For five straight seasons now, there have been at least 10 first-time recipients. That includes a record-tying 14 in 2024, when only four players captured one for a second straight time.
In other words, the Gold Gloves are not easy to predict on a year-to-year basis. Nonetheless, as the 2025 season approaches its midpoint — teams will play their 81st games this week — let’s take a look at how those races are shaping up.
A panel of MLB.com writers and researchers voted on which slick fielders they think will receive the Gold Gloves at the end of the season (not just who is most deserving as of now). Here are the results.
(All stats are through Sunday’s games.)
Cal Raleigh is the reigning winner here, but while the Mariners slugger is having an incredible offensive season in 2025, his defensive metrics have not been quite as gaudy as they were a year ago. That gives Kirk an opening to win his first Gold Glove, in his age-26 season, becoming the sixth AL catcher to win in as many years. While Kirk isn’t blessed with a cannon arm, he has found other ways to combat the running game (97th percentile in caught stealing above average, per Statcast), to go with elite framing and pitch blocking (100th percentile in both). That all leads to a Fielding Run Value of plus-13, best among all players this year.
The catcher position has seen some impressive Gold Glove runs over the years, from Johnny Bench to Ivan Rodriguez to Yadier Molina. While it’s far too early to put Bailey in that category, the 26-year-old looks to be on his way to a second straight Gold Glove after winning in 2024, his first full MLB season. Bailey ranked first in Statcast’s pitch framing metric in ‘23 (even in just 97 games) and ‘24, and he’s a close second to Kirk this year. That speaks to why Bailey remains the Giants’ regular catcher, even with an OPS below .600.
A year ago, Santana became the oldest non-pitcher to win his first career Gold Glove, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Our panel thinks he’ll run it back in his age-39 season and third stint with Cleveland, although Minnesota’s Ty France also received some consideration. Despite having more career games under his belt (2,151) than any active player other than Andrew McCutchen, Santana is tied for third among all first basemen in 2025 with 4 Outs Above Average.
Olson was a two-time Gold Glover with the A’s (2018-19) but hasn’t won since, in part because Christian Walker has provided some stiff competition since Olson’s arrival in the NL, winning each of the past three years. Walker’s offseason move to Houston opened the door for Olson, who has responded with 8 Outs Above Average, easily the most among first basemen.
Toronto acquired Giménez from Cleveland this past offseason, in large part to help stabilize their infield defense. It’s worked. Despite missing almost a month with a right quad strain before returning on June 3, Giménez has 5 Outs Above Average. He leads all second baseman in that category (57 OAA) going back to his rookie season in 2020.
Hoerner won the NL Gold Glove at second in 2023 before the Brewers’ Brice Turang usurped him last year. Our panel expects Hoerner to take back the crown in 2025, with his 7 Outs Above Average tied for the MLB lead at that position. Since 2020, Hoerner has ranked in the 95th percentile or better in OAA on an annual basis.
Matt Chapman’s move to the NL last year helped free up Bregman to land his first Gold Glove in his age-31 season. After leaving the Astros for the Red Sox in free agency, Bregman just might nab his second in a row. He had 1 Out Above Average (and 5 Defensive Runs Saved) before hitting the injured list with a right quad strain on May 24, but in a season without a clear defensive standout among AL third baseman, at least according to the advanced metrics, the door remains open for Bregman.
Hayes ended Nolan Arenado’s 10-season win streak at NL third base in 2023 before Chapman beat him out in ‘24. Now it looks like Hayes may be back on top, as his 11 Outs Above Average is more than double his closest challenger at the hot corner. Hayes is especially adept at coming in on balls (4 OAA, tied for the best in MLB) and moving to his right, toward the line (7 OAA, first).
Witt transformed himself as a defender after a tough rookie season with the glove, and his 44 Outs Above Average since 2023 are tied with Giménez for the most at any position. He won his first Gold Glove last year, and the way things are looking, he’s not going one-and-done. Witt leads all players with 14 OAA in 2025, which is already close to his career high of 16 from a season ago.
It didn’t exactly make waves when the Braves acquired Allen from the A’s for a Minor League pitcher last November, but the 26-year-old quickly wound up snatching Atlanta’s starting shortstop job away from Orlando Arcia. Allen has held on to it, despite a sub-.600 OPS, in large part because he’s right behind Witt for the MLB lead in Outs Above Average, with 12. Our panel also has the Cardinals’ Masyn Winn, the Cubs’ Dansby Swanson and the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts — all much bigger names — in the mix at this position. But it’s Allen seemingly in the lead.
