Ethan Long named as a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist

The Arizona State baseball season may be over, but national recognition for freshman sensation Ethan Long is not.

On Tuesday, Long was named to a group of 25 finalists for the Golden Spikes Award, which is handed out to the top collegiate baseball player in the nation.

Long is the first Sun Devil freshman to be named a Golden Spikes finalist since Spencer Torkelson in 2018. He was the top hitter on a squad that entered the NCAA Tournament with the youngest roster of players.

Recruited from Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix, Long was initially used as a relief pitcher through the first weeks of the season. He was impressive on the mound, pitching 6.2 innings, allowing zero earned runs and only three hits.

His pitching statistics became a footnote in the tale of his season as he wielded the hottest bat in the Pac-12 once conference play commenced.

Long became the first Pac-12 player to win the Pac-12 Player of the Week Award three times this season since 2019, when it was done by former Sun Devil Hunter Bishop.

Long joined Aaron Zavala of Oregon and Jacob Berry of Arizona as the three nominees from the Pac-12.

The week of May 3, Long was named Collegiate Baseball News’ National Player of the Week after he hit for a .500 average, 14 RBIs and five homers.

His final slash line is one for the Arizona State record books. Long ended his campaign with a .340 average, ninth all-time for a Sun Devil first-year.

He sported a staggering 1.121 OPS, recorded 16 home runs, which was good for a tie for second in the Pac-12, and drove in 54 runs.