Naturals OF Roccaforte Earns 2026 Rawlings Gold Glove Award

OF Carson Roccaforte becomes second player in Nats history to win Rawlings Gold Glove® Honors

By Northwest Arkansas Naturals

November 2, 2026

SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS — Minor League Baseball and Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc., announced the 2026 Rawlings Gold Glove Award® winners on Monday. 2026 Naturals center fielder Carson Roccaforte was one of nine recipients of the award for his efforts between Northwest Arkansas and the Omaha Storm Chasers (AAA). Roccaforte is

SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS — Minor League Baseball and Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc., announced the 2026 Rawlings Gold Glove Award® winners on Monday. 2026 Naturals center fielder Carson Roccaforte was one of nine recipients of the award for his efforts between Northwest Arkansas and the Omaha Storm Chasers (AAA). Roccaforte is the second Naturals player ever to earn a Gold Glove Award.

“Rawlings is pleased to recognize this year’s class of Minor League Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners as the “Finest in The Field,” said Mike Thompson, Chief Marketing Officer for Rawlings. “We are thankful for our long-standing partnership with Minor League Baseball that enables us to annually recognize these young players as they work their way up to the Major League level.”

Roccaforte made difficult plays look routine and had a nose for making the spectacular play. The Kansas City Royals' 2023 Competitive Balance Round B selection logged 320 putouts in the field between two levels, with 13 outfield assists, while posting a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.

Roccaforte, 24, joins Nick Pratto as the only Naturals in club history to claim the honor. Pratto won the award in 2021 with a .998 fielding at first base. Other Naturals who were MiLB Gold Glovers before they reached Northwest Arkansas include INF Michael Massey (2021) and LHP Frank Mozzicato (2024), both of whom achieved the honor with High-A Quad Cities.

“These players demonstrated exceptional defensive ability throughout the 2026 season, setting themselves apart as elite fielders,” said Peter Woodfork, Major League Baseball’s Senior Vice President, Minor League Operations and Development. “On behalf of Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball and our valued partners at Rawlings, I’m honored to congratulate each recipient of the prestigious Rawlings Gold Glove Award.”

Roccaforte joined the Naturals in 2025 and played in 45 games for a total of 155 in an NWA uniform. Over his 1,235.1 innings in the field, "Roc" never committed an error with the Naturals and accrued 13 outfield assists, 12 of which came for the Nats in 2026.

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