during the Commodores’ national runner-up campaign in 2015.
Wright began his sophomore season on the Golden Spikes Award watch list after posting an impressive Freshman All-American season in 2015. The big right-hander has been solid for the Commodores again after an injury slowed him early in the season. His 1.70 ERA leads the team and ranked third in the SEC after last weekend’s series victory over Kentucky. Over his last four starts, Wright has allowed only five earned runs over 27.1 innings.
The Golden Spikes Award is given annually to the nation’s top amateur player. Last year Dansby Swanson and Carson Fulmer were both named finalists, joining Tyler Beede (2013), Pedro Alvarez (2007) and the only Golden Spikes Award winner in Vanderbilt history David Price.