As the 2024 MLB season comes to a close, it is time to distribute well-deserved awards and honors. USA Baseball alumni flooded stadiums nationwide and made headlines on the daily, so be sure to follow along and see which former Team USA players earn recognitions for outstanding play throughout the season!
GOLD GLOVE
C Patrick Bailey (2016 18U, 2018, 2019 Collegiate National Team): After being named a Gold Glove finalist in 2023, Bailey takes home the prestigious award in 2024 as the National League’s best defensive backstop. The NC State alum was not just elite in the NL, but he led all catchers in defensive runs saved (20) and was the best pitch framer according to Baseball Savant. In 2016, Bailey started four games behind the plate en route to winning gold with the 18U National Team and also played in back-to-back summers with the Collegiate National Team.
3B Alex Bregman (2010 16U, 2011 18U, 2013, 2014 Collegiate National Team, 2017 Pro): A two-time All-Star and World Series champion, Bregman adds to his accolades his first ever Gold Glove Award. Sound defensive play is not anything new to Bregman, as Houston’s everyday third baseman posted a career-best outs above average (6) and led the American League in fielding percentage (.972). Bregman marks only the second time in franchise history the Astros have a Gold Glove winner at third base. The nine-year MLB vet has donned the stars and stripes five times throughout his career and has won a gold medal in four of those campaigns. Most notably, Bregman hit .564 and led the 16U National Team in RBIs to lead Team USA to a gold medal in the 2010 COPABE Pan American Championships.
3B Matt Chapman (2013 Collegiate National Team): For the fifth time in his career and second consecutive year, Chapman earned Gold Glove honors at the hot corner. Chapman topped all third basemen in defensive runs saved (17) and tied for first in the bigs in outs above average at third base (11). The eight-year MLB vet joins elite company, becoming only the third third baseman to win a Gold Glove in both the AL and NL, alongside Matt Williams and Robin Ventura. With Team USA, Chapman earned the role as the everyday third baseman and routinely batted cleanup for the Collegiate National Team, hitting .278 while leading the squad in RBIs (20).
2B Brice Turang (2014 15U, 2016, 2017 18U): The 2018 first-round Draft pick topped the National League in defensive runs saved (22) and became the first Brewers second baseman to earn Gold Glove honors and the club’s first middle infielder to do so since Robin Yount in 1982. Alongside Turang’s first Gold Glove is some additional golden hardware, as the California native helped the 18U National team win the 2016 COPABE Pan American Championships and 2017 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup. Turang started all nine games at shortstop and batted .353 with a pair of triples en route to winning a gold medal with Team USA in 2016.
CF Daulton Varsho (2019 Pro): Like his predecessor, Kevin Kiermaier, Varsho made improbable catches with ease and was a force to be dealt with in Toronto’s outfield. Varsho’s 3.1 defensive WAR was the most among any player in the league per Baseball Reference. The former second round Draft pick made his debut with USA Baseball in 2019, when Varsho played in the outfield in the WBSC Premier12 tournament.
SS Bobby Witt Jr. (2018 18U, 2023 Pro): Witt broke out in 2024 and earned his first Gold Glove in addition to being named an All-Star and the American League batting champion. The third-year Royal started at short in 160 games and led all AL shortstops in outs above average (16) and defensive runs above average (17.6). Witt’s first Gold Glove season saw the shortstop turn 73 double plays and notch a .974 fielding percentage. In addition to being a part of the 2023 WBC roster, Witt led the gold medal-winning 2018 18U National Team in batting average (.576), triples (3), and runs scored (18).
