Hayes Wins Second Straight Rawlings Gold Glove Award
October 8, 2018 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
CURVE, Pa. - Altoona Curve third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes has been named a recipient of the 2018 Rawlings Gold Glove Award for defensive excellence, Minor League Baseball and Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc., announced on Monday.
This season, Hayes led all minor league third basemen with a .978 fielding percentage, an Altoona franchise record and the highest by a third baseman in the Eastern League dating back to at least 1959, which is the earliest year the statistic is available.
The 21-year-old infielder committed only six errors over a league-high 278 total chances at third. He also led all E.L. third basemen with 116 games played, 72 putouts, 200 assists and 29 double plays.
Hayes was also selected as the third base representative on the Eastern League End-of-Season All-Star team, and he was the starting third baseman for the Western Division in the 2018 Eastern League All-Star Classic at ARM & HAMMER Park in Trenton, N.J. and for the U.S. Team in the 2018 All-Stars Futures Game at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. At the end of the regular season, he was selected as the Altoona Curve Defender of the Year.
"Each night, he does something that you don't think that you'll see from a third baseman," said Altoona manager Michael Ryan at the end of the season. "He's by far the best young third baseman that I've ever laid eyes on, just the way he can slow down the game of baseball. He's a special defender."
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award is awarded to nine recipients, one at each position, selected from players in the 10 domestic-based, full-season Minor Leagues. Hayes and the other recipients will receive a Rawlings Gold Glove Award, modeled after the iconic award given to Major League Baseball's top defensive players, during the 2019 season.
Hayes, who also received the same award for the 2017 season, is the only repeat winner in this year's Gold Glove class.
"We're proud to recognize the Minor League recipients of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award who've continually showcased their superior defensive skills throughout the 2018 season," said Mike Thompson, Chief Marketing Officer 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 set the standard for defensive excellence in Minor League Baseball, 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 and our tremendous partners at Rawlings, I congratulate each of them on their outstanding seasons."
The 2018 Minor League Baseball recipients of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award are listed below:
1B: Evan White - Modesto (A+), Tacoma (AAA)
2B: Daniel Brito - Lakewood (A), Clearnwater (A+)
SS: Blake Trahan - Louisville (AAA)
3B: Ke'Bryan Hayes - Altoona (AA)
LF: Troy Stokes, Jr. - Biloxi (AA)
CF: Bryce Johnson - San Jose (A+)
RF: Logan Baldwin - Augusta (A)
C: Payton Henry - Wisconsin (A)
P: Bernardo Flores - Winston-Salem (A+), Birmingham (AA)
Hayes is ranked by MLB.com as Pittsburgh's No. 2 prospect, the No. 48 prospect in baseball and the No. 4 third base prospect. Baseball America named Hayes as the "Best Defensive Third Baseman" in the Eastern League in August.
Season tickets and Mini Plans for the 2019 Altoona Curve season are currently on sale by phone at 877.99.CURVE, online at AltoonaCurve.com or in person at the Peoples Natural Gas Field offices.
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