The 2025 Rawlings Gold Glove Award finalists have been announced, and leading the headlines is Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts, who has remarkably earned a nomination at shortstop—a position he fully embraced for the first time this season. His inclusion, alongside fellow Dodger Miguel Rojas, underscores a fascinating blend of veteran versatility and the ongoing evolution of defensive metrics in Major League Baseball.
The anticipation is building as Major League Baseball announced the finalists for the 2025 Rawlings Gold Glove Awards, recognizing the top three defensive players at each position in both the National and American Leagues. The winners, determined by a unique blend of managerial votes and advanced statistical analysis, will be revealed live on ESPN on Sunday, November 2.
For fans of defensive prowess and player versatility, one name stands out: Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers. A six-time Gold Glove winner in the outfield, Betts has made an extraordinary transition to shortstop, a position he played full-time for the first time in 2025. His nomination is a powerful testament to his elite athleticism and dedication to mastering one of baseball’s most demanding defensive roles.
Betts’ Astounding Shift to Shortstop
The move to shortstop for Mookie Betts was not a planned long-term strategy but rather an in-season adjustment necessitated by team needs. He had previously played 65 games at shortstop in 2024, but advanced metrics at the time did not grade him favorably. Undeterred, Betts committed to rigorous offseason training to refine his skills at the position.
His hard work paid off significantly. By the end of the 2025 season, Betts transformed himself into an above-average defender at shortstop, a remarkable feat for any player, let alone one who is 33 years old and previously known for his outfield excellence. This defensive turnaround has not only solidified the Dodgers’ infield but also garnered him a well-deserved Gold Glove finalist nod, vying for his seventh career Gold Glove and his first as a shortstop. His competitors for the National League shortstop Gold Glove are Nick Allen of the Atlanta Braves and Masyn Winn of the St. Louis Cardinals, both of whom ranked highly in defensive metrics, as noted by FanGraphs.
Miguel Rojas: The Dodgers’ Defensive Swiss Army Knife
Joining Betts among the finalists is his Dodgers teammate, Miguel Rojas, nominated for the Utility Player Gold Glove. Rojas has been an invaluable asset to the Dodgers, demonstrating incredible versatility by playing four different positions in 2025: second base, third base, shortstop, and first base. He even made four pitching appearances, showcasing his willingness to contribute in any capacity.
Rojas, a 36-year-old veteran, has never won a Gold Glove Award, making this nomination a significant milestone in his career. His competition for the National League utility award includes Javier Sanoja of the Miami Marlins and Jared Triolo of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rojas’s nomination extends the Dodgers’ impressive streak to a fourth consecutive year with multiple Gold Glove Award finalists, a testament to the club’s consistent defensive excellence. In 2024, the Dodgers were represented by Will Smith (catcher) and Kiké Hernández (utility), while Freddie Freeman, David Peralta, and Betts (right field and utility) were finalists in 2023. Betts was also a finalist in 2022 alongside Tyler Anderson, winning the award for right field that year, as reported by Dodger Blue.
The Intricate Gold Glove Selection Process
The selection of Gold Glove Award winners at the nine standard positions is a meticulous process that combines expert opinion with advanced analytics. Seventy-five percent of the selection total is determined by votes from MLB managers and up to six coaches from each team. Crucially, managers and coaches are prohibited from voting for their own players and can only submit ballots for those within their respective leagues. The remaining 25% of the selection total is accounted for by the SABR Defensive Index (SDI), which objectively measures a player’s defensive performance.
For the specialized Utility Gold Glove Award, Rawlings collaborates directly with the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) to create a distinct defensive formula. This specialized formula is separate from the traditional selection process, recognizing the unique challenges and demands of players who excel across multiple positions. The Gold Glove Award winners for all positions will be announced on ESPN on Sunday, November 2, as confirmed by MLB.com.
Beyond the Dodgers: Noteworthy Finalists Across MLB
While the Dodgers boast two strong contenders, other teams also have significant representation among the 2025 Gold Glove finalists. The Chicago Cubs lead all of MLB with an impressive six players named finalists, highlighting their organizational commitment to defense. In the American League, the Toronto Blue Jays topped their league with five Gold Glove Award finalists.
Notable individual finalists include Cleveland Guardians star José Ramírez at third base and Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., both prominent names vying for the prestigious award. Guerrero Jr. previously won the award in 2022. The Cubs’ Ian Happ is also a finalist in left field, seeking his fourth consecutive Gold Glove, while Patrick Bailey of the San Francisco Giants, an elite pitch-framer, could be the first NL catcher to win back-to-back Gold Gloves since Yadier Molina.
One particularly interesting nomination is Ernie Clement of the Blue Jays, who is a finalist at both third base and the utility position. This gives him a unique opportunity to potentially become the first player ever to win a Gold Glove at multiple positions in the same year, a rare feat that has only been achieved by a few players across different seasons.
The Fan’s Perspective: Valuing Defensive Excellence
For the fan community, the Gold Glove Awards represent more than just individual accolades; they highlight the nuanced art of defense often overshadowed by offensive fireworks. The debate between traditional scouting and advanced defensive metrics continues, but the awards process aims to bridge this gap, ensuring that both the “eye test” and statistical performance are considered.
Players like Mookie Betts and Miguel Rojas embody the modern defensive ideal—athleticism, adaptability, and a relentless pursuit of improvement. Betts’ nomination at shortstop is particularly exciting for fans, as it signifies a player’s willingness to push boundaries and prioritize team needs. Rojas’s consistent utility work showcases the unsung heroes who contribute significantly without always making the highlight reel.
The 2025 Gold Glove finalists list is a rich tapestry of established defensive stalwarts and emerging talents, all dedicated to excelling in one of baseball’s most fundamental yet often underappreciated aspects. As November 2 approaches, the baseball world eagerly awaits to see who will take home the hardware, further cementing their legacy as the game’s finest defenders.
