WAPPINGERS FALLS- Minor League Baseball (MiLB) and Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc., today announced the nine recipients of the 2023 Rawlings Gold Glove Award® for defensive excellence. Hudson Valley Renegades infielder T.J. Rumfield was named the winner at first base, marking the first time ever that the Renegades have had a player win a Rawlings Gold Glove Award since the award was introduced in MiLB in 2011.
“We’re thankful for our long-standing partnership with Minor League Baseball that enables us to recognize the deserving 2023 recipients of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for their incomparable defensive ability,” said Mike Thompson, Chief Marketing Officer for Rawlings. “We congratulate this year’s Rawlings Gold Glove Award class of Minor League players and look forward to seeing their future baseball careers develop.”
“We are pleased to recognize these nine prospects with a Rawlings Gold Glove Award for their defensive excellence in 2023,” said Peter Woodfork, Major League Baseball’s Senior Vice President, Minor League Operations and Development. “On behalf of Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball and our great partners at Rawlings, I congratulate each of the winners for their outstanding seasons.”
Rumfield, 23, spent parts of the last two seasons with the Renegades, playing 56 games. He impressed by making several highlight-reel catches while tumbling into the stands and dugout, as well as posting a .991 fielding percentage in 329 total chances.
During the 2023 season, he played in 78 games combined between the Renegades and Double-A Somerset Patriots, posting 562 putouts and 34 assists for a .997 fielding percentage. He was originally drafted by the Phillies in the 12th round of the 2021 First-Year Player Draft out of Virginia Tech, and was acquired by the Yankees in November 2021 along with LHP Joel Valdez in exchange for RHP Nick Nelson and C Donny Sands.
