2023 Rawlings Gold Glove Award® Finalists Announced

ESPN to broadcast exclusive show unveiling Gold Glove winners Sunday, Nov. 5

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc., announced the finalists for the 2023 Rawlings Gold Glove Award^®, honoring the best individual fielding performances at each position in the American League^® and National League^®. The winners will be unveiled during a one-hour, special-edition "Baseball Tonight" broadcast on ESPN Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. ET.

While the award originated in 1957, Rawlings first began highlighting the top-three defenders at each position as finalists in 2011. This season, the Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays lead the AL with five finalists each, and the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies top the NL with four finalists each.

"There has been no shortage of incredible displays of defense this season, and the 2023 Rawlings Gold Glove Award finalists truly represent the best of the best when it comes to superior fielding ability," said Mike Thompson, chief marketing officer of Rawlings. "This year's finalists are comprised of a great mix of established veterans and talented newcomers which should make for an exciting debate around defense as the winners are announced."

To determine the winners of the 18 defensive position Awards, each team's manager and up to six coaches on his staff vote from a pool of qualified players in their League and cannot vote for players from their own team. In 2013, Rawlings added the SABR Defensive Index™ (SDI) to the Rawlings Gold Glove Award selection process, which comprises approximately 25 percent of the overall selection total, with the managers' and coaches' votes continuing to carry the majority.

To identify the utility Award winners, Rawlings collaborated with SABR to create a specialized defensive formula separate from the traditional selection process for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award position winners. Utilizing the SABR formula and additional defensive statistics, Rawlings will select one utility winner from each League.

The 2023 Rawlings Gold Glove Award finalists are:

The 2023 finalists include nine former Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners in the American League and eight former winners in the National League.

Following the Rawlings Gold Glove Award televised announcement special on ESPN, Sunday, Nov. 5, fans can vote for their favorite defensive player in each league to determine who will be named the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award™ winners. A combination of the national fan vote and the SDI will determine who takes home the honor.

Voting for the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award presented by SABR will begin online at www.Rawlings.com on Sunday, Nov. 5, at 8:30 p.m. ET and will remain open until Thursday, Nov. 9, at 11:59 p.m. ET. The Rawlings Platinum Glove Award winners will be unveiled at the Rawlings Gold Glove Award Ceremony in New York City, on Friday, Nov. 10.

About the Rawlings Gold Glove Award^®
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award^® is a registered trademark owned by Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. The award is correctly identified as the Rawlings Gold Glove Award. The name should not be shortened, abbreviated, or otherwise misused. Proper identification of this service mark using the registration symbol and the Rawlings name is important to protect the integrity of the program and perpetuate this worthy tradition. For more information, please visit www.Rawlings.com.

About Rawlings
Established in 1887, Rawlings is an innovative leading global brand and manufacturer of premium baseball and softball equipment, including gloves, balls, and protective headwear. Rawlings' unparalleled quality, innovative engineering and expert craftsmanship are the fundamental reasons why more professional athletes, national governing bodies and sports leagues choose Rawlings.  Rawlings is the Official Glove, Baseball, Helmet, Face Guard and Base of Major League Baseball, the Official Baseball of Minor League Baseball and the Official Baseball and Softball of the NCAA and the NAIA. The company is headquartered in St. Louis. For more information, please visit www.Rawlings.com.

SOURCE Rawlings