Press Release: Minor League Baseball Announces 2017 Rawlings Gold Gloves
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Minor League Baseball and Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc., today announced the nine recipients of the 2017 Rawlings Gold Glove Award® for defensive excellence. The winners at each position were selected from players in the 10 domestic-based, full-season Minor Leagues. Each player will receive his own Rawlings Gold Glove Award, modeled after the iconic award given to Major League Baseball’s top defensive players, during the 2018 season.
“The Rawlings Gold Glove Award® is recognized as baseball’s highest measure of defensive excellence and this year’s nine Minor League Baseball recipients are certainly worthy of this incredible honor,” said Mike Thompson, Executive Vice-President of Marketing for Rawlings.
“Our long-standing partnership with Minor League Baseball continues to grow and evolve and we’re proud to share this prestigious award platform with its athletes.”
“This group has emerged as the finest in the field at the Minor League level, and I am pleased to honor these nine recipients with a Rawlings Gold Glove Award®,” said Minor League Baseball President & CEO Pat O’Conner. “On behalf of Minor League Baseball, I congratulate each of them on their outstanding seasons.”
The 2017 Minor League Baseball recipients of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award® are as follows:
Position Player Minor League Team(s) Major League Organization
1B Edwin Espinal Altoona (AA), Indianapolis (AAA) Pittsburgh
2B Scott Kingery Reading (AA), Lehigh Valley (AAA) Philadelphia
SS Daniel Castro Albuquerque (AAA) Colorado
3B Ke’Bryan Hayes Bradenton (A) Pittsburgh
LF Tyler Ramirez Stockton (A), Midland (AA) Oakland
CF Jacob Hannemann Tennessee (AA), Iowa (AAA) Chicago (NL), Seattle
RF Max Murphy Fort Myers (A), Chattanooga (AA) Minnesota
C Jose Trevino Frisco (AA) Texas
P Jordan Kipper Mobile (AA), Bowie (AA), Norfolk (AAA) Los Angeles (AL), Baltimore
Edwin Espinal posted the only perfect fielding percentage among Minor League first basemen in 2017. Espinal, 23, played 81 games at first base and recorded 698 putouts as an Eastern League All-Star with Double-A Altoona. He was promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis on July 28, finishing the year with 27 errorless games and 208 putouts as the Indians’ first baseman. A native of Mao Valverde, Dominican Republic, Espinal was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 27, 2011.
Second baseman Scott Kingery recorded a .989 fielding percentage in 113 games, the highest mark among second basemen in Minor League Baseball. The 23-year-old handled 277 total chances in 59 games for Double-A Reading, and 252 more in 54 games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley, helping turn 75 double plays across the two levels. Kingery was selected by the Phillies in the second round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Arizona.
Albuquerque Isotopes shortstop Daniel Castro led all Minor League Baseball shortstops with a .989 fielding percentage in 96 games. Castro committed just five errors in 435 total chances, had a hand in 63 double plays and finished with 298 assists at shortstop. The 24-year-old from Guaymas, Mexico, signed with Colorado as a minor league free agent on November 21, 2016. He was originally signed by the Atlanta Braves in 2010.
Bradenton Marauders third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes posted a .974 fielding percentage in 108 games at the hot corner. The 20-year-old committed only eight errors in 307 total chances, recording 245 assists. Hayes was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of Concordia Lutheran High School in Tomball, Texas.
Tyler Ramirez played 100 of his 128 defensive games in left field, and did not commit an error in 168 total chances with Class-A Stockton and Double-A Midland, finishing with a 1.000 fielding percentage. The Oakland Athletics selected Ramirez in the seventh round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Center fielder Jacob Hannemann recorded a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 106 games, handling 240 total chances. The 26-year-old opened the season with Double-A Tennessee, and was promoted to Triple-A Iowa before the Seattle Mariners claimed him off waivers and brought him to the big leagues in September. Hannemann was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the third round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of Brigham Young University.
Max Murphy did not commit an error in 75 games in right field, nor in his 52 games in center, and recorded 18 outfield assists between Class-A Fort Myers and Double-A Chattanooga. Murphy, 24, secured 150 total chances across 669.2 total innings in right field. The Minnesota native was selected by the Twins in the ninth round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of Bradley University.
Catcher Jose Trevino earned a Rawlings Gold Glove for the second straight season after the 24-year-old finished with a .996 fielding percentage behind the plate. Trevino, 24, allowed just three passed balls while catching 99 games this year for Double-A Frisco. Trevino also limited the running game, throwing out 41.3 percent (33 of 80) of would-be base stealers. Trevino was selected by the Rangers in the sixthround 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of Oral Roberts University.
Pitcher Jordan Kipper posted a perfect fielding percentage while handling 42 total chances in 132.1 innings pitched over 26 appearances (19 starts). The 24-year-old opened the season in Double-A Mobile before a trade on May 6 sent him to the Baltimore Orioles organization, where he appeared in nine games for Double-A Bowie and 12 for Triple-A Norfolk. Kipper was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the ninth round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of Texas Christian University.
About Minor League Baseball
Minor League Baseball, headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, is the governing body for all professional baseball teams in the United States, Canada and the Dominican Republic that are affiliated with Major League Baseball® clubs through their farm systems. Fans are coming out in unprecedented numbers to this one-of-a-kind experience that can only be found at Minor League Baseball ballparks. In 2017, Minor League Baseball attracted 41.8 million fans to its ballparks to see the future stars of the sport hone their skills. From the electricity in the stands to the excitement on the field, Minor League Baseball has provided affordable family-friendly entertainment to people of all ages since its founding in 1901. For more information, visit www.MiLB.com. Follow Minor League Baseball on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About the Rawlings Gold Glove Award®
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award® is a registered trademark owned by Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. The award is correctly identified as the Rawlings Gold Glove Award. The name should not be shortened, abbreviated or otherwise misused. Proper identification of this service mark using the registration symbol and the Rawlings name is important to protect the integrity of the program and perpetuate this worthy tradition. For more information, please visit www.rawlingsgoldglove.com.
About Rawlings
Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. is an innovative manufacturer and marketer of sporting goods worldwideowned by leading consumer goods company Newell Brands (NYSE: NWL). Founded in 1887, Rawlings is an authentic global sports brand, trusted by generations of athletes of all skill levels. Rawlings’ unparalleled quality, innovative engineering and expert craftsmanship are the fundamental reasons why more professional athletes, national governing bodies and sports leagues choose Rawlings. Rawlings is the Official Ball Supplier and Batting Helmet of Major League Baseball®, the official baseball of Minor League Baseball™ and the NCAA®, and the approved baseball, basketball, football and softball of the National High School Federation®. For more information, please visit Rawlings.com or by phone at (314) 819-2800.
