'20 Fielding Bible Award winners announced
The 2020 Fielding Bible Award winners were announced Thursday, honoring the top fielder in the Major Leagues at each position plus one "multi-position" award.
The Fielding Bible Awards have been presented by Baseball Info Solutions every year since 2006 and are voted on by a panel of 12 experts. Seven of this year's 10 winners are repeat winners, with three first-time winners.
Here are the 2020 Fielding Bible Award winners.
First base: Matt Olson, A's
Olson has now won three straight Fielding Bible Awards at first base, making him and Albert Pujols (four straight from 2006-09) the only first basemen to win three in a row.
Second base: Kolten Wong, Cardinals
Wong, like Olson, wins his third consecutive Fielding Bible Award. He's the first second baseman to win three straight.
Third base: Nolan Arenado, Rockies
Arenado is now a four-time Fielding Bible Award winner. But this is his first time winning since 2017, after his counterpart all-world defensive third baseman in the American League, Matt Chapman, won the award in '18 and '19. Arenado's four Fielding Bible Awards are tied with Adrián Beltré for the most by any third baseman.
Shortstop: Javier Báez, Cubs
Báez earned his first Fielding Bible Award at shortstop this year. But it's actually his fourth Fielding Bible Award overall, after he won the multi-positional award in three straight years from 2016-18. This is the second year a new shortstop has won the Fielding Bible Award -- Nick Ahmed won in '19, breaking a streak of six straight awards won by Andrelton Simmons.
Left field: Tyler O'Neill, Cardinals
O'Neill joins Wong as the two Cardinals to win Fielding Bible Awards in 2020 and is one of the three first-time winners this year. He's the fifth different left fielder to win the award in the last five years. The D-backs' David Peralta was the reigning winner.
Center field: Kevin Kiermaier, Rays
Center field was the closest Fielding Bible Award race, but there's no questioning Kiermaier's status as one of baseball's very best defenders. The Rays standout won a Fielding Bible Award once before, in 2015, and returns as the winner after Lorenzo Cain won the last two in center. Kiermaier narrowly edged Byron Buxton on a tiebreaker, receiving one more first-place vote.
Right field: Mookie Betts, Dodgers
Betts showcased his difference-making defense throughout the Dodgers' run to the World Series championship, and now he has his fourth Fielding Bible Award, breaking a tie with Ichiro Suzuki and Jason Heyward for the most by a right fielder. Betts also won from 2016-18 before his now-teammate Cody Bellinger won in '19.
Catcher: Roberto Pérez, Indians
Pérez wins his second consecutive Fielding Bible Award at catcher, becoming the first back-to-back winner at the position since Buster Posey from 2015-16. The only catcher to win three straight Fielding Bible Awards is Yadier Molina.
Pitcher: Max Fried, Braves
A first-time Fielding Bible Award winner, not only did Fried emerge as the breakout ace of the Braves' playoff pitching staff, he also did an excellent job defensively. Zack Greinke had won the previous two pitching Fielding Bible Awards.
Multi-position: Kiké Hernández, Dodgers
Hernández and Betts give the World Series champs two 2020 Fielding Bible Award winners, and Kiké is the second straight Dodger to win the multi-position award after Bellinger in '19. He played first base, second base, shortstop and all three outfield positions in '20. Hernández is the third first-time Fielding Bible Award winner, along with O'Neill and Fried.