Courtesy of Air Force Athletics 

COLORADO SPRINGS- After wowing Air Force fans with his defensive mastery throughout the entirety of the spring, Trayden Tamiya was named a national Gold Glove recipient to stamp his reputation as the country’s premier second baseman. The award, presented by the American Baseball Coaches Association in conjunction with Rawlings, is the first such honor to be awarded to an Air Force player.

Tamiya, nominated as a Gold Glove finalist alongside Indiana State’s Josue Urdaneta and UC-Irvine’s Will Bermudez, routinely dazzled attending audiences with his defensive work up the middle. The Hawaiian’s .992 fielding percentage was easily the highest mark among all Mountain West middle infielders, as Tamiya recorded just two errors in 243 chances at second base. Also responsible for 26 double plays, Tamiya’s 164 assists were second in the Mountain West, trailing teammate Aerik Joe by a single out despite 26 fewer fielding opportunities.

The now-Second Lieutenant provided nine assists in Air Force’s 12-6 win over San Diego State on March 26, the most assists by a player in the Mountain West in a single game this season. Tamiya establishes himself as the first Falcons to receive a national Gold Glove in the history of the program.

The entire list of the 2023 NCAA Division I Gold Glove recipients can be found below:

  • P: Tanner Hall, Southern Mississippi
  • C: Grant Magill, Indiana State
  • 1B: Stephen Klein, Stamford
  • 2B: Trayden Tamiya, Air Force
  • 3B: Sabin Cevallos, Oregon
  • SS: Jim Jarvis, Alabama
  • OF: Enrique Bradfield Jr., Vanderbilt
  • OF: Dylan Crews, LSU
  • OF: Ethan O’Donnell, Virginia