Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award

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.

Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award

Sport	Baseball
League	Major League Baseball
Awarded for	Best defensive player at each position; best overall defensive player; best defensive team
Sponsored by	Wilson Sporting Goods
Presented by	Major League Baseball
History
First award	2012
Most recent	Roberto Pérez (overall) Houston Astros (team)

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.

American League (2012–2013) 2012[2] Player Team Position J. J. Hardy Baltimore Orioles SS Dustin Pedroia Boston Red Sox 2B Robinson Canó New York Yankees 2B José Molina Tampa Bay Rays C Brett Lawrie Toronto Blue Jays 3B Alexei Ramírez Chicago White Sox SS Jason Kipnis Cleveland Indians 2B Austin Jackson Detroit Tigers OF Lorenzo Cain Kansas City Royals OF Denard Span Minnesota Twins OF Mike Trout Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim OF Josh Reddick Oakland Athletics OF Brendan Ryan Seattle Mariners SS Adrián Beltré Texas Rangers 3B

National League (2012–2013) 2012[2] Player Team Position Michael Bourn Atlanta Braves OF Giancarlo Stanton Miami Marlins OF David Wright New York Mets 3B Carlos Ruiz Philadelphia Phillies C Adam LaRoche Washington Nationals 1B Darwin Barney Chicago Cubs 2B Brandon Phillips Cincinnati Reds 2B Justin Maxwell Houston Astros OF Carlos Gómez Milwaukee Brewers OF Andrew McCutchen Pittsburgh Pirates OF Yadier Molina St. Louis Cardinals C Aaron Hill Arizona Diamondbacks 2B Carlos González Colorado Rockies OF Matt Kemp Los Angeles Dodgers OF Chase Headley San Diego Padres 3B Brandon Crawford San Francisco Giants SS

2013[3] Player Team Position Manny Machado Baltimore Orioles 3B Dustin Pedroia (2) Boston Red Sox 2B Robinson Canó (2) New York Yankees 2B Evan Longoria Tampa Bay Rays 3B Colby Rasmus Toronto Blue Jays OF Gordon Beckham Chicago White Sox 2B Yan Gomes Cleveland Indians C Austin Jackson (2) Detroit Tigers OF Lorenzo Cain (2) Kansas City Royals OF Brian Dozier Minnesota Twins 2B J. B. Shuck Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim OF Matt Dominguez Houston Astros 3B Josh Reddick (2) Oakland Athletics OF Dustin Ackley Seattle Mariners 2B Craig Gentry Texas Rangers OF

2013[3] Player Team Position Andrelton Simmons Atlanta Braves SS Donovan Solano Miami Marlins 2B Juan Lagares New York Mets OF Carlos Ruiz (2) Philadelphia Phillies C Denard Span (2) Washington Nationals OF Darwin Barney (2) Chicago Cubs 2B Jay Bruce Cincinnati Reds OF Carlos Gómez (2) Milwaukee Brewers OF Russell Martin Pittsburgh Pirates C Yadier Molina (2) St. Louis Cardinals C Gerardo Parra Arizona Diamondbacks OF DJ LeMahieu Colorado Rockies 2B Juan Uribe Los Angeles Dodgers 3B Chris Denorfia San Diego Padres OF Gregor Blanco San Francisco Giants OF

Major League Baseball (2014–2019)

Year	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF	C	P	Ref.
2014	Adrián González	Ian Kinsler	Juan Uribe (2)	Andrelton Simmons (2)	Alex Gordon	Lorenzo Cain (3)	Jason Heyward	Russell Martin (2)	Johnny Cueto	[4]
2015	Paul Goldschmidt	Dee Gordon	Nolan Arenado	Andrelton Simmons (3)	Starling Marte	Kevin Pillar	Jason Heyward (2)	Buster Posey	Jacob deGrom	[5]
2016	Anthony Rizzo	Dustin Pedroia (3)	Nolan Arenado (2)	Brandon Crawford (2)	Brett Gardner	Kevin Kiermaier	Mookie Betts	Buster Posey (2)	Zack Greinke	[6]
2017	Carlos Santana	DJ LeMahieu (2)	Nolan Arenado (3)	Andrelton Simmons (4)	Alex Gordon (2)	Byron Buxton	Yasiel Puig	Martin Maldonado	Tyler Chatwood	[7]
2018	Freddie Freeman	DJ LeMahieu (3)	Matt Chapman	Andrelton Simmons (5)	Alex Gordon (3)	Kevin Kiermaier (2)	Mookie Betts (2)	Mike Zunino	Zack Greinke (2)	[8]
2019	Freddie Freeman (2)	Kolten Wong	Matt Chapman (2)	Andrelton Simmons (6)	David Peralta	Lorenzo Cain (4)	Aaron Judge	Roberto Pérez	Zack Greinke (3)	[9]

Overall Defensive Player of the Year

Roberto Pérez, 2019 Defensive Player of the Year

See also: Platinum Glove Award

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 Braves	National	[2]
2013	Arizona Diamondbacks	National	[3]
2014	Cincinnati Reds	National	[4]
2015	Arizona Diamondbacks (2)	National	[5]
2016	San Francisco Giants	National	[6]
2017	Los Angeles Dodgers	National	[7]
2018	Arizona Diamondbacks (3)	National	[8]
2019	Houston Astros	American	[9]

See also

• Fielding Bible Award
• Esurance MLB Awards – includes Best Defensive Player
• Baseball awards § United States