The Rawlings Gold Glove Award Winners for 2026
Major League Baseball and Rawlings revealed the official list of the 2026 Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners across the American League and National League, showcasing a significant influx of fresh defensive talent. The winners of the 2026 Rawlings Gold Glove Award were announced on Sunday, and for the second year, there were almost enough first-time winners to form a full team, with nine players capturing their first Gold Glove. Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks and Red Sox tied for the most honorees per team, with three each.
A Record-Breaking First for Pitching and International Stars
The 2026 selections included historic milestones across the diamond. New York Mets right-hander Nolan McLean became the first rookie pitcher in Major League Baseball history to capture a Gold Glove. Meanwhile, Honduran Mauricio Dubón secured his third career award—his first with the Atlanta Braves—solidifying his status as the most decorated player in the utility position category since its establishment in 2022.
American League Defensive Honorees
The American League roster featured standout performances across every position, led by the Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Cleveland Guardians. Dingler is one of four Tigers catchers to win this recognition, alongside Bill Freehan (1965-69), Lance Parrish (1983-85), and Hall of Famer Iván Rodríguez (2004, 2006-07). Christian Walker picked up his fourth career Gold Glove and his first with the Astros, after finishing tied for the American League lead in Defensive Runs Value with 7. Walker is the third Astros first baseman to receive this recognition, following Yuli Gurriel (2021) and Jeff Bagwell (1994).
The 2026 Rawlings Gold Glove Award Finalists – AL Catcher – Dillon Dingler, Brandon Valenzuela, Austin Wells#RawlingsGoldGloveAwards pic.twitter.com/pxZKq54Tfg
In the infield, Seattle’s Cole Young earned his first career honor in his second major league season by pacing American League second basemen with 16 Defensive Runs Saved, becoming the first Mariners second baseman to win the award since Bret Boone took it three straight years from 2002 to 2004, a streak that started before Young was born. Taylor Walls of the Tampa Bay Rays topped all shortstops with 21 Defensive Runs Saved to capture his first award, becoming the first Rays shortstop to win a Gold Glove and the club’s first winner at any position since center fielder Kevin Kiermaier in 2019. Caleb Durbin of the Boston Red Sox secured his first nod after leading AL third basemen with 13 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) after being acquired by the Red Sox days before Spring Training started, making him just the second third baseman in club history to win the award, following Frank Malone who won three straight from 1957 to 1959. Outfield honors went to New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger—who returned to the winners list after winning as a Dodgers right fielder in 2019 with 21 Defensive Runs Saved, tied for third in MLB, and eight assists fueled by a jump in average throw velocity to 93.3 miles per hour (94th percentile in MLB)—Boston center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela (who secured his second straight AL center field Gold Glove by ranking second among outfielders with 16 Outs Above Average and tying for third overall with 21 Defensive Runs Saved, becoming the first player to win consecutive AL center field Gold Gloves since Kevin Kiermaier from 2015 to 2016), and Boston right fielder Wilyer Abreu, who collected his third straight Gold Glove. Tanner Bibee of the Cleveland Guardians rounded out the pitcher selection, and Ezequiel Durán of the Texas Rangers took home the utility award.
National League Defensive Standouts
The National League ballot highlighted elite defensive campaigns from the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs, and New York Mets. Gabriel Moreno captured a Gold Glove behind the plate for Arizona, anchoring a strong showing for the franchise alongside outfield teammate Corbin Carroll in right field and shortstop Geraldo Perdomo.
Matt Olson anchored first base for Atlanta, while Brice Turang of the Milwaukee Brewers claimed honors at second base. In the outfield, Milwaukee’s 22-year-old Jackson Chourio earned his first career Gold Glove in left field, and Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong joined teammate Alex Bregman, who secured the third-base award. Nolan McLean of the Mets made history on the mound, and Mauricio Dubón added the utility honor for Atlanta.
Sabermetrics and Voting Mechanics
Established in 1957, the Rawlings Gold Glove Award recognizes the top defensive player at each position in both leagues. The voting process weighs input from MLB managers and coaches at 75%, combined with a 25% contribution from the sabermetric analytics community. Managers and coaches vote exclusively within their own league and cannot select players from their own ballclubs.
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