DURHAM, N.C. – Maryland junior right-handed pitcher Mike Shawaryn was named to the 2016 Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List, USA Baseball announced Tuesday. Sponsored by Major League Baseball, and presented in partnership with the Rod Dedeaux Foundation, the Golden Spikes Award is presented to the best amateur baseball player in the country.
Shawaryn put together one of the best season by a starting pitcher in Maryland history last season, piling up 13 wins with 138 strikeouts, both top single-season marks in school history. He held opponents to a .202 average in 116.0 IP.
The Carneys Point, N.J., native owns the most career wins in Maryland history (24) and became the second Terp in history to play for USA Baseball when he suited up for the Collegiate National Team this summer.
His 85 strikeouts in Big Ten action was an all-time conference record.
Starting on April 11 and ending April 17, fans will be able to nominate their favorite players for the Golden Spikes Award for the first time ever prior to the reveal of Midseason Watch List on April 20. The semifinalists list will be sent to a voting body consisting of past USA Baseball National Team coaches and press officers, members of the media that follow the amateur game closely, select professional baseball personnel, current USA Baseball staff and the 38 previous winners of the award, representing a group of more than 200 voters.
Fan voting will continue to be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2016, starting on June 1 with the naming of the Golden Spikes Award semifinalists. Amateur baseball fans across the country will be able to vote for their favorite semifinalists at GoldenSpikesAward.com. On June 13, USA Baseball will announce the finalists and voting will begin that day and last until June 25.
The winner of the 39th Golden Spikes Award will be named on Thursday, June 30, at a presentation in Los Angeles. The finalists and their families will be honored at the Rod Dedeaux Foundation Dinner that evening at the Jonathan Club in downtown Los Angeles.
Maryland opens its 2016 campaign with a three-game series at Alabama starting on Feb. 19. The Terps advanced to their second straight Super Regional last season and finished with a school record 42 wins.
– Terps –
