A trio of baseball players from Tennessee has landed on the preseason watch list for the Golden Spikes Award.
Earlier this week, three baseball players from Tennessee—starting pitcher Drew Beam, second baseman Christian Moore, and third baseman Billy Amick—were named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List, which includes 55 players.
The Golden Spikes Award is an annual honor presented to the nation’s best amateur baseball player, featuring 50 college players and five high school players on the list. Tennessee’s representation of three players is the highest among SEC teams, marking the sixth consecutive season that at least one Vol player has made the watch list.
Drew Beam, a right-handed pitcher, has been Tennessee’s Sunday starter for the past two seasons and aims to secure the Friday night starting spot in his junior season. During his sophomore year, Beam posted impressive statistics with a 9-4 record, 3.63 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 88 strikeouts, and only 23 walks. His standout performances in the regional and super regional clinching victories played a crucial role in Tennessee’s postseason run to the College World Series.
Billy Amick, a corner infielder and top player in the Vols’ transfer class, joined Tennessee from Clemson. In his previous season at Clemson, Amick showcased his talent with a .413 batting average, 13 home runs, 32 extra-base hits, and 63 RBIs. Notably, he maintained an exceptional 16.7% strikeout percentage.
Christian Moore, a versatile infielder, had a varied performance last season but excelled during the postseason. Moore’s seven-for-10 hitting at the plate, four home runs, eight RBIs, and overall contribution earned him Clemson Regional MVP honors. Completing his sophomore season with a .304 batting average, 17 home runs, 13 doubles, and 50 RBIs, Moore is expected to play multiple positions for Tennessee this season.
The upcoming season for Tennessee baseball kicks off in less than a week, as they travel to Texas to participate in the Shriner’s Children Hospital Classic. The Vols will face Texas Tech, Baylor, and Oklahoma in three games.
