Florida State catcher Buster Posey added yet another piece of hardware to his trophy case Wednesday, winning USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award. Posey received the award at a ceremony in the Sports Museum of America in New York, beating out fellow finalists Gordon Beckham, Aaron Crow, Brian Matusz and Brett Wallace. Posey swept every major player of the year award in 2008, including Baseball America’s Player of the Year award.

Posey becomes just the second catcher to win the Golden Spikes in the award’s 31-year history, joining Georgia Tech’s Jason Varitek in 1994. There was little suspense surrounding the award, as Posey led the nation in batting (.472), on-base percentage (.572) and slugging (.908) and led Florida State with six saves without giving up an earned run. He helped the Seminoles get to the College World Series for the first time since 2000.

"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 exception," said USA Baseball executive director/CEO Paul Seiler, who presented the award to Posey in partnership with Major League Baseball and MLB Advanced Media. "Buster Posey, however, separated himself from the other candidates with an exceptional year both at and behind the plate and as a leader of his Florida State ball club. We are honored to present him with the 2008 trophy."