Daniel Jackson named a finalist for Golden Spikes Award

ATHENS, Ga. – University of Georgia All-America catcher Daniel Jackson has been named a finalist for the 2026 Golden Spikes Award, USA Baseball announced Wednesday.

Jackson, the 2026 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Year and Triple Crown winner, is one of just three players (and first catcher) in NCAA Division I history to have at least 30 home runs and 25 stolen bases in a season. Currently, Jackson, a 6-2, 200-pound native of Sandy Springs, Ga., is batting .396 with 31 home runs, 86 RBIs, and 26 stolen bases. He ranks in the top five nationally in five offensive categories.

Jackson helped the Bulldogs (51-12) sweep the NCAA Athens Regional and Super Regional and advance to the College World Series for the first time since 2008. The Bulldogs will face Texas in their CWS opener Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the SEC Tournament as the Bulldogs claimed their first-ever SEC tournament title after capturing the regular season crown for the first time since 2008.

In the five postseason games in Athens, he collected regional all-tournament honors and batted .450 (9-for-20) with a double, four home runs, seven RBI, and four walks. He provided the go-ahead two-run home run in the top of the 10th inning in the super regional clinching win over Mississippi State. He is the sixth player from the Bulldog program to be named a finalist. This year’s other finalists are Roch Cholowsky (UCLA) and Landon Hairston (Arizona State).

This prestigious award that goes to the nation’s top amateur baseball player who best exhibits exceptional on-field ability, exemplary sportsmanship and character, and an overall positive contribution to the sport. In 2024, Charlie Condon became Georgia’s first winner of the Golden Spikes Award after a record-setting season. The 48th Golden Spikes Award will be presented on Monday, June 29 on MLB Network at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Fan voting will again play a part in the Golden Spikes Award. Baseball fans can vote for their favorite players on GoldenSpikesAward.com, beginning today with the naming of the finalists and ending on June 28.

The 2026 Golden Spikes Award timeline is as follows:
• June 10: Golden Spikes Award finalists announced, and fan voting begins
• June 28: Golden Spikes Award finalists fan voting ends
• June 29: Golden Spikes Award winner announced

“Roch, Landon, and Daniel have put together tremendous seasons and are extremely deserving of being named Golden Spikes Award finalists,” said USA Baseball CEO/Executive Director Paul Seiler. “These three student-athletes exemplify the very best of amateur baseball, and we look forward to honoring one of them as our forty-eighth winner and adding another great player to the storied history of this award.”

Historically, Golden Spikes Award winners have gone on to have tremendous success in the Major Leagues. Of the 47 previous winners, six have earned Rookie of the Year honors, including Lewis in 2020. Additionally, three have won the Cy Young Award, three were named MVP, and 11 have won a World Series championship as a player or manager, combining for 18 championships. Twenty-three previous winners have also been named to at least one All-Star Game roster as a player or manager, combining for 64 total selections.

A final ballot will be sent to the Golden Spikes Award voting body consisting of national baseball media, select professional baseball personnel and USA Baseball staff, and the previous winners of the award, totaling a group of more than 100 voters. From Wednesday, June 10, to Sunday, June 21, the voting body will cast their final vote for the Golden Spikes Award winner and fan voting will simultaneously be open on GoldenSpikesAward.com.

To stay up to date on the 2026 Golden Spikes Award, visit GoldenSpikesAward.com and follow @USAGoldenSpikes on Instagram and Twitter/X.

Golden Spikes Award Winners:
2025: Wehiwa Aloy – Arkansas
2024: Charlie Condon – Georgia
2023: Dylan Crews – LSU
2022: Ivan Melendez – Texas
2021: Kevin Kopps – Arkansas
2019: Adley Rutschman – Oregon State
2018: Andrew Vaughn – California
2017: Brendan McKay – Louisville
2016: Kyle Lewis – Mercer
2015: Andrew Benintendi – Arkansas
2014: A.J. Reed – Kentucky
2013: Kris Bryant – San Diego
2012: Mike Zunino – Florida
2011: Trevor Bauer – UCLA
2010: Bryce Harper – Southern Nevada
2009: Stephen Strasburg – San Diego State
2008: Buster Posey – Florida State
2007: David Price – Vanderbilt
2006: Tim Lincecum – Washington
2005: Alex Gordon – Nebraska
2004: Jered Weaver – Long Beach State
2003: Rickie Weeks – Southern
2002: Khalil Greene – Clemson
2001: Mark Prior – Southern California
2000: Kip Bouknight – South Carolina
1999: Jason Jennings – Baylor
1998: Pat Burrell – Miami
1997: J.D. Drew – Florida State
1996: Travis Lee – San Diego State
1995: Mark Kotsay – Cal State Fullerton
1994: Jason Varitek – Georgia Tech
1993: Darren Dreifort – Wichita State
1992: Phil Nevin – Cal State Fullerton
1991: Mike Kelly – Arizona State
1990: Alex Fernandez – Miami Dade CC
1989: Ben McDonald – LSU
1988: Robin Ventura – Oklahoma State
1987: Jim Abbott – Michigan
1986: Mike Loynd – Florida State
1985: Will Clark – Mississippi State
1984: Oddibe McDowell – Arizona State
1983: Dave Magadan – Alabama
1982: Augie Schmidt – New Orleans
1981: Mike Fuentes – Florida State
1980: Terry Francona – Arizona
1979: Tim Wallach – Cal State Fullerton
1978: Bob Horner – Arizona State