NEW YORK – Florida State's Buster Posey won USA Baseball's Golden Spikes Award on Wednesday, becoming just the second catcher to be honored as the nation's top amateur player.

Posey, the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year, led the NCAA in batting average (.472), on-base percentage (.572) and slugging percentage (.908). The junior led Florida State with six saves and did not give up an earned run in eight appearances.

He was the fifth overall pick by the San Francisco Giants in the June draft.

The other finalists were Georgia shortstop Gordon Beckham, Missouri pitcher Aaron Crow, San Diego pitcher Brian Matusz and Arizona State third baseman Brett Wallace.

“Each year it becomes increasingly more difficult for our selection committee to select just one athlete for the Golden Spikes Award, and 2008 was no different,” said USA Baseball executive director Paul Seiler, who presented the award to Posey at the Sports Museum of America. “Buster Posey, however, separated himself from the other candidates with an exceptional year both at the plate and as a leader of his Florida State ballclub. We are honored to present him with the 2008 trophy.”

The only other catcher to win the Golden Spikes Award in its 31-year history was Jason Varitek, who received it in 1994 when he was at Georgia Tech.

Last year's winner was Vanderbilt pitcher David Price, who was drafted first overall and is playing in the minor leagues for Tampa Bay.

Other notable winners of the Golden Spikes Award were Giants right-hander Tim Linecum; Phillies outfielder Pat Burrell and All-Star game MVP J.D. Drew of the Boston Red Sox.