DURHAM, N.C. – Oklahoma pitcher Jonathan Gray and Stanford pitcher Mark Appel, viewed as the top prospects in this week's amateur draft, were overlooked as the finalists for the Golden Spikes Award.
Vanderbilt pitcher Tyler Beede, San Diego infielder Kris Bryant and North Carolina infielder Colin Moran were the three finalists announced Tuesday by the U.S. Baseball Federation. Beede, a sophomore, is not eligible for the draft, which starts Thursday. Bryant and Moran are juniors and can be selected by big league teams.
Gray and Appel were among the 30 semifinalists for the award, which will be announced July 19 in Los Angeles. Appel was drafted by Pittsburgh and didn't sign last year, when he was a Golden Spikes finalist and lost out to Florida catcher Mike Zunino, who signed with Seattle.
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