Arizona baseball: Bobby Dalbec named to Golden Spikes Award preseason watch list

The biggest preseason honor for the Arizona utility man

After a month filled with preseason All-American nods, Arizona 3B/RHP Bobby Dalbec pulled in one final major nomination. The junior was named to USA Baseball's preseason Golden Spikes Award watch list.

Congratulations to Bobby Dalbec on being named to the Golden Spikes Award Watch List! #BearDown #MLBTrainingGround http://pic.twitter.com/BAVt4S6WCl

— Arizona Baseball (@ArizonaBaseball) February 16, 2016

The Golden Spikes Award is given to the best amateur baseball player in the country each year.

The Pac-12 has six players represented on the list, the third-most of any conference (11 from the SEC, nine from the ACC). The other players from the Pac-12 are: OSU C/IF KJ Harrison, Cal RHP Daulton Jefferies, Oregon LHP Matt Krook, Stanford RHP Cal Quantrill and ASU IF Colby Woodmansee.

Last year, Dalbec hit .319 in 55 games, the third-best average on the team. His 15 home runs led the Pac-12, and his .601 slugging % was nearly 40 points higher than the second-highest mark in the conference.

On the flip side, he struck out 60 times last year, which was second in the Pac-12. If Dalbec is to truly succeed in his draft year at Arizona, and have a realistic chance of winning the Golden Spikes Award, he'll need to cut down on his swing-and-miss percentage.

Arizona starts the season Friday night as they travel to Houston to take on the Rice Owls. First pitch is scheduled for 5 PM MT. There is a chance that Dalbec will be the starting pitcher, or possibly pitch in long relief at some point during the four-game weekend in Texas.

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