CINCINNATI — On the highlight montage presented during Sunday night’s Gold Glove Awards show on ESPN, the first play shown for Ke’Bryan Hayes was in his Pittsburgh Pirates uniform, robbing a Cincinnati Reds player of a hit.

The Reds knew they were getting an elite defender when the team traded for the 28-year-old Hayes from the Pirates on July 30, but knowing he’s an elite defender and seeing it every day was different.

Sunday, the rest of baseball recognized how good a defender Hayes is when he won the second Gold Glove of his career. Hayes won the award in 2023, as well. Hayes is the first Red to win a Gold Glove since catcher Tucker Barnhart in 2020 and the first infielder since Brandon Phillips won a Gold Glove at second base in 2013.

Reds first baseman Spencer Steer was a finalist for the National League’s Gold Glove in his first full season at the position. Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson won his third Gold Glove.

Although Hayes played just 52 games for the Reds after the trade, he quickly made an impression with his defense at third base.

“We watched him and saw him (with Pittsburgh), but I think when he’s on your team, it kind of stands out a little more,” said Reds starter Andrew Abbott.

That’s two-time Gold Glove third baseman, Ke’Bryan Hayes.

Congrats, @KeBryanHayes! 🔑 pic.twitter.com/DbWrL0eVXg

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) November 3, 2025

Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall and general manager Brad Meador wanted to improve the team’s defense at the trade deadline, and their solution was to trade for Hayes, moving Noelvi Marte from third base to left field full-time. Marte played his first game in the first series after the All-Star break. Marte’s quick study opened the possibilities for the Reds at the trade deadline. Instead of trading for an outfielder, they traded for a third baseman, moving Marte to the outfield.

“At the deadline, we were looking at how do we solve third base and how do we improve our overall defense,” Meador said. “(Hayes) being the best defensive third baseman in the league was an obvious choice as they were looking to trade him.”

Hayes, who came with the reputation as a great fielder and bad hitter, had an error and a three-run home run in his first game with his new team. He quickly made several plays, showing his reputation was well-earned.

“When you turn the corner and you know you have a Gold Glover over there, it kind of changes your mentality on what are the realm of possibilities, like what plays can we make?” Abbott said in August, after Hayes had played just a handful of games with his new team. “I think between me and every other starter and every other pitcher, we’ve seen it all — bare-handed play, bunt play, foul-ball catches, diving plays. I feel like it’s just all encompassing. He does it all.”

Hayes led all third basemen with 21 outs above average and a Fielding Run Value of 17. Hayes led all third basemen in baseball with 16 defensive runs saved, according to Sports Info Solutions.

Hayes also won the Fielding Bible Award at third base. Unlike the Gold Gloves, the Fielding Bible Awards only honor one player at each position instead of one in each league. Hayes, who also won the Fielding Bible Award at third base in 2021 and 2023, was just the second Reds player to ever win a Fielding Bible Award. Phillips won it at second base in 2008.

“This guy can defend like the old (Nolan) Arenado,” Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy said of Hayes.

Steer, 27, has been a utility player for the Reds in his four seasons with the team, but this year was his first year primarily playing first base. Steer started 113 games at first base this year and eight in left field. Steer started 56 games at first in 2024 and 91 in left field. Steer played only two games at first base in the minor leagues.

The Gold Gloves are voted on by each team’s manager and up to six coaches on each staff. Voters chose from a pool of qualified players in their league and could not vote for players on their own team.

A statistical component is used for approximately 25 percent of the result, using the SABR Defensive Index. Hayes’ SDI of 16.1 was best in baseball. American League Gold Glove winner at third base, Maikel Garcia of the Kansas City Royals, had the second-best SDI in baseball at 11.7. Chicago Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw was second in the National League at 5.4.

Steer finished second in SDI at first base in the National League at 7.1, with Olson leading in the statistic with an SDI of 14.2.