News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
CARY, N.C. – Texas A&M’s Braden Montgomery and Jace LaViolette have been named semifinalists for the 2024 Golden Spikes Award, as announced by USA Baseball Monday afternoon.
Fan voting will again play a part in the Golden Spikes Award in 2024. Baseball fans can vote for their favorite players on GoldenSpikesAward.com, beginning today with the naming of the semifinalists. USA Baseball will announce the finalists for the award on June 5 and fan voting will once again open at GoldenSpikesAward.com before closing on June 21.
The duo becomes the first pair of Aggie teammates to be named semifinalists for the award since Asa Lacy and John Doxakis in 2019. The Maroon & White are one of five teams in the country to land two players on the list.
LaViolette is in the midst of a monster sophomore campaign that has seen him belt 28 homers and drive in 72 RBI, while batting .324. The Aggie center fielder’s 28 long balls are the second most in program history and upped his career total to 49, which is third all-time in the Texas A&M record books. Nationally, LaViolette ranks fifth in homers, fifth in homers per game (0.51), sixth in runs (77), eighth in total bases (174), ninth in runs per game (1.40), 1!th in slugging percentage (.817) and 14th in RBI.
In 55 games, the sophomore has registered 20 multi-hit, 19 multi-RBI and six multi-homer performances.
Montgomery has started all 55 games for the Aggies and is batting .325 to go along with 26 homers and an SEC-best 80 RBI. Among the nation, Montgomery ranks fourth in RBI, seventh in homers, ninth in RBI per game (1.45), 15th in total bases (163) and 16th in walks (51). The junior also leads the Maroon & White with 23 multi-hit and 24 multi-RBI performances.
Since 1978, USA Baseball has honored the top amateur baseball player in the country with the Golden Spikes Award. The award, which is presented on ESPN annually, goes to the amateur baseball player who exhibits exceptional athletic ability and exemplary sportsmanship. The 2023 Golden Spikes Award winner was Dylan Crews from Louisiana State University.
Winners of this prestigious award from the past 20 years include Major League Baseball All-Stars such as Adley Rutschman (’19), Andrew Benintendi (’15), Kris Bryant (’13), Mike Zunino (’12), Trevor Bauer (‘11), Bryce Harper (’10), Stephen Strasburg (‘09), Buster Posey (’08), David Price (’07), Tim Lincecum (’06), Alex Gordon (’05), and Jered Weaver (’04). Fans can follow the Golden Spikes Award on Instagram and Twitter @USAGoldenSpikes.
2024 Golden Spikes Semifinalists
Jamie Arnold; LHP; Florida State; ACC
Travis Bazzana; INF; Oregon State; Pac-12
Brooks Bryan; C; Troy; Sun Belt
Blake Burke; 1B; Tennessee; SEC
Chase Burns; RHP; Wake Forest; ACC
Drew Burress; OF; Georgia Tech; ACC
Jac Caglianone; LHP/1B; Florida; SEC
Charlie Condon; 1B/OF; Georgia; SEC
Lawson Harrill; OF; Campbell; CAALuke Holman; RHP; LSU; SEC
Vance Honeycutt; OF; UNC; ACC
Walker Janek; C; Sam Houston; C-USA
Ryan Johnson; RHP; Dallas Baptist; C-USA
Dakota Jordan; OF; Mississippi State; SEC
Josh Kuroda-Grauer; INF; Rutgers; Big Ten
Nick Kurtz; 1B; Wake Forest; ACC
Jace LaViolette; OF; Texas A&M; SEC
Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman; RHP; ECU; AAC
Braden Montgomery; OF/RHP; Texas A&M; SEC
Christian Moore; INF; Tennessee; SEC
Hagen Smith; LHP; Arkansas; SEC
James Tibbs III; OF/1B; Florida State; ACC
Payton Tolle; LHP/INF; TCU; Big 12
Blake Wright; INF; Clemson; ACC
Trey Yesavage; RHP; ECU; AAC