CARY, N.C. – Georgia’s Charlie Condon was named the 46th winner of the Golden Spikes Award presented by Chinook Seedery today during a live presentation on ESPN. Created in 1978, the Golden Spikes Award honors the top amateur baseball player in the United States based on their athletic ability, sportsmanship, character, and overall contribution to the sport.
After being the fifth finalist in Georgia program history, Condon becomes the first-ever winner from the school. He is the 11th winner from the Southeastern Conference (SEC), which is the most of any conference in the nation.
“In a season that featured outstanding individual efforts from a wide range of players, Charlie Condon stood above the rest,” said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball’s Executive Director/CEO. “Charlie’s 2024 season was nothing short of incredible to watch and he is greatly deserving of this honor. We are excited for Charlie to join our brotherhood of Golden Spikes Award winners and look forward to celebrating his special season.”
Condon sits atop the national leaderboard in nearly every statistical category after a record-setting season in 2024. The redshirt sophomore set the BBCOR-era record with 37 home runs while also leading the nation in batting average (.433), slugging percentage (1.009), total bases (233), and OPS (1.565). Condon–who took home SEC Player of the Year honors–also ranks top six nationally in on-base percentage (.556) and runs scored (84). Additionally, his 100 hits, 57 walks, and 20 doubles are good for top four in the SEC. During conference play, Condon paced the SEC with a .983 slugging percentage, a 1.517 OPS, and 42 runs scored, also tying for the conference lead with 41 RBIs and 28 walks.
During his award-winning season, Condon had seven multi-home run games while also homering in eight consecutive contests from April 26-May 9, which is one home run short of the NCAA record for most consecutive games with a longball. He finished the 2024 season just three homers shy of the SEC single-season home run record, and he is tied for fifth all-time in the conference for career homers with 62 in just two seasons. Condon finished the regular season on a 24-game hitting streak and had 32 games with two hits or more, including 12 games with at least three knocks. He opened the 2024 campaign with nine consecutive games with multiple hits, homering seven times over that span.
In addition to his conference player of the year honors, Condon was a First Team All-SEC member at third base. He was named the conference’s player of the week on three separate occasions in 2024 and earned a spot on the NCAA Athens Regional All-Tournament Team after guiding the Bulldogs to a Super Regional appearance with a .500 average and a home run over three games. Condon, a finance major, is a member of the annual SEC Academic Honor Roll.
Condon joins a group of past winners that includes Dylan Crews (2023), Ivan Melendez (2022), Kevin Kopps (2021), Adley Rutschman (2019), 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).
Historically, Golden Spikes Award winners have gone on to have tremendous success in the Major Leagues. Of the 45 previous winners, six have earned Rookie of the Year honors, including Lewis in 2020. Additionally, three have won the Cy Young Award, three were named MVP, and 11 have won a World Series championship as a player or manager, combining for 18 championships. Twenty-one previous winners have also been named to at least one All-Star Game roster as a player or manager, combining for 62 total selections.
The award winner was selected through the distribution of ballots to a voting body consisting of national baseball media, select professional baseball personnel and USA Baseball staff, and the previous winners of the award, totaling a group of more than 100 voters. Fan voting continued to be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2024 and contributed to the voting total.
Golden Spikes Award Winners:
2024: Charlie Condon - Georgia
2023: Dylan Crews - LSU
2022: Ivan Melendez - Texas
2021: Kevin Kopps - Arkansas
2019: Adley Rutschman - Oregon State
2018: Andrew Vaughn - California
2017: Brendan McKay - Louisville
2016: Kyle Lewis - Mercer
2015: Andrew Benintendi - Arkansas
2014: A.J. Reed - Kentucky
2013: Kris Bryant - San Diego
2012: Mike Zunino - Florida
2011: Trevor Bauer - UCLA
2010: Bryce Harper - Southern Nevada
2009: Stephen Strasburg - San Diego State
2008: Buster Posey - Florida State
2007: David Price - Vanderbilt
2006: Tim Lincecum - Washington
2005: Alex Gordon - Nebraska
2004: Jered Weaver - Long Beach State
2003: Rickie Weeks - Southern
2002: Khalil Greene - Clemson
2001: Mark Prior - Southern California
2000: Kip Bouknight - South Carolina
1999: Jason Jennings - Baylor
1998: Pat Burrell - Miami
1997: J.D. Drew - Florida State
1996: Travis Lee - San Diego State
1995: Mark Kotsay - Cal State Fullerton
1994: Jason Varitek - Georgia Tech
1993: Darren Dreifort - Wichita State
1992: Phil Nevin - Cal State Fullerton
1991: Mike Kelly - Arizona State
1990: Alex Fernandez - Miami Dade CC
1989: Ben McDonald - LSU
1988: Robin Ventura - Oklahoma State
1987: Jim Abbott - Michigan
1986: Mike Loynd - Florida State
1985: Will Clark - Mississippi State
1984: Oddibe McDowell - Arizona State
1983: Dave Magadan - Alabama
1982: Augie Schmidt - New Orleans
1981: Mike Fuentes - Florida State
1980: Terry Francona - Arizona
1979: Tim Wallach - Cal State Fullerton
1978: Bob Horner - Arizona State
