Georgia star Charlie Condon was named winner of the Golden Spikes Award on Saturday, an honor known as college baseball’s equivalent to the Heisman Trophy.
Condon, who plays outfield and third base, led the nation in batting average (.433) and homers (37) this season. He is the first Georgia player to win the award.
Oregon State shortstop Travis Bazzana and Arkansas left-hander Hagen Smith were the other finalists. Bazzana and Condon are the likely top two picks in next month’s Major League draft with Smith a possible top-five selection.
“There’s been so much competitive college baseball around the season and to be named for this award is just amazing,” Condon said on ESPN.
Condon was a former walk-on who has developed into a star.
“It’s something I worked very hard for, but that’s far from credit for just myself,” Condon said. “It’s about the program and people who trusted my process. It’s one thing to buy into your own process, but another to have a group of people who were willing to go in on it with you. It’s an individual award but far from an individual effort.”
Condon was the Dick Howser Trophy winner as the nation’s top player earlier this month.
The list of former players to win the Golden Spikes Award include Oregon State’s Adley Rutschman (2019), San Diego’s Kris Bryant (2013), Southern Nevada’s Bryce Harper (2010), San Diego State’s Stephen Strasburg (2009), Florida State’s Buster Posey (2008) and Cal State Fullerton’s Phil Nevin (1992).
Golden Spikes Award Winners:
2024: Charlie Condon – Georgia
2023: Dylan Crews – LSU
2022: Ivan Melendez – Texas
2021: Kevin Kopps – Arkansas
2019: Adley Rutschman – Oregon State
2018: Andrew Vaughn – California
2017: Brendan McKay – Louisville
2016: Kyle Lewis – Mercer
2015: Andrew Benintendi – Arkansas
2014: A.J. Reed – Kentucky
2013: Kris Bryant – San Diego
2012: Mike Zunino – Florida
2011: Trevor Bauer – UCLA
2010: Bryce Harper – Southern Nevada
2009: Stephen Strasburg – San Diego State
2008: Buster Posey – Florida State
2007: David Price – Vanderbilt
2006: Tim Lincecum – Washington
2005: Alex Gordon – Nebraska
2004: Jered Weaver – Long Beach State
2003: Rickie Weeks – Southern
2002: Khalil Greene – Clemson
2001: Mark Prior – Southern California
2000: Kip Bouknight – South Carolina
1999: Jason Jennings – Baylor
1998: Pat Burrell – Miami
1997: J.D. Drew – Florida State
1996: Travis Lee – San Diego State
1995: Mark Kotsay – Cal State Fullerton
1994: Jason Varitek – Georgia Tech
1993: Darren Dreifort – Wichita State
1992: Phil Nevin – Cal State Fullerton
1991: Mike Kelly – Arizona State
1990: Alex Fernandez – Miami Dade CC
1989: Ben McDonald – LSU
1988: Robin Ventura – Oklahoma State
1987: Jim Abbott – Michigan
1986: Mike Loynd – Florida State
1985: Will Clark – Mississippi State
1984: Oddibe McDowell – Arizona State
1983: Dave Magadan – Alabama
1982: Augie Schmidt – New Orleans
1981: Mike Fuentes – Florida State
1980: Terry Francona – Arizona
1979: Tim Wallach – Cal State Fullerton
1978: Bob Horner – Arizona State
–Field Level Media
