McMurray makes history with the award Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Auburn First Baseman Named as Gold Glove Award Finalist

Originally posted on Auburn Tigers on SI
By Micah Farmer | Last updated Jun 17, 2025 3:52 PM ET

Auburn First Baseman Cooper McMurray was named a finalist for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award on Monday. It would be the first Gold Glove for the senior from Tulsa, Okla. He is one of three finalists for the award at first base, the other two being UCLA’s Mulivai Levu and Indiana’s Jake Hanley.

The first baseman Auburn player to win the award since outfielder Trent Mummey won the award as a freshman in 2009. Mummey would play two more seasons for the Tigers after winning the award before being drafted by the Orioles in the fourth round in 2010.

McMurray was a rock at first base all season for an Auburn team that was awarded the No. 4 national seed in the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament. The Tigers advanced to the Auburn Super Regional before being eliminated by Coastal Carolina, ending the season with a 41-20 record. It was the fifth super regional appearance for the Tigers, and their first time hosting a super regional in program history.

McMurray had a fielding percentage of .994 for the 2025 season and committed just three errors, one of which didn’t come until Auburn’s final game in the Auburn Super Regional vs the Chanticleers. The first baseman also recorded 434 putouts and 28 assists.

He’s always been solid in the field, posting a career .994 fielding percentage. However, in an offseason that saw him injure his wrist during fall practice, McMurray took the opportunity to better himself as a player. The Auburn first baseman lost 30 pounds over the offseason, listed on the Auburn roster at 230 pounds rather than his previous 261 in 2024.

“I think it’s just being more of a complete player,” said McMurray. “I think it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while and kinda got to focus on it more mentally this fall.”

The changes were visible for McMurray during the 2025 season, not just in the field but in the batter’s box as well. His reactions at first seemed quicker and more controlled for much of the season, and his swing was noticeably more fluid.