Chris Stanfield’s golden glove and elite speed have made headlines on the baseball field. But off the diamond, the Auburn Tigers standout is doing something even more powerful—changing lives. And now, the world is taking notice. Stanfield has been named the 2025 recipient of the prestigious Tony Gwynn Community Service Trophy, an honor reserved for college baseball’s most selfless leader in service and impact.
While his athleticism electrifies Plainsman Park, it’s his heart, humility, and hands-on commitment to the underserved that have earned him comparisons to the award’s namesake—the late, great Tony Gwynn. In many ways, Stanfield is redefining what it means to be a student-athlete in this era of NIL deals and spotlight fame.
Let’s take a deep dive into how Chris Stanfield became the embodiment of service, the journey that brought him here, and the communities that will never forget the impact he’s made.
From Montgomery to Auburn: The Origin of a Servant Leader
Born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, Chris Stanfield grew up in a working-class family that instilled the value of giving back early in life. His mother, Denise, was a middle school teacher. His father, Carl, ran a local mechanic shop. Money was never abundant, but love and integrity were never lacking.
“I was raised to believe that blessings aren’t meant to stop with you,” Stanfield said in a recent interview. “If you’ve been given something—time, talent, or opportunity—you better find a way to share it.”
That belief followed him to Auburn University, where he quickly established himself not only as a star outfielder for the Tigers but as someone deeply interested in the wellbeing of his peers and community.
During his freshman year, while most of his teammates were still getting acclimated to college life, Stanfield quietly began volunteering at the Lee County Boys & Girls Club. That would soon expand into something much larger.
Beyond Baseball: A Heart for Change
By his sophomore year, Stanfield had launched the “C.L.E.A.T.” Initiative, an acronym for Community Leadership, Education, Athletics, and Transformation. The program, developed in partnership with Auburn University’s outreach center, uses baseball as a vehicle to empower underprivileged youth in East Alabama.
Through free clinics, mentorship programs, and school visits, Stanfield and his teammates have reached over 1,500 children and teens in just under two years.
“This wasn’t some vanity project,” said Auburn head coach Butch Thompson. “Chris built C.L.E.A.T. from the ground up. He organized meetings, raised funds, handled logistics—and made sure it wasn’t just a one-time thing. It’s sustainable. That’s rare in someone his age.”
In fact, Stanfield diverted nearly all of his NIL earnings—estimated at over $60,000 last year—toward sustaining the initiative. When offered national endorsement deals that could have padded his bank account, he instead negotiated community-service clauses that required companies to donate equipment or sponsor youth leagues.
A Voice for the Voiceless
In addition to his on-the-ground work, Stanfield has been a vocal advocate for mental health awareness and racial equity in youth sports. He collaborated with Auburn’s Office of Inclusion and Diversity to co-host a monthly seminar titled “Breaking Barriers: Leveling the Playing Field.” The event brought together former athletes, social workers, and academic scholars to address systemic issues affecting Black and Brown youth in sports.
“He is the first student-athlete I’ve ever met who would come to meetings not just with ideas, but PowerPoints, data, and measurable outcomes,” said Dr. Terrence Lyles, a sociology professor who advised Stanfield on the project.
The seminars gained traction, eventually drawing national attention from organizations like the NCAA and ESPN. Stanfield was later invited to speak on a panel at the 2025 NCAA Inclusion Forum, where he delivered an impassioned speech about economic disparities in baseball.
“If we want the game to grow, we can’t keep ignoring the price tag attached to opportunity,” he said. “Talent isn’t exclusive to zip codes with $400 bats and $3,000 travel teams.”
A Scholar and a Teammate
Despite his off-field commitments, Stanfield has remained an academic standout, maintaining a 3.89 GPA as a double major in Public Administration and Sociology. He was recently named a CoSIDA Academic All-American and was a finalist for the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
His teammates describe him as a “glue guy”—someone who brings people together, mediates disputes, and celebrates everyone’s success as if it were his own.
“I’ve never seen a guy cheer louder for a walk-off that wasn’t his,” said Tigers second baseman Caden Green. “That’s who he is—he’s happy when everyone else is winning.”
That leadership extends into the locker room and onto the field. Stanfield helped captain the 2025 Auburn team to a 42–16 record, anchoring the outfield with acrobatic catches and posting a .316 batting average with 29 stolen bases. His poise under pressure and work ethic have led scouts to project him as a potential Day 2 selection in the upcoming MLB Draft.
The Tony Gwynn Connection
Named after the San Diego Padres legend who was as respected for his community service as he was for his eight NL batting titles, the Tony Gwynn Community Service Trophy is awarded annually to the college baseball player who exemplifies the spirit of giving, mentorship, and servant leadership.
Past winners include MLB names like Marcus Stroman, Tim Anderson, and former LSU star Antoine Duplantis. This year, the selection committee said Stanfield’s name was at the top of their board from the moment nominations opened.
“Chris’s work transcends the definition of service—it’s impact, it’s policy, it’s heart,” said Gwynn’s widow, Alicia Gwynn, during the award ceremony. “He’s the kind of man Tony would’ve invited over for dinner just to say, ‘Keep going.’”
Stanfield accepted the award in a modest ceremony held at Auburn’s Plainsman Park, where dozens of kids from the C.L.E.A.T. Initiative wore custom “#7 STANFIELD” jerseys and cheered him on.
“This award is not mine alone,” he said, fighting back tears. “It belongs to every child who believed in a better tomorrow, every parent who trusted us with their little one, and every teammate who said, ‘Let’s make a difference today.’ I’m just the messenger.”
What’s Next for Stanfield?
While MLB stardom may be in his future, Stanfield insists that his identity will never be confined to a baseball field. His dream, long-term, is to establish a national nonprofit that merges youth sports with civic engagement.
“Baseball is the bridge, not the destination,” he says. “If I can help kids find their voice through this game, then we’ve done something right.”
He’s already received offers to join leadership summits, serve as an ambassador for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and collaborate with MLB’s “Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities” (RBI) initiative.
But for now, Stanfield says he’s focused on graduating, finishing what could be a historic season at Auburn, and continuing to build his program into something that lasts well beyond his time in a Tigers jersey.
Legacy in the Making
In an era where college athletes often make headlines for transfers, deals, or controversies, Chris Stanfield stands apart as a beacon of purpose and principle. His name now etched alongside Tony Gwynn’s legacy serves as a reminder that the truest victories happen far away from the scoreboard.
“Chris represents everything that’s good about the game,” Coach Thompson said. “He’s not just a great ballplayer—he’s a great human. And this award is just the beginning of what he’s going to mean to the world.”
Whether he’s patrolling center field, mentoring a fifth grader, or challenging institutions to think bigger, Chris Stanfield is proving that greatness starts with giving. And with the Tony Gwynn Community Service Trophy in hand, he’s taking his rightful place among the game’s most impactful figures—one cleat, one kid, and one community at a time.
