Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award
SportBaseball
LeagueMajor League Baseball
Awarded forBest defensive player at each position; best overall defensive player; best defensive team
Sponsored byWilson Sporting Goods
Presented byMajor League Baseball
History
First award2012
Most recentRoberto Pérez (overall)
Houston Astros (team)

The Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award was awarded annually to the best defensive player at each fielding position in Major League Baseball (MLB). The award was given between 2012 and 2019. An overall Defensive Player of the Year and a Defensive Team of the Year were also selected annually. Unlike the Rawlings Gold Glove Awards, which are voted on by major league managers and coaches, the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award winners were determined by statistics using sabermetrics.

History

Andrelton Simmons received a Defensive Player of the Year Award six times as a shortstop.

In 2012, baseball glove manufacturer Wilson created the Defensive Player of the Year Award to honor the best defensive player on each team in Major League Baseball (MLB).[1] Additionally, one player was selected from each league as that league's overall Defensive Player of the Year.[1] Starting in 2014, the individual awards are given to the best defensive player at each position, regardless of league, and there is a single Defensive Player of the Year for all of MLB.[1] Since 2012, a single Defensive Team of the Year across all of MLB has also been named.[1]

Various players have won a Defensive Player award multiple times, with Andrelton Simmons having the most wins, six. Zack Greinke is the only pitcher to have won multiple times, three. Denard Span was the first person to receive Defensive Player awards with two different teams, and in both leagues, having won in 2012 with the Minnesota Twins and in 2013 with the Washington Nationals. No one has been named Overall Defensive Player more than once, although the Atlanta Braves have had three winners and the Boston Red Sox have had two winners. The Arizona Diamondbacks are the only team to have been named Defensive Team of the Year multiple times, three.

Key

Year Links to the corresponding Major League Baseball season
1B First baseman
2B Second baseman
3B Third baseman
SS Shortstop
LF Left fielder
CF Center fielder
RF Right fielder
C Catcher
P Pitcher

Winners

During the first two years, the award was given to the best defensive player on each team in Major League Baseball. Starting in 2014, the award is given to the best fielder at each position in all of Major League Baseball. Numbers after a player's name indicate multiple times winning the award.

Major League Baseball (2014–2019)

Year1B2B3BSSLFCFRFCPRef.
2014Adrián GonzálezIan KinslerJuan Uribe (2)Andrelton Simmons (2)Alex GordonLorenzo Cain (3)Jason HeywardRussell Martin (2)Johnny Cueto[4]
2015Paul GoldschmidtDee GordonNolan ArenadoAndrelton Simmons (3)Starling MarteKevin PillarJason Heyward (2)Buster PoseyJacob deGrom[5]
2016Anthony RizzoDustin Pedroia (3)Nolan Arenado (2)Brandon Crawford (2)Brett GardnerKevin KiermaierMookie BettsBuster Posey (2)Zack Greinke[6]
2017Carlos SantanaDJ LeMahieu (2)Nolan Arenado (3)Andrelton Simmons (4)Alex Gordon (2)Byron BuxtonYasiel PuigMartin MaldonadoTyler Chatwood[7]
2018Freddie FreemanDJ LeMahieu (3)Matt ChapmanAndrelton Simmons (5)Alex Gordon (3)Kevin Kiermaier (2)Mookie Betts (2)Mike ZuninoZack Greinke (2)[8]
2019Freddie Freeman (2)Kolten WongMatt Chapman (2)Andrelton Simmons (6)David PeraltaLorenzo Cain (4)Aaron JudgeRoberto PérezZack Greinke (3)[9]

Overall Defensive Player of the Year

Roberto Pérez, 2019 Defensive Player of the Year

The Overall Defensive Player of the Year Award was inaugurated in 2012, with one player each from the American and National Leagues receiving the award. In 2014, the separate awards per league were eliminated, and in 2015 to 2019 only one player in all of Major League Baseball received the honor.

Year League Player Team Pos. Ref.
2012 (AL) American Mike Trout Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim OF [2]
2012 (NL) National Michael Bourn Atlanta Braves OF
2013 (AL) American Dustin Pedroia Boston Red Sox 2B [3]
2013 (NL) National Gerardo Parra Arizona Diamondbacks OF
2014 National Jason Heyward Atlanta Braves RF [4]
2015 National Andrelton Simmons Atlanta Braves SS [5]
2016 American Mookie Betts Boston Red Sox RF [6]
2017 American Byron Buxton Minnesota Twins CF [7]
2018 American Matt Chapman Oakland Athletics 3B [8]
2019 American Roberto Pérez Cleveland Indians C [9]

Defensive Team of the Year

Michael Bourn was a member of the 2012 Atlanta Braves, first Defensive Team of the Year award winner.

Numbers after a team's name indicate multiple times winning the award.

Year Team League Ref.
2012 Atlanta BravesNational [2]
2013 Arizona DiamondbacksNational [3]
2014 Cincinnati RedsNational [4]
2015 Arizona Diamondbacks (2)National [5]
2016 San Francisco GiantsNational [6]
2017 Los Angeles DodgersNational [7]
2018 Arizona Diamondbacks (3)National [8]
2019 Houston AstrosAmerican [9]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Wilson Defensive Player of The Year Award". Baseball Almanac. 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Berry, Adam (November 5, 2012). "Trout, Bourn, Braves top Wilson defensive awards". MLB.com. Archived from the original on November 13, 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2019 – via Wayback Machine.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Dustin Pedroia, Gerardo Parra win 2013 Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Awards". MLB.com. November 7, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 "Royals, Braves feature top Defensive Players". MLB.com. November 5, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 Miller, Doug (November 11, 2015). "What a catch: Top defenders unveiled". MLB.com. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 Miller, Doug (November 11, 2016). "Best Betts: Sox OF, Giants earn top defender honors". MLB.com. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 Schlegel, John (November 10, 2017). "Buxton, Dodgers are world's greatest glovers". MLB.com. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  8. 1 2 3 Thornburg, Chad (November 7, 2018). "Winners of Wilson defensive honors unveiled". MLB.com. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 Adler, David (November 6, 2019). "Defensive Player of the Year Award winners". MLB.com. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
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