Michigan State's Joseph Dzierwa delivers a pitch during a NCAA Big Ten Conference baseball game against Iowa, Friday, May 12, 2023, at Duane Banks Field in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Spartans' Dzierwa Named National Award Semifinalist

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Tom Cavanaugh | Last updated May 20, 2025 7:00 AM ET

Michigan State Spartans left-handed starting pitcher Joseph Dzierwa has been selected as a USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award semifinalist, given to the top college baseball player in the country.

USA Baseball announced the 25 semifinalists on Sunday.

For how well he has pitched this season, it was an absolute no-brainer to make Dzierwa one of the select semifinalists. He joins a pair of fellow Big Ten players in UCLA sophomore shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Indiana junior outfielder Devin Taylor, and Oregon junior outfielder Mason Neville.

This is Dzierwa's second award nomination this year, as he was named one of the semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy, given to the national college baseball player of the year.

Dzierwa is Golden...

He's a national semifinalist for the @USAGoldenSpikes Award!!

You can help him become a #GoldenSpikes finalist by VOTING HERE: https://t.co/d4qqZQr3Q7 #GoGreen | @DzierwaJoseph pic.twitter.com/QteuDU15YG
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) May 18, 2025

Dzierwa is far and away the No. 1 pitcher in the Big Ten this season, earning conference pitcher of the week four times. He holds the top ERA in the conference at 2.31 (13th in NCAA), second most Big Ten strikeouts with 98 (22nd in NCAA), and the fewest runs allowed in the most amount of time (22 ER in 85.2 IP).

The Haskins, Ohio native is the second semifinalist for the award in the past three seasons since Spartans first baseman Brock Vradenburg did it in 2023. Vradenburg was a third-round selection in the 2023 MLB Draft, currently in the Miami Marlins' farm system at the High-A level.

Dzierwa was surprised with a celebratory care package from USA Baseball, gifting him a speaker, shorts, seeds, and a bat barrel mug. He joins elite company amongst Spartan history and has been considered as one of the nation's top players.

A Golden surprisedelivery in Omaha for our @USAGoldenSpikes semifinalist Joseph Dzierwa from @statemanagers!!

You can help Dzierwa become a #GoldenSpikes finalist by VOTING HERE: https://t.co/d4qqZQr3Q7 #GoGreen | @DzierwaJoseph pic.twitter.com/pcYc98DWzJ
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) May 19, 2025

Dzierwa will toe the slab in the Big Ten Tournament as the Spartans snuck in as the 12th and final team to qualify. The tournament begins Tuesday afternoon in Omaha, Nebraska. It will be his second time pitching in the tournament after earning two appearances when he was a freshman in 2023.

He hurled 4.2 innings in the Spartans' season-ending loss to Nebraska, allowing just one run on six hits with six strikeouts. He is seeking an even better outing, one that mimics a lot of what he did this season, holding an 8-3 record and being the top arm in the conference.

There is fan voting for the 47th Golden Spikes Award. You can vote HERE for who you think deserves the most illustrious award in college baseball.

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