GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Two Gators headlined the 2026 Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List in starting pitching duo Liam Peterson and Aidan King, as announced by USA Baseball on Friday afternoon.
 
Beginning the process of identifying the best amateur baseball player in the nation for the 2026 season, the preseason list is comprised of 55 players across high school and college baseball based on their body of work from the previous year. The Golden Spikes Advisory Board will maintain the award’s watch list on a rolling basis, allowing athletes to play themselves into consideration for the award based on in-season performance.
 
“We could not be more excited to kick off the amateur baseball season with the announcement of the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List,” said Paul Seiler, Executive Director/CEO of USA Baseball. “The athletes on this year’s initial watch list represent a tremendous amount of talent and character. We are looking forward to watching their journeys unfold during what is sure to be a thrilling and competitive season of amateur baseball.”
 
Florida was one of 13 programs to place multiple players on the preseason list. This is the first-career appearance on the Golden Spikes Preseason Watch List for both Peterson and King, although the former was featured on the 2025 midseason list.
 
As arguably the nation’s top one-two punch out of the starting rotation, Peterson (69 1/3 IP) and King (73 1/3 IP) led UF in innings pitched last season and will revert to their weekend roles in 2026 after combining for a 15-6 record, 3.41 ERA and 11.0 strikeouts per nine one year ago. Deployed as a weekend starter for the second time in as many seasons, Peterson served as staff ace from start to finish and led the Gators in victories (eight), games started (15) and strikeouts (96). Following Peterson in the rotation, King paced all qualifying SEC pitchers with a 2.58 ERA in 2025 on top of a .213 batting average against (eighth) and five quality starts.
 
Overall, 41 schools and 13 conferences are represented on the preseason watch list. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) led all conferences with 16 players, followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) with 14 and the Big 12 Conference with five.
 
Key dates for the 2026 Golden Spikes Award include:

• Midseason Watch List – April 2
• Semifinalists – May 14
• Finalists – June 10
• Winner – June 29

Fan voting will again play a part in the Golden Spikes Award in 2026. Following the semifinalist announcement, baseball fans can vote for their favorite players on GoldenSpikesAward.com to help determine the finalists and winner. The 2026 Golden Spikes Award winner will be announced during a presentation on MLB Network.
 
A complete list of the 55-player 2026 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List is as follows:
 
Name – Year – Position – School – Conference
Jarren Advincula – JR – INF – Georgia Tech – ACC
Brady Ballinger – JR – INF – Kansas – Big 12
Trey Beard – JR – LHP – Florida State – ACC
Eric Becker – JR – INF – Virginia – ACC
Tyler Bell – SO – INF – Kentucky – SEC
Carson Bolemon – SR – LHP/INF – Southside Christian (HS)
Coleman Borthwick – SR – RHP/INF – South Walton (HS)
Drew Burress – JR – OF – Georgia Tech – ACC
Roch Cholowsky – JR – INF – UCLA – Big Ten
Derek Curiel – SO – OF – LSU – SEC
Daniel Cuvet – JR – INF – Miami – ACC
Jason DeCaro – JR – RHP – North Carolina – ACC
Evan Dempsey – JR – RHP/OF – FGCU – ASUN
Hunter Elliott – R-JR – LHP – Ole Miss – SEC
Grady Emerson – SR – INF – Fort Worth Christian (HS)
Casan Evans – SO – RHP – LSU – SEC
Harrison Feinberg – R-SR – OF – Northeastern – CAA
Jackson Flora – JR – RHP – UC Santa Barbara – Big West
Cameron Flukey – JR – RHP – Coastal Carolina – Sun Belt
Henry Ford – JR – INF/OF – Tennessee – SEC
Gabe Gaeckle – JR – RHP – Arkansas – SEC
Gavin Gallaher – JR – INF – North Carolina – ACC
AJ Gracia – JR – OF – Virginia – ACC

Chris Hacopian – JR – INF – Texas A&M – SEC
Jake Hanley – SO – INF – Indiana – Big Ten
Ryder Helfrick – JR – C – Arkansas – SEC
Aidan King – SO – RHP – Florida – SEC
Ethan Kleinschmit – JR – LHP – Oregon State – Pac-12
Aidan Knaak – JR – RHP – Clemson – ACC
Vahn Lackey – JR – C/INF – Georgia Tech – ACC
Tommy LaPour – JR – RHP – TCU – Big 12
Justin Lebron – JR – INF – Alabama – SEC
Mulivai Levu – JR – INF – UCLA – Big Ten
Kade Lewis – JR – INF – Wake Forest – ACC
Jacob Lombard – SR – INF – Gulliver Schools (HS)
Maddox Molony – JR – INF – Oregon – Big Ten
Lucas Moore – JR – OF – Louisville – ACC
Blake Morningstar – JR – RHP – Wake Forest – ACC
Ethan Norby – JR – LHP – East Carolina – American
Jack Ohman – SO – RHP – Yale – Ivy League
Ricky Ojeda – JR – LHP – UC Irvine – Big West
Liam Peterson – JR – RHP – Florida – SEC
Tony Pluta – SR – RHP – Arizona – Big 12
Ace Reese – JR – INF – Mississippi State – SEC
Chris Rembert – SO – INF/OF – Auburn – SEC
Gio Rojas – SR – LHP/UTL – Stoneman Douglas (HS)
Zion Rose – JR – OF – Louisville – ACC
Sawyer Solitaria – SO – UTL – Kent State – MAC

Caden Sorrell – JR – OF – Texas A&M – SEC
Sawyer Strosnider – SO – OF – TCU – Big 12
Carson Tinney – JR – C – Texas – SEC
Dylan Volantis – SO – LHP – Texas – SEC
Mackenzie Wainwright – JR – OF – Lenoir-Rhyne – SAC
Dax Whitney – SO – RHP – Oregon State – Pac-12
Andrew Williamson – JR – OF – UCF – Big 12
 
About Golden Spikes Award
Since 1978, USA Baseball has honored the top amateur baseball player in the country with the Golden Spikes Award. The award, which will be presented on MLB Network beginning in 2026, goes to the amateur baseball player who exhibits exceptional athletic ability and exemplary sportsmanship. Fans can follow the Golden Spikes Award on Instagram and Twitter/X @USAGoldenSpikes.
 
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