USA Baseball and Major League Baseball (MLB) announced Tuesday during the 2025 MLB Draft Lottery that MLB Network will become the new home for the presentation of the Golden Spikes Award, beginning in 2026 with the 48th winner.
Additionally, the Emmy Award-winning MLB Network will expand its coverage of USA Baseball by further recognizing the nation’s top players throughout the amateur baseball season leading up to the semifinalist and finalist announcements for the award. In collaboration with USA Baseball and MLB, MLB Network has been the exclusive coverage home of the MLB Draft Combine since 2021.
2026 Draft:
USA Baseball and MLB have had a strong, multifaceted partnership since 2006, and it is focused on growing the sport through development and grass-root initiatives while developing talent through its national teams and development programs. With adding this coverage to the list of collaborative efforts between the two organizations, the Golden Spikes Award will receive even more national attention by providing education about the history and the identification process of the award throughout the amateur baseball season.
“USA Baseball and Major League Baseball have a long-standing relationship and have worked together on so many levels of the game, from the grassroots to the professional ranks, so making the coverage of the Golden Spikes Award a collaborated effort between only seems right to elevate its visibility,” said USA Baseball CEO/executive director Paul Seiler. "MLB has done an incredible job with growing the game at all levels, so we know that the MLB Network’s presentation of the award presentation, as well its coverage throughout the season, will only enhance the prestigiousness of the award.”
Winter Meetings prospect coverage:
“MLB Network is committed to producing meaningful content year after year focused on the next generation of stars,” said Marc Caiafa, senior vice president of production. “Collaborating with USA Baseball to grow the MLB Draft Combine the last few summers has been some of our most rewarding work. The Golden Spikes Award is the most prestigious collegiate baseball award in the nation, so there is no better place for it to be announced than MLB Network.”
Since 1978, USA Baseball has honored the top amateur baseball player in the nation with the Golden Spikes Award. The award is given each year to the player who best exhibits exceptional on-field ability and exemplary sportsmanship. Arkansas’ Wehiwa Aloy was the most recent winner of the award, joining a prestigious group of past winners that includes: Charlie Condon (2024), Dylan Crews (2023), Ivan Melendez (2022), Kevin Kopps (2021), Adley Rutschman (2019), Andrew Vaughn (2018), Brendan McKay (2017), Kyle Lewis (2016), Andrew Benintendi (2015), A.J. Reed (2014), Kris Bryant (2013), Mike Zunino (2012), Trevor Bauer (2011), Bryce Harper (2010), Stephen Strasburg (2009), Buster Posey (2008) and David Price (2007).
Historically, Golden Spikes Award winners have gone on to have tremendous success in the Major Leagues. Of the 47 previous winners, 40 have been taken in the first round of the MLB Draft, including each of the last three. Additionally, three have won the Cy Young Award, six have earned Rookie of the Year honors, 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.
Details about the presentation of the award, as well as the full selection process, will be announced at a later date.