OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — LSU center fielder Dylan Crews, projected to be the No. 1 pick in the amateur draft next month, on Sunday was honored as the winner of the Golden Spikes Award as the top amateur baseball player in the country.

Crews, the Southeastern Conference player of the year for the second straight season, led the Tigers to the College World Series finals and is among the national leaders in most offensive categories. He's first in runs scored (94), second in on-base percentage (.562), fifth in hits (104) and sixth in batting average (.418).

Crews is the 10th Golden Spikes winner from the Southeastern Conference and the second from LSU. The Tigers' Ben McDonald won the award in 1989.

“Dylan Crews has been one of the nation’s best college baseball players since he arrived at LSU in 2021,” USA Baseball executive director and CEO Paul Seiler said. “His extraordinary 2023 season, in addition to his generous charitable work off the baseball field, make him an extremely worthy winner of this award."

Of the 44 previous Golden Spikes winners, three have won the Cy Young Award, three have been a Most Valuable Player and 20 have been selected to at least one All-Star team as a player or manager.

The winner was selected through voting by national baseball media, select professional baseball personnel, USA Baseball staff and previous winners.

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