LSU outfielder Zach Watson wins college Gold Glove honor for second straight year

BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU junior centerfielder Zach Watson was named Wednesday night as one of three outfielders on the 2019 American Baseball Coaches Association Gold Glove team for NCAA Division I. Watson was voted to the team for the second straight year.

Watson is the fourth LSU player to receive a Gold Glove award. Catcher Micah Gibbs was named to the 2009 Gold Glove team, and shortstop Alex Bregman and centerfielder Andrew Stevenson were 2015 Gold Glove honorees.

Watson is joined in the 2019 Gold Glove outfield by Zach Weatherford of Wright State and Josh Litchfield of Charleston Southern.

The other members of the 2019 Gold Glove team are catcher Adley Rutschmann of Oregon State, first baseman Gabe Matthews of Oregon, second baseman Salo Iza of New Orleans, third baseman Carson Maxwell of McNeese State, shortstop Cam Shepherd of Georgia and pitcher Steve Theetge of Bryant.

Watson, who has tremendous range in center field, committed just one error in 143 chances this season. The product of Ruston, La., batted .308 (73-for-237) with 17 doubles, seven homers, 42 RBI, 52 runs and 11 stolen bases.

Watson was selected earlier this month by the Baltimore Orioles in the third round of the Major League Baseball Draft.

The ABCA Gold Glove Awards are selected by ABCA coaches committees at each level: NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA Divisions I, II and III, Pacific Association Division, and High School.

The first ABCA Gold Glove teams were recognized in 2007, making this the 13th season the Gold Glove Awards have been presented in the collegiate and high school ranks.