Oregon State's Travis Bazzana heads 2024 Golden Spikes finalists. (c) USA Baseball

Baseball’s national governing body and the Major League Baseball Players Association have revealed that Travis Bazzana (Oregon State), Charlie Condon (Georgia), and Hagen Smith (Arkansas) are the three candidates for the most prestigious annual award in amateur baseball.

On 22 June, before the first game of the College World Series final, the award will be presented for the 46th time. It honours the best amateur baseball player in the country, taking into account exceptional skill on the field as well as exemplary sportsmanship.

“It is a great honour to name Travis, Charlie and Hagen as finalists for this year’s Golden Spikes Award,” said USA Baseball Executive Director and CEO Paul Seiler. He added that the three "exemplify the elite of amateur baseball and are extremely deserving of this honour".

From 5-10 June, the voting committee, comprised of national baseball media, past award winners, select professional baseball personnel and USA Baseball staff, will cast its final vote for the winner.


Bazzana is the frontrunner for the award having established himself as one of the best infielders in the country. The Australian became Oregon State's all-time leader in hits and home runs (28) during the campaign with the left-hander among the contenders to be number one overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft on 16 July. He is the Beavers' fourth Golden Spikes Award finalist with Adley Rutschman the only previous winner.

Georgia star hitter Condon, on track to be named Southeastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Year, could become the first Bulldog to win the award after leading the nation in home runs, batting average, hits, slugging percentage and total bases.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Smith has already been named SEC Pitcher of the Year with a conference earned run average of 1.35, almost two full runs lower than the next best ERA. The Arkansas Hog has struck out 17.25 batters per nine innings, the most in the competition. He would be the third Hog to win the award after Andrew Benintendi (2015) and Kevin Kopps (2022).


Charlie Condon this season - © Getty Images
Charlie Condon this season - © Getty Images

Of the 45 previous winners of the Golden Spikes, six have won the MLB Rookie of the Year award with three - Bryce Harper, Kris Bryant and Buster Posey - going on to claim the league MVP award. No fewer than 11 Golden Spikes winners have won the World Series as a player or manager.

Florida Gators' two-way star Jac Caglianone was the big-name omission from the list of finalists with Tennessee Volunteers' second baseman Christian Moore also left out.