Mercer’s Lewis on Golden Spikes Award preseason watch list

MACON, Georgia (MERCER ATHLETICS)  – Mercer University junior Kyle Lewis became the first player in program to be named to the Golden Spikes Award Watch List, as USA Baseball announced the 50-player preseason list on Tuesday.

Lewis, a preseason All-American by five publications and the 2016 SoCon Preseason Player of the Year, was on the only representative from the Southern Conference on the list, while joining Georgia Tech’s Kel Johnson as the two student-athletes from Georgia’s NCAA Division I programs.

The preseason watch list features 50 of the nation’s top amateur players, from high school and college baseball. The Golden Spikes Award Advisory Board will maintain a rolling list of athletes, allowing players to play themselves into consideration for the award throughout the season.

Lewis had a breakout season in 2015, filling his mantle with a host of national and league honors. The centerfielder became the first player in program history to take home the prestigious Gregg Olson Breakout Player of the Year Award, while also garnering Second Team All-America recognition from multiple publications to go along with his SoCon Player of the Year accolades. He carried that momentum to the summer, participating in the TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby on ESPN and earning a bid to the Cape Cod League All-Star Game.

The Snellville, Ga., product fell just shy of the SoCon triple crown last season, topping the conference in batting average (.367) and home runs (17) while finishing fifth in RBIs (56) on his way to the league’s Player of the Year honors. He also led the SoCon in slugging percentage and total bases in 2015, while posting 28 multiple-hit performances and 15 multiple-RBI efforts.

Click here for the complete 2016 Golden Spikes Preseason Watch list.

Mercer opens its 2016 season this Friday, as the Bears kick off the new campaign with a three-game series against 2015 NCAA Regional participant, Radford, at Claude Smith Field on Feb. 19-21.