Thompson Named to USA Baseball Golden Spikes Watch List

Feb. 18, 2010

DURHAM, N.C. –

Kansas junior third baseman Tony Thompson has been named to the Golden Spikes Award preseason Watch List by USA Baseball. Sponsored by Major League Baseball, the Golden Spikes Award will be presented in 2010 for the 33rd time.

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.

Thompson, a 6-foot-3 junior infielder from Reno, Nev., was a unanimous preseason All-America selection as well as the preseason favorite for Big 12 Player of the Year. He won the conference’s Triple Crown last year, leading the league in batting average (.389), home runs (21) and RBIs (82). He earned All-America recognition from three different publications last season, becoming the Jayhawks’ first All-American since Don Czyz in 2006.

Headlining the 2010 watch list are six athletes who finished among the 30 semifinalists for the 2009 Golden Spikes Award, including 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).

Thompson injured his knee during preseason practice and is expected to miss the first four weeks of the season.

The 25th-ranked Jayhawks will open the 2010 season on Monday with a doubleheader against Eastern Michigan at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minn. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.