Blinn College sophomore catcher Brandon Ashy (Cypress) was awarded the 2018 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/ Rawlings NJCAA Division I Baseball Gold Glove after posting a .997 fielding percentage this season.
The honor is awarded to just nine players in the nation in each position.
"I was amazed to receive this honor and it meant the world to me because it means that others noticed the hard work that I put into excelling every day," Ashy said. "My coaches and teammates pushed me to be better than I ever thought I could be. Coach Tyler Johnson spent hours working with us every day and Coach Harvey McIntyre and Coach Blake Whitter taught me the game through a pitcher's perspective, which helped me play the game that much better and smarter."
Ashy is only the second player in Blinn history to receive the annual award. Former Blinn catcher Austin Morgan received the award in 2007 during its inaugural year.
"Ashy was the heart and soul of our team because he took pride in being a great defender and was there to make our team better every single day," McIntyre said. "He was a wonderful example of someone who worked hard to be the best player he could be and now he is looked at as the best defender in the nation behind home plate."
Ashy played in 49 games recorded 289 putouts and caught 27 runners stealing. He played in 49 games and hit .326, scored 44 runs, and led the Buccaneers with 46 runs batted in. He has been accepted into Texas A&M University and plans to pursue a degree in construction science.
Ashy earned first-team all-region and all-conference honors and was named the co-winner of the Leroy Dreyer MVP Diamond award.
"We couldn't be more proud of Ashy and how he represented our baseball program at Blinn," McIntyre said.
Ashy helped lead the Buccaneers to a 37-17 record and second-place finish in the Region XIV South Zone Division in 2018, earning a spot in the Region XIV tournament.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 38 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
