NC State’s Cozart Named to Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List for Second Straight Season

CARY, N.C. – NC State catcher Jacob Cozart was named to USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List, as announced by the organization on Thursday afternoon. The Golden Spikes Award is awarded annually to the top amateur baseball player in the country.

Cozart, a junior from High Point, is one of just 45 student-athletes featured on this year’s Midseason Watch List. He is one of only eight repeat honorees who also made the Midseason Watch List in 2023.

Cozart has batted .330 this season with six homers, three doubles and 21 RBI. He ranks second on the NC State roster with a .475 on-base percentage and leads the team with 25 walks, recording six more walks than strikeouts through 26 games played this season.

In ACC play, Cozart has batted .326 in 12 league games, tying for second on the team with 15 hits against ACC opponents. He has also tallied two doubles and seven RBI in league play so far this season.

Defensively, Cozart has thrown out seven baserunners attempting to steal on 11 attempts, nailing opposing runners at a .611 clip. He leads the Wolfpack with 191 putouts.

D1Baseball recently named Cozart as its No. 22 overall college prospect for the upcoming 2024 MLB Draft. Cozart was also tabbed as the fifth-best catcher in the nation according to D1Baseball’s Week 6 Player Rankings released on March 27.

Fan voting will again play a part in the Golden Spikes Award in 2024. Baseball fans can vote for their favorite players on GoldenSpikesAward.com, beginning on May 20 with the naming of the semifinalists. USA Baseball will announce the finalists for the award on  June 5, and fan voting will once again open at GoldenSpikesAward.combefore closing on June 21.