Tanner Houck is one of four freshmen on the 60-man list.
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Mizzou freshman righty Tanner Houck (Collinsville, Ill.) has been named to the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List, as announced by USA Baseball on Thursday (April 9). Houck is one of 15 SEC players to be named to the 60-man watch list and he is one of just four freshmen to earn a spot on the list. Sponsored by Major League Baseball, and presented in partnership with the Rod Dedeaux Foundation, 2015 marks the 38th year of the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award, which recognizes the top amateur baseball player in the country.
Houck is the first Tiger freshman to ever make the Golden Spikes Watch List and he is also the first Tiger to earn a spot on the midseason watch list since Kyle Gibson in 2009. Houck is 5-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 56.2 innings this season. He has struck out 46 and walked just five in his first season in black and gold. He is the reigning SEC Pitcher of the Week and ranks second in the SEC in both innings pitched and walks allowed.
Thirty-seven new players were added to the list since its initial release on February 10, joining 23 others from the preseason watch list. The Southeastern Conference led all conferences in watch list players, placing 15 on the midseason update. On May 22, USA Baseball will announce the semifinalists for the 2015 Golden Spikes Award. The semifinalists list will be sent to a voting body consisting of past USA Baseball National Team coaches and press officers, members of the media that follow the amateur game closely, select professional baseball personnel, current USA Baseball staff and the 37 previous winners of the award, representing a group of more than 200 voters.
Fan voting will once again be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2015. Friday, May 22, marks the day when amateur baseball fans across the country will be able to vote for their favorite semifinalists at GoldenSpikesAward.com. As part of this selection process, all voters will be asked to choose three players from the list. On Tuesday, June 2, USA Baseball will announce the finalists, and voting will once again commence that same day.
The 2015 Golden Spikes Award winner will be named on Tuesday, June 23, at a presentation in Los Angeles. The finalists and their families will be honored at the Rod Dedeaux Foundation Dinner that evening at the Jonathan Club in downtown Los Angeles.
GoldenSpikesAward.com - created in 2008 and powered by MLB Advanced Media -- is the online home for the award. The website features content devoted exclusively to the GSA, including news, the weekly Golden Spikes Award spotlight, voting history and past winner photo galleries.
Houck and the No. 23 Tigers are in Knoxville, Tenn., preparing to take on Tennessee in a three-game series which begins tonight at 6 p.m. All three games will air live on SEC Network with Mike Morgan and Chris Burke on the call. For all the latest on Mizzou baseball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on twitter @MizzouBaseball.