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Former Florida Gator Harrison Bader Wins National League Golden Glove Award

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Baseball

Former Gator and current St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Harrison Bader was named the 2021 National League Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner in center field on Sunday night, as announced on ESPN.

This is Bader's first-career Gold Glove Award in his second-career nomination at the position.

Bader, who starred for the Gators from 2013-15, led all National League center fielders in outs above average (14), defensive runs saved (15) and range factor per nine innings (2.96). Across 886.2 innings in center, he produced a .990 fielding percentage with just three errors in 296 defensive chances while totaling three outfield assists.

Along with Bader's stellar defensive efforts, the fifth-year MLB outfielder had a career year at the plate. The Gators product batted .267/.324/.460, featuring the highest single-season on-base plus slugging mark of his career at .785. He also totaled 16 home runs, one triple, 21 doubles, 50 RBI, 45 runs and nine stolen bases, all the while helping to power the Cardinals to a franchise-record 17-game winning streak in September and an eventual playoff berth.

As a Gator, Bader slashed .313/.393/.466 across his three-year career with 76 hits including 20 home runs, five triples and 29 doubles. He also racked up 117 runs scored and 112 RBI while swiping 36 bags, becoming the 11th player in program history to record 20-plus homers, 100-plus RBI and 30-plus steals.

He finished his time in Orange and Blue with a .985 fielding percentage and posted a perfect 1.000 fielding clip across 134 defensive chances during his final campaign in 2015. In his last season, Bader recorded 10 outfield assists to bring his career total to 16.

Bader was named a Dick Howser Award Semifinalist and garnered All-America honors (Perfect Game: Second Team, NCBWA: Third Team) in 2015. He was also tabbed to the 2015 NCAA College World Series All-Tournament Team. In 2014, Bader collected All-SEC Second Team honors after receiving an SEC All-Freshman Team nod the year prior.

Following his standout Florida career, Bader was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals with the 100th overall pick in the third round of the 2015 MLB Draft.