Three Venezuelan baseball stars captured Rawlings Gold Glove Awards for the 2026 Major League Baseball season, led by Boston Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu, Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno, and Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio, as announced by Rawlings.
Chourio Secures First Career Honor in Historic Season
Among the Venezuelan trio, Jackson Chourio stands out as the only first-time winner. The 22-year-old outfielder capped off a stellar 2026 campaign that included titles in both the World Baseball Classic and the World Series with the Milwaukee Brewers. Chourio led all National League left fielders with 13 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and 8 Fielding Run Value.
The awards were announced in a broadcast special on ESPN.
Abreu Dominates the American League Outfield
Abreu led not just American League right fielders, but every defender across Major League Baseball, with 28 Defensive Runs Saved. He also finished second across the majors with 13 outfield assists.
A Gold Glover and World Series Champion at age 22❕Congrats, Jackson! pic.twitter.com/JMeX6c6h2K
Abreu and teammate Ceddanne Rafaela form the third pair of patrulleros of an same team to win the award in consecutive seasons. This rare feat matches historical tandems like Barry Bonds and Andy Van Slyke with the Pirates (1990-1992) and Dwight Evans and Fred Lynn with the Medias Rojas (1978-1979).
Moreno Wins Catcher Battle in the National League
Behind the plate, Gabriel Moreno outpaced fellow Venezuelan catchers Luis Torrens of the New York Mets and Freddy Fermín of the San Diego Padres to claim the National League honors. This marks Moreno’s second career Gold Glove, following his initial win in 2023 with Arizona.
Statcast metrics underscored Moreno’s stellar season behind the plate. He posted positive valuations including +5 in blocking runs, +3 in catcher caught stealing above average, and +5 in framing runs. Moreno became the second receptor to win a Gold Glove and a batting title in the same year, after Joe Mauer (2008-2009).
Voting Mechanics and Additional Winners
The Gold Glove voting process splits authority between baseball personnel and sabermetric data. Major league managers and coaches account for 75 percent of the total vote, while analytics experts contribute the remaining 25 percent. Technical staff are strictly prohibited from voting for players from their own teams or leagues.
The 2026 awards also highlighted a broader wave of defensive excellence, with the Diamondbacks and Red Sox leading all franchises with three winners each. In the National League, winners included Matt Olson at first base for the Bravos de Atlanta, Brice Turang at second base for the Cerveceros de Milwaukee, Alex Bregman at third base for the Cachorros de Chicago, Geraldo Perdomo at shortstop for the Diamondbacks, Pete Crow-Armstrong in center field for the Cachorros de Chicago, Corbin Carroll in right field for the Diamondbacks, Nolan McLean as pitcher for the Mets de Nueva York, and Mauricio Dubón as utility for the Bravos de Atlanta.
The gold standard in right. pic.twitter.com/XqBD0l3gtq
The American League honorees featured Dillon Dingler behind the plate for the Tigres de Detroit, Christian Walker at first base for the Astros de Houston, Cole Young at second base for the Marineros de Seattle, Caleb Durbin at third base for the Medias Rojas de Boston, Taylor Walls at shortstop for the Rays de Tampa Bay, Cody Bellinger in left field for the Yankees de Nueva York, Ceddanne Rafaela in center field for the Medias Rojas de Boston, Tanner Bibee as pitcher for the Guardianes de Cleveland, and Ezequiel Durán as utility for the Rangers de Texas.
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