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Mookie Betts, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Headline 2022 MLB Gold Glove Award Finalists

Mike Chiari@@mikechiariFeatured Columnist IVOctober 20, 2022

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 15: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers rounds third base on his way to scoring a run on a sacrifice fly ball hit by Will Smith #16 during the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres in game four of the National League Division Series at PETCO Park on October 15, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Rawlings announced the finalists for the 2022 Major League Baseball Gold Glove Awards on Thursday.

Here is a rundown of the three finalists at each position in both the National and American Leagues, ahead of the winners being announced next month.


National League

Pitcher

Tyler Anderson - Los Angeles Dodgers

Corbin Burnes - Milwaukee Brewers

Max Fried - Atlanta Braves

Catcher

Travis d'Arnaud - Atlanta Braves

Tomas Nido - New York Mets

J.T. Realmuto - Philadelphia Phillies

First Base

Paul Goldschmidt - St. Louis Cardinals

Matt Olson - Atlanta Braves

Christian Walker - Arizona Diamondbacks

Second Base

Jake Cronenworth - San Diego Padres

Tommy Edman - St. Louis Cardinals

Brendan Rodgers - Colorado Rockies

Third Base

Nolan Arenado - St. Louis Cardinals

Ke'Bryan Hayes - Pittsburgh Pirates

Ryan McMahon - Colorado Rockies

Shortstop

Ha-Seong Kim - San Diego Padres

Miguel Rojas - Miami Marlins

Dansby Swanson - Atlanta Braves

Left Field

Ian Happ - Chicago Cubs

David Peralta - Arizona Diamondbacks

Christian Yelich - Milwaukee Brewers

Center Field

Trent Grisham, San Diego Padres

Victor Robles, Washington Nationals

Alek Thomas, Arizona Diamondbacks

Right Field

Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers

Juan Soto, Washington Nationals/San Diego Padres

Daulton Varsho, Arizona Diamondbacks

Utility

Brendan Donovan, St. Louis Cardinals

Tommy Edman, St. Louis Cardinals

Daulton Varsho, Arizona Diamondbacks


American League

Pitcher

Jose Berrios - Toronto Blue Jays

Shane Bieber - Cleveland Guardians

Jameson Taillon - New York Yankees

Catcher

Sean Murphy - Oakland Athletics

Cal Raleigh - Seattle Mariners

Jose Trevino - New York Yankees

First Base

Luis Arraez - Minnesota Twins

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - Toronto Blue Jays

Anthony Rizzo - New York Yankees

Second Base

Andres Gimenez - Cleveland Guardians

Jonathan Schoop - Detroit Tigers

Marcus Semien - Texas Rangers

Third Base

Matt Chapman - Toronto Blue Jays

Ramon Urias - Baltimore Orioles

Jose Ramirez - Cleveland Guardians

Shortstop

Xander Bogaerts - Boston Red Sox

Carlos Correa - Minnesota Twins

Jeremy Pena - Houston Astros

Left Field

Andrew Benintendi - Kansas City Royals/New York Yankees

Steven Kwan - Cleveland Guardians

Brandon Marsh - Los Angeles Angels

Center Field

Cedric Mullins, Baltimore Orioles

Myles Straw, Cleveland Guardians

Michael A. Taylor, Kansas City Royals

Right Field

Jackie Bradley Jr., Boston Red Sox/Toronto Blue Jays

Max Kepler, Minnesota Twins

Kyle Tucker, Houston Astros

Utility

DJ LeMahieu, New York Yankees

Whit Merrifield, Kansas City Royals/Toronto Blue Jays

Luis Rengifo, Los Angeles Angels


A pair of St. Louis Cardinals teammates and NL MVP candidates in third baseman Nolan Arenado and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt are among the headliners on the list of finalists.

Arenado, who hit .293 with 30 home runs and 103 RBI for the NL Central champion Cards is the active leader in Gold Gloves among players who were nominated with nine.

The only third basemen in MLB history with more Gold Gloves than Arenado are Brooks Robinson with 16 and Mike Schmidt, who will be matched if Arenado wins his 10th this year.

Arenado also has the most Platinum Glove Awards in MLB history with five, having won the award in each of the past five seasons.

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes may represent Arenado's toughest competition in years, as he led Major League Baseball in total runs saved this season with 24, while Arenado was tied for sixth overall and was second among third basemen with 19, per Fielding Bible.

Goldschmidt is the NL MVP front-runner after hitting .317 with 35 homers and 115 RBI, and he also has a chance to add to his impressive Gold Glove haul.

He's already a four-time Gold Glove Award winner, and he is seeking his second such award in a row.

Six-time All-Star Mookie Betts is also looking to add to his impressive career haul of Gold Gloves, having already won five during his career.

Betts has not won a Gold Glove since his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020, but with 15 runs saved, he finished just one behind fellow NL right field nominee Daulton Varsho of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

One notable player vying for their first career Gold Glove Award is slugging Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Vlad is best known for his prolific power after crushing 48 home runs in 2021 and 32 this season, but he has come a long way as a defender as well.

After beginning his career as a third baseman, Guerrero made the switch to first base, and he has thrived to the point that he is now considered one of the premier fielders at the position.

Several teams are well represented in terms of Gold Glove nominees, but none more than the New York Yankees, Cleveland Guardians and Cardinals, who had five nominees each.

The Cardinals only had four different players nominated since Tommy Edman made the cut at both second base and utility, whereas the Yankees and Guardians had five unique players each.

Fittingly, the Yankees and Guardians are coming off meeting in a tightly contested American League Division Series playoff matchup that saw New York prevail in five games.

Catcher Jose Trevino is a heavy favorite to win a Gold Glove for the Yanks after ranking third this season among all players in runs saved, while Guardians players Andres Gimenez, Myles Straw and Steven Kwan were all in the top 16 in baseball in that category.