Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, utility man Dylan Moore win Gold Glove awards
SEATTLE – The consistent focus on proper execution of fundamentals, the daily detailed work to hone their technique and the understanding that a baseball player’s contribution extends beyond the batter’s box has resulted in a pair of Mariners receiving baseball’s most coveted fielding award.
Catcher Cal Raleigh and utility man Dylan Moore were announced as Rawlings American League Gold Glove winners at their respective positions during ESPN’s special live broadcast early Sunday evening.
It was the first Gold Glove award for both players. Raleigh was named as a finalist in 2022, but didn’t win.
They are the first Mariners players to be selected as Gold Glove winners since shortstop J.P. Crawford and first baseman Evan White were named winners in 2020.
A stalwart behind the plate, who refused to take days off, Raleigh seemed like a lock to win the award over Detroit’s Jake Rogers and Kansas City’s Freddy Fermin.
“From what I’ve seen behind the plate, he’s definitely the best catcher in the league,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said in the final days of the regular season. “I don’t know how those things turn out sometimes, but to me, with the amount that he’s played and what he’s done defensively, I would think he would be the Gold Glove contender.”
Raleigh led Major League Baseball in games caught (135) and innings caught (1,122). But his performance was about more than just quantity. He provided a an elite level of quality while behind the plate. For the second straight season, he led MLB in catcher caught stealing, throwing out 26 runners on stolen base attempts. Since the stat was tracked, only Raleigh, Jim Sundberg (1975-76) and Hall of Famer Gary Carter (1982-83) have led MLB in back-to-back seasons.
He led the American League in runs saved in FanGraphs defensive runs above average (23.9), catcher framing (13) and MLB Statcast’s fielding run value above 100 (14) while tying for the lead for defensive runs saved (16).
He is the first catcher in Mariners’ history to win the award.
“I’m honored to have won my first Rawlings Gold Glove Award alongside such a talented group of athletes, especially DMo,” Raleigh said in a statement. “I want to thank my family, coaches, teammates and fans for always pushing me to be my best and for the unwavering support.”
Rawlings added a Gold Glove award for utility players for the 2022 season, recognizing the importance of the position to every MLB roster.
Like most top utility players, Moore learned to embrace the multi-faceted role that seemed perfect for his athleticism and versatility. In his first few seasons with the Mariners, he stubbornly maintained that he could and would excel if he focused on playing one position on an every-day basis.
But over the past few years, he’s understood the importance of being able to play multiple positions.
“I’m very honored to receive this prestigious award,” Moore said in a statement. “I couldn’t have done it without the mentorship of the legendary Perry “Bone” Hill who has been a major part in my fielding development over the years. It means a lot to share this honor with Cal, and I want to thank the rest of my teammates, coaches and fans for their support each and every day.”
Moore was chosen over Mauricio Dubon of the Astros and Willi Castro of the Twins.
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In his sixth MLB season, he played in a career-high 135 games, appearing at six positions — shortstop (49), third base (45), second base (37), left field (22), first base (11) and center field (1) — committing just six errors in 436 total chances for a .989 fielding percentage. Moore and Dubon were the two players to appear in at least 135 total games, while spending time at every infield position.
When Crawford, Seattle’s regular starting shortstop, went on the injured list on multiple occasions and second baseman Jorge Polanco dealt with knee and hamstring issues, Moore stepped in as the starter. He started 38 games at shortstop and 24 games at second base. He also served as the right-handed platoon option at third base later in the season.
Seattle players have captured 44 Gold Gloves, including 29 Gold Gloves in the past 26 years (since 1998).
The Rawlings Gold Glove awards have presented since 1957. MLB managers and coaches vote within their league, accounting for 75 percent of the selection process. The other 25 percent is conducted by the sabermetrics community.