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
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). Additionally, one player was selected from each league as that league's overall Defensive Player of the Year. 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. Since 2012, a single Defensive Team of the Year across all of MLB has also been named.
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.
American League (2012–2013) +2012PlayerTeamPosition Baltimore Orioles SS Boston Red Sox 2B New York Yankees 2B Tampa Bay Rays C Toronto Blue Jays 3B Chicago White Sox SS Cleveland Indians 2B Detroit Tigers OF Kansas City Royals OF Minnesota Twins OF Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim OF Oakland Athletics OF Seattle Mariners SS Texas Rangers 3B
National League (2012–2013) +2012PlayerTeamPosition Atlanta Braves OF Miami Marlins OF New York Mets 3B Philadelphia Phillies C Washington Nationals 1B Chicago Cubs 2B Cincinnati Reds 2B Houston Astros OF Milwaukee Brewers OF Pittsburgh Pirates OF St. Louis Cardinals C Arizona Diamondbacks 2B Colorado Rockies OF Los Angeles Dodgers OF San Diego Padres 3B San Francisco Giants SS
+2013PlayerTeamPosition Baltimore Orioles 3B (2) Boston Red Sox 2B (2) New York Yankees 2B Tampa Bay Rays 3B Toronto Blue Jays OF Chicago White Sox 2B Cleveland Indians C (2) Detroit Tigers OF (2) Kansas City Royals OF Minnesota Twins 2B Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim OF Houston Astros 3B (2) Oakland Athletics OF Seattle Mariners 2B Texas Rangers OF
+2013PlayerTeamPosition Atlanta Braves SS Miami Marlins 2B New York Mets OF (2) Philadelphia Phillies C (2) Washington Nationals OF (2) Chicago Cubs 2B Cincinnati Reds OF (2) Milwaukee Brewers OF Pittsburgh Pirates C (2) St. Louis Cardinals C Arizona Diamondbacks OF Colorado Rockies 2B Los Angeles Dodgers 3B San Diego Padres OF San Francisco Giants OF
Major League Baseball (2014–2019) Year 1B 2B 3B SS LF CF RF C P Ref. (2) (2) (3) (2) (3) (2) (3) (2) (2) (2) (2) (3) (4) (2) (3) (5) (3) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (6) (4) (3)
Overall 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. YearLeaguePlayerTeamPos.Ref.2012 (AL)AmericanLos Angeles Angels of AnaheimOF2012 (NL)NationalAtlanta BravesOF2013 (AL)AmericanBoston Red Sox2B2013 (NL)NationalArizona DiamondbacksOF2014NationalAtlanta BravesRF2015NationalAtlanta BravesSS2016AmericanBoston Red SoxRF2017AmericanMinnesota TwinsCF2018AmericanOakland Athletics3B2019AmericanCleveland IndiansC
Defensive Team of the Year
Numbers after a team's name indicate multiple times winning the award.
YearTeamLeagueRef.2012Atlanta Braves National2013Arizona Diamondbacks National2014Cincinnati Reds National2015Arizona Diamondbacks (2) National2016San Francisco Giants National2017Los Angeles Dodgers National2018Arizona Diamondbacks (3) National2019Houston Astros American
See also Fielding Bible Award Esurance MLB Awards – includes Best Defensive Player
References
External links All-time winners at MLB.com