Kwan has won a Gold Glove in left field in each of his first three Major League seasons, but no one has stood out so far in 2025. Kwan himself has been worth -3 Outs Above Average, but as with a lot of corner outfielders, his value as a defender has much more to do with his arm, which is easily among the most valuable in baseball — to this point, it’s actually been the best by fielding run value (+4). As expected, this one was pretty highly contested — one-time Gold Glover Harrison Bader (+3 OAA) received nearly as many votes, and Riley Greene snuck in as well.
Left field looks about the same in the NL. At the start of play on Monday, June 23, Wood’s 1 OAA in left was tied for third-highest in baseball. That said, we’re not talking about a rangey position, and he does rank second in MLB with 7 DRS in left. There is a challenger worth watching here — also receiving a few votes was Isaac Collins, who’s played so well he’s forced the Brewers to keep finding him playing time, leads all big leaguers with 6 OAA in left.
Clarke made his Major League debut on May 23 and has already convinced the majority of our voters. In four full weeks as a big league center fielder, he’s won every single Play of the Week Award issued, but the web gems are just a bonus for his case. After 27 games, Clarke has 10 OAA, the 2nd-most among outfielders and tied for 6th across baseball. Ceddanne Rafaela, whose +11 fielding run value is tied for the second-most for any player at any position, was the only other player to receive votes.
Already the owner of one of the most efficient 20-20 seasons in MLB history, the Cubs’ up-and-coming superstar is actually more valuable in center field than he is at the plate, at least as far as Statcast’s metrics are concerned. His 9 OAA in center are an NL-best, and his arm (which averages 92.6 mph on competitive throws) only makes him more of a standout.
There was no consensus here, nor were there any other vote-getters. Abreu currently leads the AL with 4 Outs Above Average in right field, but Judge is just behind him (3 OAA). Both have excellent arms but get very different treatment from baserunners, who after 10 years are deterred by Judge’s presence but more freely challenge the 25-year-old Abreu — as a result, Abreu has four outfield assists where Judge has only one, but Statcast rates Judge’s arm (+2 fielding runs) above Abreu’s (0). A win for Abreu would make it two in a row; Judge, despite his expansive award collection, is still looking for his first Gold Glove.
We need the occasional reminder that Tatis is actually a shortstop. He won his first Gold Glove as a brand new right fielder in 2023, and our panel currently sees his path to a second one as being pretty clear. He leads all right fielders with +8 Outs Above Average — about twice as many as anyone else to this point, and just short of his 2023 total (9).
Considering Bregman’s injury, and if not for Giménez’s, Clement might be the favorite at third, but the month he spent covering second base shook things up a little bit. Through Sunday, he’s played 48 games at third, 20 at second, nine at short and seven at first, and his combined 11 Outs Above Average are tied for 3rd-most in MLB. The panel also gave some love to Javier Báez (3 OAA), who’s spent time in center to make room for Gleyber Torres and Trey Sweeney in the Tigers’ infield, and Mauricio Dubón, who’s seen action at six different positions but has accumulated most of his 8 OAA at second.
The class of true utility men is pretty small this year; Edman has 3 Outs Above Average splitting time between second base, where he won a Gold Glove with the Cardinals in 2021, and center field. Receiving a vote each were the last year’s winner Jared Triolo (3 OAA at all four infield positions) and the Marlins’ Otto Lopez (7 OAA between second and short.)
Fried already has three of these from his time with the Braves — he won three in a row, in fact, from 2020-22 — and he’s been hovering around the top of the DRS leaderboard and already has five pickoffs on the year, one shy of his personal record. Repeat winners aren’t a rarity, but now that he’s with the Yankees, Fried could become the fourth pitcher to win a Gold Glove in both leagues after Mark Buehrle, Jim Kaat and Bobby Shantz. Luis Severino, actually leading all AL pitchers with 5 DRS through Sunday’s action, also received one vote.
Leading all pitchers with 6 DRS, Schwellenbach was the unanimous choice in the NL, which would certainly be in keeping with recent history. A win for the young right-hander would make it two in a row and five of six for the Braves rotation after Fried (2020-22) and Chris Sale (2024).