CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Fifteen current big league ballplayers who participated in Perfect Game tournaments and showcases as teenagers have been named recipients of the 2020 Rawlings Gold Glove Award.
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award annually honors the best individual fielding performances at the nine positions in the American League and National League. This season, all nine National League and six of the nine American League honorees can count themselves as alumni of at least one PG event.
The list is headed by a pair of eight-time Gold Glove recipients: Royals leftfielder Alex Gordon in the AL and Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado in the NL.
Gordon, who has announced his retirement after 14 seasons in the big leagues and won Gold Gloves in 2011-14 and 2017-20, was at the inaugural PG National Showcase in St. Petersburg, Fla., in 2001. Arenado, the winner of eight straight Gold Gloves, was at the PG National in 2008.
Five alumni of the PG All-American Classic were honored, all for the first time. They are Mariners shortstop John Paul Crawford (2012 AAC) and Rangers right fielder Joey Gallo (2011) in the AL, and Braves left-hander Max Fried (2011), Cubs shortstop Javier Baez (2010) and Padres center fielder Trenton Grisham (2014) in the NL.
Crawford, Gallo, Fried and Baez attended the PG National the same summer they were invited to the Classic. Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart (2008), Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo (2006) and Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong (2007) are all alumni of the PG National Showcase. Rizzo has now earned four Rawlings Gold Gloves while Barnhart and Wong have each won two.
There were 27 finalists – three at each position – in both leagues. Sixteen of the AL finalists and 17 of the NL finalists are alumni of PG events.
What follows is a quick look at this year’s Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners who were on rosters in at least one PG event during their teen years (number of Gold Gloves won in parentheses):
American League
Catcher – Roberto Perez, Indians (2): 2005 WWBA
First Base – Evan White, Mariners (1): 2013 WWBA
Third Base – Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Rangers (1): 2009-10 WWBA
Shortstop – John Paul Crawford, Mariners (1): 2012 PG All-American Classic; 2012 National Showcase; 2011 California Underclass Showcase; 2011 PG National Games, 2011-12 WWBA
Left Field – Alex Gordon, Royals (8): 2001 PG National Showcase
Right Field – Joey Gallo, Rangers (1): 2011 PG All-American Classic; 2011 National Showcase; 2010 Junior National Showcase; 2010 California Underclass Showcase
National League
Pitcher – Max Fried, Braves (1): 2011 PG All-American Classic; 2011 National Showcase; 2011 WWBA
Catcher – Tucker Barnhart, Reds (2): 2008 National Showcase; 2006-08 WWBA
First Base – Anthony Rizzo, Cubs (4): 2006 National Showcase; 2006 Aflac Showcase; 2006 Sunshine East Showcase; 2005 National Underclass Showcase; 2005 National Open TP Showcase; 2005-07 WWBA/BCS
Second Base – Kolten Wong, Cardinals (2): 2007 National Showcase; 2006-08 PG Hawaii Showcase; 2007 WWBA
Third Base – Nolan Arenado, Rockies (8): 2008 National Showcase; 2008 Sunshine West Showcase; 2008 California Underclass Showcase; 2007 Rising Juniors National Showcase; 2007-08 WWBA/BCS
Shortstop – Javier Baez, Cubs (1): 2010 PG All-American Classic; 2010 National Showcase; 2010 WWBA/BCS
Left Field – Tyler O'Neill, Cardinals (1): 2012 WWBA
Center Field – Trenton Grisham, Padres (1): 2014 PG All-American Classic
Right Field – Mookie Betts, Dodgers (5): 2011 WWBA/BCS