San Diego Padres: Myers up for Gold Glove Award

Though 2016 was not very successful for the San Diego Padres, outfielder and first baseman Wil Myers is being recognized for stellar defensive play.

There is a good degree of uncertainty for the San Diego Padres moving forward, without a doubt. But what the team does know for a fact is that they have one of the better all around young players in the game with Wil Myers.

On Thursday, Myers was announced as one of the 54 finalists for the 2016 Rawlings Gold Glove Awards. Of all major league players, Myers fits into this elite category because of his outstanding play at first base and in the outfield.

Playing the majority of 2016 at the first base position, the 25-year-old was both efficient and flashy. In a total of 149 games, he only committed three errors. This earned him a .998 fielding percentage, which is up there with the best of all time.

While Myers is not normally labeled as an outfielder, he filled the need ten times in 2016, committing no errors. This shows his versatility, making him an even more valuable defender.

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The only knock on Myers defensively is that he rarely makes highlight reel plays. While he may not be built to show up on Sportcenter’s “Top ten”, he does bring reliability which true fans crave. Plus, in actuality, Myers has made some very flashy plays at first base, as he is cut out for the position due to his range and quick reaction time.

Teams who are rebuilding value consistency and versatility. These are both characteristics exemplified by Myers when playing defense. As a result, the North Carolina native is up for one of baseball’s most prestigious series of awards.

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The winners of the Gold Glove Awards will be announced on November 8th at 5:00 PM PT on ESPN. Fans can tune in to see if Myers can reel in even more recognition for his productive season and win his first Gold Glove Award.