Daniel Jackson Wins 2026 Golden Spikes Award

On June 29, USA Baseball announced the winner of the 2026 Golden Spikes Award. It is given to the best amateur player in the country. And out of the three finalists, it was the one who nearly got to the College World Series final who wound up receiving the award: Daniel Jackson.

The 2026 Golden Spikes Winner

Georgia catcher Daniel Jackson didn’t get that elusive 30-30 season — although he came awfully close. Jackson finished the year with a slash line of .379/.473/.803 with 32 home runs, 47 extra-base hits, and 26 stolen bases. Jackson finished second in the Division I ranks in home runs, behind only Tague Davis of Louisville.

It was a culmination of three years of dominance from Jackson, who started his collegiate career by batting .340 with 12 home runs for Wofford. He then moved on to Georgia, hit 14 home runs in 2025, and then had a dominant campaign during the 2025 Cape Cod League season.

And this year, Jackson was the key for a Georgia team that was ultimately the second-to-last team bounced in the 2026 College World Series. The Bulldogs were eliminated by Oklahoma.

Jackson will likely be a first-round pick come July, which would make him the fourth-straight Golden Spikes winner to win it and then get picked in the opening round. Dylan Crews (2023), Charlie Condon (2024), and Wehiwa Aloy (2025) did so before the 2026 season.

Additionally, it also marks the second time in three years that a Georgia Bulldog has won the accolade. Charlie Condon did in 2024 after an outstanding season before he went pro.

Roch Cholowsky and Landon Hairston were the runner-ups.