LOUISVILLE, Ky. – University of Louisville junior catcher Will Smith was named Sunday to the 2016 American Baseball Coaches Association Gold Glove Team becoming the first Cardinals player to earn the prestigious defensive honor.
A Louisville native, Smith closed the season with a .998 fielding percentage committing just one error in 46 starts and 55 total appearances. Chosen in the first round of the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Smith successfully threw out 44 percent of stolen base attempts this season while closing his third collegiate season with a .997 career fielding percentage. The Kentucky Country Day product also had his best offensive season finishing with a .382 batting average, seven home runs and 43 RBI.
The ABCA Gold Glove Team is selected by the ABCA All-America committee. The ABCA, founded in 1945, is the primary professional organization for baseball coaches at the amateur level. Its over 8,200 members represent all 50 states and 23 countries.
The Cardinals closed the 2016 season with a 50-14 record overall after winning their second straight ACC Atlantic Division championship, advancing to their fourth straight NCAA Super Regional and reaching the 50-win plateau for the fourth time in school history.
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