Gelof, Teel Named Semifinalists for Golden Spikes Award

CHARLOTTESVILLE, – Va. – For the third time in program history, Virginia has multiple semifinalists for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Virginia as third baseman Jake Gelof and catcher Kyle Teel were both among the 25 semifinalists announced on Monday (May 22). The award is annually bestowed on the top amateur baseball player of the year.

Virginia is one of five programs to have multiple semifinalists this season. Gelof, a semifinalist last year, is one of five players to be included for the second-straight season.

As a program, Virginia has been represented on the list of GSA semifinalists 10 times, tied for the most in college baseball. The 11 Cavalier semifinalists and the 13 total selections are tied for the third-most of any college baseball program. All 11 semifinalists have played for head coach Brian O’Connor.

Multiple Cavaliers have been featured as semifinalists in 2007 (Sean Doolittle & Jacob Thompson) and 2017 (Adam Haseley & Pavin Smith).

Gelof is the second Cavalier ever (Danny Hultzen – 2010 & 2011) and the 35th player in the award’s history to be a semifinalist in multiple seasons. He finished the regular season with a .340 batting average, 20 doubles, three triples, 22 homers and 84 RBI. For the second-straight season Gelof was named a First Team All-ACC selection at third base. He has matched UVA’s nearly 30-year-old single-season home run record now co-held by Brian Buchanan (1994). In the final game of the regular season, he broke his own single-season RBI record. Gelof is atop UVA’s career home run list with 47 and is two RBI shy of matching the program’s career RBI mark of 182 held by Steven Proscia.

Teel is the first catcher in program history to be a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award after a breakout junior campaign in 2023. The ACC Player of the Year hit .414 with 23 doubles, 11 homers and 58 RBI over 55 games this season. Teel has started the last 113 games at catcher for UVA dating back to last season. His 23 doubles are tied for the single-season school record and his 91 hits are tied for the sixth-most in program history. Teel led or co-led the ACC in batting average, hits and doubles. His 91 hits are tied for the sixth-most in the nation.

The duo of Gelof and Teel were both on the GSA watch list announced earlier this season and were also announced as semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy on Friday (May 19).

GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD SEMIFINALISTS – UVA HISTORY

*Named Finalist for the award

The 2023 Golden Spikes Award timeline is as follows:

• June 5: Golden Spikes Award semifinalists fan voting ends
• June 7: Golden Spikes Award finalists announced and fan voting begins players on the list.
• June 21: Golden Spikes Award finalists’ fan voting ends
• June 25: Golden Spikes Award winner announced

Fan voting will again play a part in the Golden Spikes Award in 2023. Amateur baseball fans can vote for their favorite players on GoldenSpikesAward.com, beginning on May 22 with the naming of the semifinalists. USA Baseball will announce the finalists for the award on June 7, and fan voting will once again open at GoldenSpikesAward.com before closing on June 21.

To stay up to date on the 2023 Golden Spikes Award, visit GoldenSpikesAward.com and follow @USAGoldenSpikes on Instagram and Twitter.

A complete list of the 25-player 2023 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Semifinalists is as follows:

 Name; Position; School; Conference
Max Anderson; INF; Nebraska; Big Ten
Jac Caglianone; 1B; Florida; SEC
Charlie Condon; 1B/OF; Georgia; SEC
Dylan Crews; OF; LSU; SEC
Chase Davis; OF; Arizona; PAC-12
Jake Gelof; INF/OF; Virginia; ACC
Caden Grice; 1B/LHP; Clemson; ACC
Tanner Hall; RHP; Southern Miss; Sun Belt
Josh Hartle; LHP; Wake Forest; ACC
Nick Kurtz; INF/OF; Wake Forest; ACC
Wyatt Langford; OF; Florida; SEC
Rhett Lowder; RHP; Wake Forest; ACC
Quinn Mathews; LHP; Stanford; PAC-12
Yohandy Morales; INF; Miami; ACC
Ethan Petry; OF; South Carolina; SEC
Alberto Rios; C; Stanford; PAC-12
Nolan Schanuel; INF/OF; FAU; C-USA
Paul Skenes; RHP; LSU; SEC
Hagen Smith; LHP; Arkansas; SEC
Kyle Teel; C/INF; Virginia; ACC
Brock Vradenburg; INF; Michigan State; Big Ten
JJ Wetherholt; INF; West Virginia; Big 12
Ben Williamson; INF; William & Mary; CAA
Tommy White; INF; LSU; SEC
Jacob Wilson; INF; Grand Canyon; WAC