CARY, N.C. – Regarded as two of the 31 most premier amateur baseball players in the United States this season, Virginia Tech third-year outfielder Gavin Cross and sophomore shortstop Tanner Schobel have been named 2022 semifinalists for the prestigious Golden Spikes Award, as announced on Tuesday by USA Baseball.
Together, Cross and Schobel become Virginia Tech's first Golden Spikes Award national semifinalists to have garnered selection during the program's ACC tenure. Among the 2022 semifinalists, Tech is one of five college baseball programs to have multiple student-athletes featured, joining Cal Poly, LSU, Oregon State and Tennessee.
Tuesday's semifinalist reveal comes as the award's third wave of identifying the top U.S. amateur baseball player who competes at the high school or collegiate levels. In February, Cross had placed onto the 55-player preseason watch list while in April, sophomore outfielder Jack Hurley had played his way onto the 45-player midseason watch list.
"We are thrilled to honor these accomplished student-athletes as semifinalists for the Golden Spikes Award," said USA Baseball Executive Director and CEO Paul Seiler. "With the huge wealth of talent in our sport right now, we are excited to recognize the contributions these athletes are making to their teams and schools.
"Each of these semifinalists showcase the caliber of players within amateur baseball as they each have excelled both on and off the field. We cannot wait to continue watching their journeys this season."
The following excerpts were taken courtesy of USA Baseball:
GAVIN CROSS (Click here to vote)
Virginia Tech third-year outfielder Gavin Cross entered the 2022 collegiate season as a five-time Preseason All-American, coming off an extraordinary summer of leading USA Baseball's 2021 Collegiate National Team in batting (.455), slugging (.879) and home runs (4). Cross thrives against elite competition. Named to the 2022 All-ACC First Team -- his second career selection -- the Bristol, Tenn., native has hit 10 of his 13 regular season home runs against ACC opponents, earning 25 of his 38 RBI against league opposition. With his 6-foot-3 frame, Cross moves around the diamond with ease. This season, he has legged out 13 doubles, tied for the ACC lead in triples (five), scored 60 runs and remained perfect in stolen base attempts at 11-for-11. His ability to cover ground makes him a coveted center fielder, from where he has turned three outfield assists for the Hokies.
TANNER SCHOBEL (Click here to vote)
In two quick collegiate seasons, Virginia Tech sophomore Tanner Schobel has broken out into one of the most electrifying shortstops in college baseball. At 5-foot-10, he displays deceptive power, leading the 2022 "Hammerin' Hokies" with 16 regular season home runs, slugging .688. From the third spot in Tech's lineup, Schobel has recorded 74 hits -- including 15 doubles -- has tied for the team lead in runs scored (60) and yielded 66 RBI to rank among the top 25 NCAA Division I players nationally. On the defensive side, the 2022 All-ACC First Team selection has helped turn 32 of the Hokies' 37 double plays, serving as the catalyst behind Tech's defense that sported a top-10 fielding percentage throughout most of the year. Schobel -- who hails from Williamsburg, Virginia -- has been named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and garnered ACC Co-Player of the Week honors in April for his 10-RBI weekend against then-No. 2 Miami.
In addition to input from the Golden Spikes Award Advisory Board – comprised of more than 150 professional baseball personnel, USA Baseball staff and previous winners of the award – fan voting plays a factor in the final two rounds of the award process. From May 24 until June 6, fans may vote up to 25 times per day courtesy of usabaseball.com/golden-spikes-award.
Finalists for the 2022 Golden Spikes Award will be announced on June 8, at which point a second round of fan voting will be opened. The winner of the 44th annual Golden Spikes Award will be presented the trophy on June 24 during a ceremony airing on ESPN.
