USA Baseball announced the three finalists for the 2026 Golden Spikes Award on June 10. And, there weren’t many surprises, to say the least. Either Daniel Jackson, Roch Cholowsky, or Landon Hairston will take home the prestigious amateur baseball award.
A look at the finalists
Georgia Bulldog Daniel Jackson is the only one of the three to still be playing this season. Jackson has been a world-beater for UGA this season, as he currently stands fourth in Division I in slugging (.837) and third in home runs (31). His 31st home run was a significant one, as it gave Georgia a lead in Game 2 of the Supers that would not be relinquished.
Additionally, Jackson heads into Omaha with history on his mind. Not only does he have the chance to win a national title but Jackson also has 26 stolen bases. He needs four to achieve an extremely rare 30-30 season.
The other two are both players with pro bloodlines, Roch Cholowsky and Landon Hairston.
Roch, the son of former Cardinals prospect Dan Cholowsky, actually had a better statistical season in 2025. However, it was still a dominant campaign for the UCLA standout, who is expected to be taken either first or not too long after that in the upcoming 2026 MLB Draft.
Cholowsky slashed .320/.452/.636 with 21 home runs, 31 extra-base hits, and was a leader for a UCLA Bruins team that spent virtually the entire season at the #1-ranked team in the country. However, two losses to Saint Mary’s (CA) ended the Bruins’ season in the Regionals.
The other player is Arizona State star Landon Hairston, the son of former big-leaguer Scott Hairston.
Hairston was one of 13 qualified players to, as of June 10, have a batting average of .400 or better (Jackson’s average was .396 heading into Omaha). Not draft-eligible until 2027, Hairston slashed .400/.509/.860 with 28 home runs and 50 extra-base hits for ASU this season.
The sophomore’s finest stretch this season came in late March, as Hairston hit seven of his home runs over a five-game stretch.
When will the Golden Spikes be handed out?
The presentation will be on June 29, at 7:30 PM ET, on MLB Network.
Check out more of our college baseball rankings.