The 2026 KBO Golden Glove awards race officially took shape as the Korea Baseball Organization released a list of 79 candidates spanning ten positions across the league. Media personnel covering the regular season will determine the winners through a voting process running ahead of the postseason.
Seventy Nine Candidates Named Across Eight Positions
The selection pool includes 25 pitchers, seven catchers, five first basemen, six second basemen, five third basemen, seven shortstop candidates, 21 outfielders, and three designated hitters. Qualification criteria for pitchers require meeting the regulation innings threshold or recording at least 10 wins, 30 saves, or 30 holds. Catchers and defensive infielders and outfielders must log a minimum of 720 defensive innings—calculated as the team’s total games multiplied by five. Designated hitters need 297 plate appearances, representing two-thirds of the league’s required threshold.
Club Representation Leaders and Voting Timeline Changes
KT Wiz, Samsung Lions, and LG Twins each placed ten players on the candidate list to lead all franchises in total representation, while the Hanang Eagles secured candidates across every position on the diamond. Voting opened immediately upon the announcement, utilizing a schedule adjustment implemented to keep the focus strictly on regular-season performances. The KBO shifted the ballot window from the conclusion of the Korean Series to the wild-card and playoff stretch, ensuring voters evaluate players based entirely on the 162-game campaign.
December Award Ceremony Scheduled in Seoul
The league office will announce the final ten Golden Glove recipients on Dec. 8 during an awards ceremony hosted at the Lotte Hotel World in Seoul. Individual statistical champions in each category automatically earn candidate status regardless of standard playing-time thresholds, provided any multi-position overlap is resolved by assigning the player to their most-frequented defensive spot.
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