Angels pitcher Griffin Canning has been named as the winner of the 2020 American League Rawlings Gold Glove Award at pitcher. The announcement was made Tuesday by the Rawlings Sporting Goods Company on ESPN. This marks the first career Gold Glove Award for Canning. 

Canning becomes the first Angels player to win a Gold Glove Award since shortstop Andrelton Simmons in 2018. He is just the second Angels pitcher to win the award, joining Mark Langston, who won five straight from 1991-95. At age-24, Canning becomes the second-youngest Angels player to win a Gold Glove Award, behind only first baseman Jim Spencer, who was 22 years old when he received the honors in 1970. 

A native of Mission Viejo, CA, Canning tied for the American League lead among pitchers with three Defensive Runs Saved during the 2020 regular season. He also posted a .938 fielding percentage, committing just one error in 16 total chances. Across his 11 starts on the mound for the Angels, Canning tied for second among A.L. pitchers in total chances (16) and assists (8) and tied for third with seven putouts. 

Canning was previously recognized for his defense during his final collegiate season at UCLA in 2017, when he was named to the ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I Gold Glove Team. With the award, Canning pushes the Angels official all-time Gold Glove total to 39 and is the 21st different player to receive the honors. A listing of all Angels Gold Glove winners can be found here.

Due to the compressed 2020 season, the Award qualifications have been amended to rely solely on the SDI which draws on and aggregates two types of existing defensive metrics: those derived from batted ball location-based data and those collected from play-by-play accounts. SDI utilizes MLBAM's Statcast, Sports Information Solutions data, and STATS, LLC data as well as traditional statistics with advanced analysis. For 2020 Award consideration, pitchers must have pitched at least 50 innings, catchers must have played in at least 29 games and infielders/outfielders must have completed at least 265 defensive innings. Each player qualifies at the position he has played at most (SDI is only for play at qualified position).