PLATINUM GLOVE AWARD

The Best Defensive Player in Major League Baseball | Baseball Almanac

The Platinum Glove Award is given to the best defensive player of the year from each league. To determine the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award winners, fans select one player among the nine Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners from each League.

Platinum Glove Award History

At the conclusion of the 2011 Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners announcement show on ESPN2's "Baseball Tonight," Rawlings Sporting Goods Company unveiled the first-ever Rawlings Platinum Glove Award™ fan vote to find out who the best defensive baseball player is among this year's Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners.

Listed below in chronological order is every recipient of the Platinum Glove Award, the best defensive player in Major League Baseball. Research by Baseball Almanac.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"Once the Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners are announced, the 'watercooler' debate as to who is the best defensive player rages with friends, co-workers and now across the social media landscape. Since major-league managers and coaches select the 18 Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners, we wanted to create an outlet and an icon for the fans to voice their opinion as to who 'the best of the best' is on the diamond. The Rawlings Gold Glove Award is an iconic symbol of defensive skill, dedication and execution. We wanted to elevate the anticipation for the winners' announcement, and with the inaugural Rawlings Platinum Glove Award fan vote, create an interactive forum for baseball fans around the world to be part of the award process."- Thompson, Mike. Rawlings Senior Vice President of Marketing. Press Release. 2 November 2011.

Platinum Glove Award

In Chronological Order | By Rawlings

2011 AL Adrian Beltre (1) Texas 3B 3
2011 NL Yadier Molina (1) St. Louis C 4
2012 AL Adrian Beltre (2) Texas 3B 4
2012 NL Yadier Molina (2) St. Louis C 5
2013 AL Manny Machado (1) Baltimore 3B 1
2013 NL Andrelton Simmons (1) Atlanta SS 1
2014 AL Alex Gordon (1) Kansas City LF 4
2014 NL Yadier Molina (3) St. Louis C 7
2015 AL Kevin Kiermaier (1) Tampa Bay CF 1
2015 NL Yadier Molina (4) St. Louis C 8
2016 AL Francisco Lindor (1) Cleveland SS 1
2016 NL Anthony Rizzo (1) Chicago 1B 1
2017 AL Byron Buxton (1) Minnesota CF 1
2017 NL Nolan Arenado (1) Colorado 3B 5
2018 AL Matt Chapman (1) Oakland 3B 1
2018 NL Nolan Arenado (2) Colorado 3B 6
2019 AL Matt Chapman (2) Oakland 3B 2
2019 NL Nolan Arenado (3) Colorado 3B 7
2020 AL Alex Gordon (2) Kansas City LF 8
2020 NL Nolan Arenado (4) Colorado 3B 8
2021 AL Carlos Correa (1) Houston SS 1
2021 NL Nolan Arenado (5) St. Louis 3B 9
2022 AL Jose Trevino (1) New York C 1
2022 NL Nolan Arenado (6) St. Louis 3B 10
2023 AL Andrés Giménez (1) Cleveland 2B 2
2023 NL Fernando Tatis Jr. (1) San Diego RF 1
2024 NL Not Yet Determined (x) -- -- --
2024 AL Not Yet Determined (x) -- -- --
Platinum Gloves | Baseball Almanac | Baseball Awards
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Platinum Glove Award voting begins at the conclusion of the exclusive ESPN2 broadcast for Gold Glove Awards on Rawlings Facebook Page. Winners are announced on MLB Network.

Did you know that both the 2012 winners (Yadier Molina & Adrian Beltre) won the inaugural Rawlings Platinum Glove Award in 2011? Trivia questions answered: Who won the first Platinum Glove Award? Which player (from each league) was the first to win two Platinum Glove Awards? Which player (from each league) was the first to win consecutive Platinum Glove Awards?

These players, according to Rawlings, were the best defensive player in the entire Major Leagues. Do you agree? Do you disagree? Share your opinions with us on our Baseball Almanac Facebook Group, on Baseball Almanac Twitter, via Baseball Almanac Messenger, or our baseball forum — Baseball Fever.