St. John's University Athletics
Joe Panik Takes Home First Gold Glove Award
11/9/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
QUEENS, N.Y. - After helping the San Francisco Giants reach their second postseason in just his third year with the club, Joe Panik has been named a recipient of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, recognizing him as the top defensive second baseman in the National League.
In a career-high 126 appearances in the field with the Giants this season, Panik committed just five errors in 601 total chances, good enough for a NL-leading fielding percentage of .992 among everyday second basemen. Only Robinson Cano of Seattle turned in a higher fielding percentage (.996) at the position in all of Major League Baseball. The Hopewell Junction, N.Y., native also helped turn 82 double plays in 2016.
In addition to his accomplishments in the field, Panik also registered a number of career-high performances at the dish, recording 10 homers, seven triples, 62 RBIs and 50 walks.
The 26-year-old came into peak form in the NLDS against the eventual World Champion Chicago Cubs, going 6-for-10 with an OPS of 1.415 and a pair of RBIs, including a game-winning double in the bottom of the 13th inning in Game Three.
Panik's professional success is a continuation of his stellar career at St. John's from 2009-11. A First Round selection (29th overall) by the Giant's in 2011, Panik led the Johnnies to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances in 2010 and 2011, including the program's first BIG EAST title in 13 years during that 2010 campaign. A 2011 ABCA/Rawlings All-American and a 2009 NBCWA Freshman All-American, Panik was a career .370 hitter for the Red Storm, highlighted by a .398 showing during his junior campaign.