Redwood Empire grads in running for top college baseball award

Two local baseball products are on the midseason watch list for the Golden Spikes Award, an honor given to the nation’s top amateur baseball player.

Andrew Vaughn, a Maria Carrillo grad who is in his sophomore season playing first base at Cal, has the third-highest batting average in the nation at .446. His on-base percentage is the best in the country (.598) and his slugging percentage is second (.941).

Vaughn, who was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year after his breakout debut campaign, was named to the 55- player preseason watch list at the beginning of the season.

Playing his way on to the 40-man midseason list is Casa Grande grad Spencer Torkelson, a freshman at Arizona State. Torkelson is leading the nation in homers at 15 while hitting .306 with a slugging percentage of .744.

Just behind Torkelson in the home run rankings is Vaughn, who is tied for second at 14.

Torkelson, who plays first base for the Sun Devils, is the only freshman on the midseason watch list.

Finalists will be announced June 6 and the winner will be named at a ceremony June 28 in Los Angeles.