Player Qualifications

To qualify for consideration for a particular position, a player must have played a minimum number of games or innings (based on position) at that position through games played on September 11th, 2022:

  • All pitchers must have pitched in at least 138 innings by his team’s 138th game;
  • A catcher must have played in at least half of his team’s games by his team’s 138th game (a minimum of 69 games);
  • All infielders and outfielders must have played in the field for at least 698 total innings through his team’s 138th game: this equates to playing in the field for approximately 7.5 innings per game in approximately 67% of his team’s games by his team’s 138th game; this ensures that only full-time players are considered;
  • All infielders and outfielders with at least 698 total innings played qualify at the specific position where he played the most innings (i.e. where his manager utilized him the most)


Voting Rules

  • The Rawlings Gold Glove AwardÂŽ represents overall fielding excellence, and it is not an award based solely on fielding metrics and statistics, nor does it factor in offensive production.
  • Only the manager and six (6) coaches for each Major League Baseball team vote, for a total of seven (7) votes per team. Each person must sign the completed Ballot in order to be considered valid.
  • Managers and coaches cannot vote for their own players and can only vote for players in their own League.
  • Managers and coaches cast votes for players at particular positions, not in general terms; i.e. qualified LF instead of three general OF.
  • Eligibility for a Rawlings Gold Glove Award closely follows qualification standards set forth in MLB Rule 10.22 (Minimum Standards for Individual Championships). Only players listed in the resource guide are eligible for a Rawlings Gold Glove Award at the specific position listed. For rules on player qualification for a particular position, please see the “Notes & Glossary” section of the resource guide. Qualified players are sorted in alphabetical order.
  • The votes are confidential between Major League Baseball and Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc.


SABR Defensive Index

The SABR Defensive IndexTM (SDI) is a measure of the number of runs saved by a player's defensive performance over the course of a season, compared to the average defensive player at that position. The SDI combines measures from six (6) different defensive data sources and includes factors that rate the defenders arm strength and accuracy, range and his sure-handedness, along with the number of “excellent” and “poor” fielding plays he makes. The SDI also incorporates a rating for a player's ability to turn double plays (2B and SS), fielding bunts (primarily P, C, 3B, and 1B) and scoops of throws in the dirt (1B). For catchers, blocking balls in the dirt and stolen bases/ caught stealing are also included. For pitchers, the SDI includes his ability to hold runners on base and control the running game.

A positive SDI number indicates that a player was above average compared to other players at his position this season. Conversely, a negative SDI number means the player performed below the league average at this position this season.

Rawlings Gold Glove Awards are calculated based on a combination of managers/coaches and SABR.