TicketsCINCINNATI – Cincinnati redshirt senior infielder Kerrington Cross has been named a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award presented by Chinook Seedery, per an announcement from USA Baseball on Sunday.
The Golden Spikes Award is presented annually to the best amateur baseball player in the country.
Cross, who was named a Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist last week, is one of 25 players to be named a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist and the lone player from a Big 12 Conference program. He is the first Cincinnati player to be named a semifinalist for the award since Ian Happ in 2015.
Few players in the country boast the statistical resume of Cross, who has put together one of the best seasons ever by a Bearcat.
Following the conclusion of the regular season on Saturday, Cross was hitting .414 with 12 home runs, 49 RBI, 61 runs scored, 44 walks, 15 stolen bases, a .538 on-base percentage, and a .681 slugging percentage. He leads the Big 12 or ranks among the league leaders in several categories including batting average (1st), on-base percentage (1st), OPS (1.219, 1st), slugging percentage (3rd), hits (79, 3rd), runs scored (3rd), and walks (T-3rd).
As it stands, he would be the sixth player in school history to hit .400 in a season and the first since Lance Durham hit a school-record .427 in 2009. The others to accomplish that feat are Kevin Youkilis (1999, 2001), Mark Gabbard (1993), Tony Elsbrock (1991), and Mike Kinnett (1985). It would also be the 20th occurrence of a Big 12 player hitting .400 in a season. The last was West Virginia's JJ Wetherholt in 2023.
Against Big 12 competition, Cross' slash line is actually a tick higher across all three metrics. He hit .420, slugged .696, and posted an OBP of .544 in conference games this season.
Cross thrust himself onto the national stage with a remarkable performance on May 3 at Kansas. In that game, he tied the single-game school records for home runs (three) and total bases (14) and set a new single-game school record with 10 RBI. His 3-homer, 10-RBI game earned him multiple player of the week accolades and helped propel Cincinnati to one of its best wins of the season.
When Cross' UC career is finished, he will rank among the career leaders in school history in nearly every major offensive category. He ranks third all-time in runs scored (217), tied for fourth in hits (217), fourth in home runs (41), fourth in triples (11), fifth in RBI (169), third in total bases (440), third in walks (148), and fifth in stolen bases (62) His 214 career games played rank eighth all-time in program history.
Fan voting will again play a part in the Golden Spikes Award in 2025. Fans can vote for their favorite players on GoldenSpikesAward.com, beginning Sunday, May 18. USA Baseball will announce the finalists for the award on June 4, and fan voting will once again open at GoldenSpikesAward.com before closing on June 20.
// GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD TIMELINE
Since 1978, USA Baseball has honored the top amateur baseball player in the country with the Golden Spikes Award. The award, which is presented on ESPN annually, goes to the amateur baseball player who exhibits exceptional athletic ability and exemplary sportsmanship. The 2024 Golden Spikes Award winner was Charlie Condon from the University of Georgia. Winners of this prestigious award from the past 20 years include Major League Baseball All-Stars such as Adley Rutschman ('19), Andrew Benintendi ('15), Kris Bryant ('13), Mike Zunino ('12), Bryce Harper ('10), Stephen Strasburg ('09), Buster Posey ('08), David Price ('07), Tim Lincecum ('06), Alex Gordon ('05), and Jered Weaver ('04). Fans can follow the Golden Spikes Award on Instagram and Twitter @USAGoldenSpikes.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For up-to-the-minute updates, follow @GoBearcatsBASE on X/Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Golden Spikes Award is presented annually to the best amateur baseball player in the country.
Cross, who was named a Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist last week, is one of 25 players to be named a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist and the lone player from a Big 12 Conference program. He is the first Cincinnati player to be named a semifinalist for the award since Ian Happ in 2015.
Few players in the country boast the statistical resume of Cross, who has put together one of the best seasons ever by a Bearcat.
Following the conclusion of the regular season on Saturday, Cross was hitting .414 with 12 home runs, 49 RBI, 61 runs scored, 44 walks, 15 stolen bases, a .538 on-base percentage, and a .681 slugging percentage. He leads the Big 12 or ranks among the league leaders in several categories including batting average (1st), on-base percentage (1st), OPS (1.219, 1st), slugging percentage (3rd), hits (79, 3rd), runs scored (3rd), and walks (T-3rd).
As it stands, he would be the sixth player in school history to hit .400 in a season and the first since Lance Durham hit a school-record .427 in 2009. The others to accomplish that feat are Kevin Youkilis (1999, 2001), Mark Gabbard (1993), Tony Elsbrock (1991), and Mike Kinnett (1985). It would also be the 20th occurrence of a Big 12 player hitting .400 in a season. The last was West Virginia's JJ Wetherholt in 2023.
Against Big 12 competition, Cross' slash line is actually a tick higher across all three metrics. He hit .420, slugged .696, and posted an OBP of .544 in conference games this season.
Cross thrust himself onto the national stage with a remarkable performance on May 3 at Kansas. In that game, he tied the single-game school records for home runs (three) and total bases (14) and set a new single-game school record with 10 RBI. His 3-homer, 10-RBI game earned him multiple player of the week accolades and helped propel Cincinnati to one of its best wins of the season.
When Cross' UC career is finished, he will rank among the career leaders in school history in nearly every major offensive category. He ranks third all-time in runs scored (217), tied for fourth in hits (217), fourth in home runs (41), fourth in triples (11), fifth in RBI (169), third in total bases (440), third in walks (148), and fifth in stolen bases (62) His 214 career games played rank eighth all-time in program history.
Fan voting will again play a part in the Golden Spikes Award in 2025. Fans can vote for their favorite players on GoldenSpikesAward.com, beginning Sunday, May 18. USA Baseball will announce the finalists for the award on June 4, and fan voting will once again open at GoldenSpikesAward.com before closing on June 20.
// GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD TIMELINE
- May 18: Golden Spikes Award semifinalists announced, and fan voting begins
- May 28: Golden Spikes Award semifinalists fan voting ends
- June 4: Golden Spikes Award finalists announced, and fan voting begins
- June 20: Golden Spikes Award finalists fan voting ends
- June 21: Golden Spikes Award winner announced
Since 1978, USA Baseball has honored the top amateur baseball player in the country with the Golden Spikes Award. The award, which is presented on ESPN annually, goes to the amateur baseball player who exhibits exceptional athletic ability and exemplary sportsmanship. The 2024 Golden Spikes Award winner was Charlie Condon from the University of Georgia. Winners of this prestigious award from the past 20 years include Major League Baseball All-Stars such as Adley Rutschman ('19), Andrew Benintendi ('15), Kris Bryant ('13), Mike Zunino ('12), Bryce Harper ('10), Stephen Strasburg ('09), Buster Posey ('08), David Price ('07), Tim Lincecum ('06), Alex Gordon ('05), and Jered Weaver ('04). Fans can follow the Golden Spikes Award on Instagram and Twitter @USAGoldenSpikes.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For up-to-the-minute updates, follow @GoBearcatsBASE on X/Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.