[RENO ACES RELEASE]
Former Reno Aces’ and Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker has been named the winner of the 2022 National League Rawlings Gold Glove Award®, as announced by Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc.
The award recognizes the best defensive players at their respective positions as voted by Major League Baseball managers and coaches.
Walker, 31, is Arizona’s first Gold Glove winner since a franchise-record three winners in 2019 with Nick Ahmed (SS), David Peralta (LF) and Zack Greinke (P) and the second D-backs first baseman to earn the accolade along with Paul Goldschmidt (2013, ’15, ’17).
Since 2015, the D-backs are third in the Majors with 11 Gold Glove Award winners, behind the Cardinals (13) and Royals (12).
Walker led all first basemen with 17 defensive runs saved (DRS), 11 more than Matt Olson/ATL (6) and Alfonso Rivas/CHC (6), marking the most by a first baseman since Joey Votto’s 18 in 2017 (source: The Fielding Bible).
Walker’s 17 DRS tied for fifth among NL infielders with SS Miguel Rojas/MIA, behind 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes/PIT (24), 2B Brendan Rodgers/COL (22), 3B Nolan Arenado/STL (19) and 2B Tommy Edman/STL (18) (source: The Fielding Bible).
Walker’s 14 Outs Above Average (OAA) ranked fourth among NL infielders, trailing SS Dansby Swanson/ATL (21), Edman (19), Hayes (18) and Arenado (15) (source: Baseball Savant).
Walker led Major League first basemen with a 12.2 SABR Defensive Index (SDI), 10.1 points higher than second place Luis Arraez/MIN (2.1).
