STANFORD, Calif. – Juniors Nico Hoerner and Kris Bubic have been named to the watch list for the 2018 Golden Spikes Award, as announced Friday by USA Baseball.
The Golden Spikes Award, which goes to the top amateur baseball player in the country, will be presented in partnership with the Rod Dedeaux Foundation on June 28 in Los Angeles. There were 55 players, from high school and college, named to the watch list.
Bubic, who hails from nearby San Jose, California, returns for his junior season after posting a 7-6 record with a 2.79 earned-run average and a 96-31 strikeout-to-walk ratio in the spring. He won his last seven starts for the Cardinal, surrendering no runs over his final 16.0 innings.
Bubic was named the 2017 Cape Cod League Pitcher of the Year in August following a stellar campaign with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox – he went 4-1 with a 1.65 ERA, striking out 41 in 32.2 innings with opponents hitting just .198.
Preseason nods continue for juniors @KrisBubic & @nico_hoerner, who were each named to the @USAGoldenSpikes watch list today! #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/XPI1mD3f3B
— Stanford Baseball (@StanfordBSB) February 9, 2018
Hoerner, a native of Oakland, California, was a member of the All-Pac-12 and All-Pac-12 defensive team after starting all 58 games at shortstop in 2017. Hoerner posted a .307 batting average with 18 doubles, 43 runs and 33 RBI during his sophomore season.
He led the team with 77 hits, finishing fifth in the Pac-12, while his .388 batting average in Pac-12 play ranked second in the conference. Hoerner also competed for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox this past summer, posting a .301 batting average in 44 games with 30 RBI and 26 runs.
Thirteenth-ranked Stanford begins the season next week when it hosts No. 17 Cal State Fullerton for a three-game series at Sunken Diamond. Tickets are on sale at GoStanford.com.