FORT MYERS, Fla. - Florida Gulf Coast junior pitcher Chris Sale was named to the Preseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List that was announced by USA Baseball on Thursday, marking the organization's first step toward identifying the top player in college baseball. Sponsored by Major League Baseball, the Golden Spikes Award will be presented in 2010 for the 33rd time.

Sale (Lakeland, Fla.), a 2010 Baseball America First Team All-American, Preseason All-Conference selection and A-Sun Preseason Pitcher of the Year, enters the 2010 season owning a 9-4 career record with three saves and a 2.94 ERA in 35 appearances. The Eagles’ junior lefthander posted a 2.72 ERA a season ago ranking him second in the Atlantic Sun. Sale ranked 26th in the nation in ERA and 26th in strikeouts (104) in 2009. Sale picked up Louisville Slugger Preseason Second Team All-American honors in addition to preseason Second Team recognition from PING!Baseball. Sale earned Cape Cod League Pitcher of the Year honors over the summer and Baseball America named Sale the top prospect in the Cape Cod League. He also earned First-Team All-Atlantic Sun honors in 2009.

The Watch List features 50 of the nation’s top amateur talents, and it will be a “rolling” list to ensure that athletes can play themselves into consideration for the Golden Spikes Award, to be presented live on Tuesday, July 13, at the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star FanFest in Anaheim, Calif.

Headlining the 2010 Watch List are six athletes who finished among the 30 semifinalists for the 2009 Golden Spikes Award. The players include Daniel Bibona (LHP, Sr., UC Irvine), Bryce Brentz (OF/RHP, Jr., Middle Tennessee), Deck McGuire (RHP, Jr., Georgia Tech), Addison Reed (RHP, Jr., San Diego State), Anthony Rendon (3B, So., Rice) and Alex Wimmers (RHP, Jr., Ohio State).

“We’re very pleased to announce the 50 members of the Preseason Watch List for the 2010 Golden Spikes Award,” said Paul Seiler, Executive Director/CEO of USA Baseball. “The level of amateur baseball talent in our country continues to rise each year, and there is no greater evidence of this than seeing six 2009 semifinalists named to the 2010 Watch List.”

The list of 50 names also features Bryce Harper of the College of Southern Nevada (J.C.). The freshman catcher is the only junior college player named to the list. Alex Fernandez, as a sophomore pitcher for Miami Dade Community College (now Miami Dade College) in 1990, stands as the only junior college player to ever win the Golden Spikes Award.

LSU leads all schools with four players named to the Watch List. Texas is second with three names and Alabama, Arkansas, Cal State Fullerton, Coastal Carolina, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Miami (Fla.), Rice and Virginia each have two.

The SEC tops all conferences with 15 Watch List players. Other leaders include the ACC with 10 athletes, the Big 12 with five, and the Big West and Conference USA with three each. FGCU is the only A-Sun school with a player named to the Watch List.

Juniors dominate the list with 35 players named. Sophomores are next with nine players, with seniors having five and Harper representing the lone freshman.

On Tuesday, June 1, USA Baseball officials will cut the Watch List of players to 30 names. The final list of 30 will then be sent to a voting body consisting of select professional baseball personnel, past USA Baseball National Team coaches, select members of the media, former USA Baseball sports information directors, and current USA Baseball staff - close to 150 voters in total.

Fan voting will once again be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2010. June 1 will also mark the day when college baseball fans from across the country will be able to vote for their favorite player for the Golden Spikes Award on GoldenSpikesAward.com. As part of this selection process all voters will be asked to choose five players from the list of 30 names. On Tuesday, June 8, USA Baseball will announce the five finalists, and voting will once again commence that same day.

The 2010 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award will be presented nationally July 13 on an award show via live telecast from Anaheim on GoldenSpikesAward.com, USABaseball.com and MLB.com in conjunction with All-Star FanFest.

Past winners of the Golden Spikes Award include Terry Francona (1980), Will Clark (1985), Robin Ventura (1988), Jason Varitek (1994), J.D. Drew (1997), Mark Prior (2001), Jered Weaver (2004), Tim Lincecum (2006), David Price (2007), Buster Posey (2008) and last year’s winner, Stephen Strasburg.

2010 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Important Dates *Thursday, Feb. 18 – 50-man Watch List released, shaped by USA Baseball officials, advisors and college SIDs *Tuesday, June 1 – 30 semifinalists announced, selected by USA Baseball officials, semifinalist voting begins, voters to select five *Friday, June 4 – Deadline for finalist votes, 5 p.m. ET *Tuesday, June 8 – Five finalists announced, finalist voting begins, voters to select one *Friday, June 18 – Deadline for winner votes, 5 p.m. ET *Tuesday, July 13 – Golden Spikes Award presentation live at All-Star FanFest in Anaheim.