DURHAM, N.C. – Mercer junior Kyle Lewis and Samford junior Heath Quinn were named two of 25 semifinalists for the Golden Spikes Award, as announced by USA Baseball on Wednesday afternoon. Sponsored by Major League Baseball and presented in partnership with the Rod Dedeaux Foundation, the 39th Golden Spikes Award – bestowed to annually to the best amateur baseball player in the United States – will be presented on June 30 in Los Angeles.
Mercer’s Lewis, a preseason All-America selection by five publications and the 2016 Southern Conference Player of the Year, is the only representative from an institution in the state of Georgia. He's the first Mercer player to be named a Golden Spikes semifinalist, as well.
The Snellville, Ga., product established himself as one of the top players in the country during his junior campaign, leading the nation in walks (66) while ranking in the top 15 nationally in batting average (.395) and hits (88) and top-six nationally in home runs (20), on-base percentage (.535), runs (70) and RBIs (72).
Lewis additionally compiled a 48-game on-base streak and 27 multi-hit performances this season while becoming the third player all-time to be named the SoCon Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons. He hit three home runs and picked up eight RBIs in the Bears' SoCon tournament run last weekend.
Mercer finished as the 2016 SoCon tournament runner-up this past weekend in Greenville, S.C., after claiming its second consecutive SoCon regular-season title earlier in the season. The Bears finished the season with an overall record of 38-23.
Samford's Quinn earned a spot as a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award after finishing the 2016 campaign with a .343 batting average, 21 home runs and a school-record 77 RBIs. The Bulldogs' right fielder also ended the season as a first-team All-SoCon honoree and a member of the All-SoCon Tournament Team.
In his illustrious three-year career at Samford, Quinn has already compiled 44 home runs, 48 doubles, 168 runs, 181 RBIs and a stellar .334 batting average.
USA Baseball officials will announce the finalists for the Golden Spikes Award on Monday, June 13.
To select the finalists, the list of semifinalists is sent to a voting body consisting of past Golden Spikes Award winners, past USA Baseball National Team coaches and press officers, members of the media that closely follow the amateur game, select professional baseball personnel, and select current USA Baseball staff, representing a group of more than 200 voters in total.
Fan voting will once again be part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2016. This announcement officially marks the opening of voting for amateur baseball fans from across the country on GoldenSpikesAward.com. As part of the selection process, all voters will be asked to choose three players from the list of names. Voting will be open until Wednesday, June 8.