Ritter one of three players up for nation’s top defensive shortstop
Kentucky junior Ryan Ritter was named one of three finalists for the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove award, the honors the top defensive players in college baseball at each position, it was announced Monday. The winner will be revealed on Wednesday, June 22.
Ritter, a junior from the Chicago area, earlier was named to the Southeastern Conference All-Defensive Team as he continued to put on daily displays of his defensive wizardry at shortstop. He also added 24 extra-base hits and 15 stolen bases.
Ritter has made a name for himself with a defensive highlight reel that has helped him become one of the top Major League Baseball draft prospects this summer. He is projected to go in the top three rounds next month.
Ritter has a .972 career fielding percentage in 431 chances. He had a .978 fielding percentage with only five errors in 225 chances in the 2022 season.
Kentucky’s last Gold Glove winner was first baseman Evan White in 2016 and 2017, who went on to win the MLB Gold Glove in 2020. White was the first rookie first baseman in either league to win a Gold Glove since the award began in 1957.