DURHAM, N.C. – San Diego State right fielder Jaden Fein (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal HS) added to his growing list of accolades on Wednesday when he was named to the 2021 Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List, as announced by USA Baseball.
The GSA Midseason Watch List features 45 of the nation's top amateur players from the high school and college ranks and includes 34 student-athletes who have played their way onto the watch list since the preseason list was announced on February 18.
The Golden Spikes Award Advisory Board will continue to maintain a rolling list of athletes, allowing players to play themselves into consideration for the award before announcing the semifinalists on June 8.
A total of 17 different NCAA conferences have at least one player on the GSA Midseason Watch List, with Fein representing the Mountain West's lone student-athlete.
Fein becomes just the second Aztec to appear on the midseason watch list since its initiation in 2012, joining Tyler Adkison (2017).
As of April 14, Fein leads the MW with a .457 batting average, 48 hits and 35 RBIs. In addition, the Aztec redshirt sophomore finds himself among the conference leaders in on-base percentage (3rd - .522), doubles (T-3rd - 10), runs scored (4th - 25) and slugging percentage (9th - .581).
Not to be outdone, Fein is also listed among the national leaders this week in hits per game (2nd - 1.92), batting average (4th - .457), hits (T-5th - 48), RBIs per game (T-12 - 1.40) and RBIs (T-21st - 35).
Fein opened the 2021 campaign with an 11-game hitting streak, which marks the team's longest this season and tops the squad with multiple RBIs in 11 games. He has reached base safely in 13 straight games since March 14, including a current eight-game hitting streak.
Earlier this season, Fein earned three consecutive Mountain West Player of the Week honors (Feb. 22-March 8), becoming the first non-pitcher to earn three straight conference weekly honors and the first baseball student-athlete to accomplish the feat since SDSU legend Stephen Strasburg merited Pitcher of the Week recognition on five straight occasions from April 12-May 14, 2008.
Prior to the 2021 campaign, Fein was voted to the preseason all-MW team and was tabbed as the conference's Preseason Player of the Year by Baseball America. In 2019, he was named MW Co-Freshman of the Year and received Freshman All-America recognition from Collegiate Baseball newspaper.
Since 1978, USA Baseball has honored the top amateur baseball player in the country with the Golden Spikes Award. Following the first-ever presentation of the trophy to Bob Horner of Arizona State, the GSA has been awarded each year to the player who exhibits exceptional athletic ability and exemplary sportsmanship.
Oregon State's Adley Rutschman took home the prestigious award most recently in 2019, joining a group of recent winners that include Andrew Vaughn (2018), Brendan McKay (2017), Kyle Lewis (2016), Andrew Benintendi (2015), A.J. Reed (2014), Kris Bryant (2013), Mike Zunino (2012), Trevor Bauer (2011), Bryce Harper (2010), Stephen Strasburg (2009), Buster Posey (2008), and David Price (2007).
No award was presented last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the cancellation of the 2020 season.
On Tuesday, June 8, USA Baseball will announce the semifinalists for the 2021 Golden Spikes Award. The list of semifinalists will then be sent to a voting body consisting of baseball media members, select professional baseball personnel, current USA Baseball staff and the previous winners of the award, representing a group of more than 200 voters. As part of this selection process, all voters will be asked to choose three players from the list of semifinalists. On June 24, USA Baseball will announce the finalists, and voting for the winner will begin that same day.
Fan voting will once again be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2021. Beginning with the semifinalist announcement and continuing through the finalist round voting deadline, fans from across the country will be able to vote for their favorite player on GoldenSpikesAward.com.
Fein and the Aztecs return to the diamond this weekend when they hit the road to battle Fresno State in a three-game series, April 17-18, at Bob Bennett Stadium in Fresno, California.