Tandem Honored

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt right fielder JJ Bleday and third baseman Austin Martin have been recognized on USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award midseason watch list, the organization announced Wednesday in partnership with the Rod Dedeaux Foundation.

The midseason watch list features 40 of the nation’s top amateur players from the high school and college ranks. The Commodores are among seven teams with multiple players on the watch list. The SEC leads all leagues with 10 student-athletes on the midseason watch list.

Bleday has reached base in 60 of his last 61 games including 47 consecutive from March 4, 2018-March 17, 2019. The junior leads the SEC in home runs (14) and total bases (94) and is second in RBIs (41) and runs (38). He is also eighth in hits (46).

Martin has recorded a hit in 23 of 27 games and multiple hits 14 times. The sophomore is second in the SEC in hits per game (1.67), fourth in batting average (.388) and seventh in on-base percentage (.470).

Five Commodores have been named Golden Spikes finalists including David Price (2007), Pedro Alvarez (2007), Tyler Beede (2013), Carson Fulmer (2015) and Dansby Swanson (2015). Price took home the coveted award following a record-setting season.

On May 15, USA Baseball will announce the semifinalists for the 2019 Golden Spikes Award. The list will then be sent to a voting body consisting of baseball media members, select professional baseball personnel, current USA Baseball staff and 40 of the previous winners of the award, representing a group of more than 200 voters.

Beginning with the semifinalist announcement and continuing through the finalist round voting deadline, fans from across the country will be able to vote for their favorite player on GoldenSpikesAward.com. The winner of the 42nd Golden Spikes Award will be named on Friday, June 14.

PLAYERS MENTIONED