Thursday, February 18, 2010

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Florida Gulf Coast junior pitcher Chris Sale was named to the Preseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List that was announced by USA Baseball on Thursday, marking the organization's first step toward identifying the top player in college baseball. Sponsored by Major League Baseball, the Golden Spikes Award will be presented in 2010 for the 33rd time.

Sale (Lakeland, Fla.), a 2010 Baseball America First Team All-American, Preseason All-Conference selection and A-Sun Preseason Pitcher of the Year, enters the 2010 season owning a 9-4 career record with three saves and a 2.94 ERA in 35 appearances. The Eagles’ junior lefthander posted a 2.72 ERA a season ago ranking him second in the Atlantic Sun. Sale ranked 26th in the nation in ERA and 26th in strikeouts (104) in 2009. Sale picked up Louisville Slugger Preseason Second Team All-American honors in addition to preseason Second Team recognition from PING!Baseball. Sale earned Cape Cod League Pitcher of the Year honors over the summer and Baseball America named Sale the top prospect in the Cape Cod League. He also earned First-Team All-Atlantic Sun honors in 2009.

The Watch List features 50 of the nation’s top amateur talents, and it will be a “rolling” list to ensure that athletes can play themselves into consideration for the Golden Spikes Award, to be presented live on Tuesday, July 13, at the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star FanFest in Anaheim, Calif.

Headlining the 2010 Watch List are six athletes who finished among the 30 semifinalists for the 2009 Golden Spikes Award. The players include Daniel Bibona (LHP, Sr., UC Irvine), Bryce Brentz (OF/RHP, Jr., Middle Tennessee), Deck McGuire (RHP, Jr., Georgia Tech), Addison Reed (RHP, Jr., San Diego State), Anthony Rendon (3B, So., Rice) and Alex Wimmers (RHP, Jr., Ohio State).

“We’re very pleased to announce the 50 members of the Preseason Watch List for the 2010 Golden Spikes Award,” said Paul Seiler, Executive Director/CEO of USA Baseball. “The level of amateur baseball talent in our country continues to rise each year, and there is no greater evidence of this than seeing six 2009 semifinalists named to the 2010 Watch List.”