Jac Caglianone Snubbed for Golden Spikes Award

The Florida Gators first baseman and southpaw pitcher led the team in every hitting category and was a top of the rotation pitcher.

Florida Gators first baseman, pitcher Jac Caglianone snubbed / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Florida Gators baseball’s Jac Caglianone was not named a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award. The Golden Spikes Award is given to the best amateur baseball players in the country. 

Arkansas’s Hagen Smith, Oregon State’s Travis Bazzana and Georgia’s Charlie Condon were announced as finalists, Wednesday. 

THE 2024 #GoldenSpikesAward FINALISTS! 🏆

Travis Bazzana (Oregon State), Charlie Condon (Georgia), and Hagen Smith (Arkansas) are this year’s Golden Spikes Award presented by @ChinookSeedery Finalists.

Read more here: https://t.co/vrvE8gEHrI pic.twitter.com/JeDn9KEJJI

— Golden Spikes Award (@USAGoldenSpikes) June 5, 2024

Caglianone, who did everything for the Gators throughout the season, was named as a semifinalist for the award. 

Wednesday, the first baseman and left-handed pitcher was named as a finalist for the John Olerud Award which is given to the best two-way player in the country. 

The best two-way player in the country is a John Olerud Award finalist! ⭐

🗞 https://t.co/WFLJczkIZc | #GoGators pic.twitter.com/7grj4F0TfY

— Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) June 5, 2024

This season, Caglianone both hit and pitched at an impressive level and often carried Florida during the season. Nationally, he ranked third in home runs (31), tied for fifth in total bases (194), seventh in batting average (.410), 12th in hits (94) and 17th in runs scored (75).

He also led the Gators in average, hits, RBI, home runs and OPS.  

On the mound, he holds a 4.57 ERA and held opponents to a .225 batting average against. He has a record of 5-2 and has the most innings pitched on the team with 67. 

This season, he tied the NCAA record for most consecutive games with a home run, hitting a long ball in nine straight contests. 

Frankly, it's shocking he wasn't named a finalist. He's considered the No. 3 prospect in the draft by MLB.com.

Caglianone will look to continue his historic season against the Clemson Tigers in the Clemson Super Regional which begins Saturday. He’s expected to get the start on the mound in Game 2 against Clemson Sunday.