Dominicans Land 4 Gold Glove Finalist Spots
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC · BASEBALL
Key Facts
- —What is happening Four Dominican players, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Geraldo Perdomo, Ezequiel Durán and José Soriano, were named on Wednesday, 14 October, among the 60 finalists for the 2026 Rawlings Gold Glove Awards, Major League Baseball’s top fielding prize.
- —Why it matters The Dominican Republic supplies more Major League players than any country outside the United States, yet Fernando Tatis Jr. was the only Dominican among the 20 Gold Glove winners in 2025.
- —The numbers Three finalists were born in the Dominican Republic and Montreal-born Guerrero was picked for its World Baseball Classic team, making four of 60, about 7%, while 93 Dominican-born players were on 2026 Opening Day rosters.
- —Who is who Guerrero plays first base for the Toronto Blue Jays, Perdomo is the Arizona Diamondbacks’ shortstop, Durán is a utility player for the Texas Rangers, and Soriano is a pitcher who split the season between the Angels and Blue Jays.
- —What to watch The winners will be revealed in a one-hour special of ESPN’s Baseball Tonight on Sunday, 1 November, at 8:30 p.m. ET, where Guerrero seeks his second Gold Glove after winning in 2022.
- —What it means for you For US baseball fans, the 1 November results decide fielding honours for players on the Rangers, Diamondbacks and Blue Jays, and show how Dominican defence measures up to the country’s large Major League presence.
Four of the 60 finalists for baseball’s top fielding award are Dominican, led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays. The winners will be revealed on Sunday, 1 November.
Four Dominican players are 2026 Gold Glove finalists, contenders for Major League Baseball’s top award for fielding. Rawlings, the US sporting goods maker that presents the prize, released the list of 60 finalists on Wednesday, 14 October.
The Dominican Republic sends more players to the Major Leagues than any country outside the United States. The winners will be revealed on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight on Sunday, 1 November, at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Who the Dominican Gold Glove Finalists Are
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is a finalist at first base in the American League, one of MLB’s two leagues. He plays for the Toronto Blue Jays and won the award once before, in 2022.
MLB.com, the league’s official site, said Guerrero was a below-average fielder for much of his career. It called 2026 his best defensive season across the board.
Diario Libre, a Santo Domingo daily, wrote that his defence “has improved considerably over time.” His rivals are Vinnie Pasquantino of the Kansas City Royals and Christian Walker of the Houston Astros.
Guerrero was born in Montreal, where his father, Dominican Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, played for the Expos. He was named to the Dominican Republic’s roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Geraldo Perdomo, born in Santo Domingo, is a first-time National League finalist at shortstop for the Arizona Diamondbacks. His rivals are Dansby Swanson of the Chicago Cubs and Masyn Winn of the St. Louis Cardinals.
MLB.com said he set career highs of plus 13 in Fielding Run Value and plus 16 in Outs Above Average. Both come from Statcast, MLB’s tracking system, and compare a fielder’s plays with those of an average player.
Ezequiel Durán, from San Juan de la Maguana, is an American League finalist in the utility category for the Texas Rangers. The utility award, first given in 2022, honours players who field well at several positions.
MLB.com said Durán played double-digit games at second base, third base, shortstop and all three outfield spots. He tied for sixth in the Major Leagues with plus 17 Outs Above Average, including plus 11 at shortstop.
His rivals are Zach McKinstry of the Detroit Tigers and José Caballero of the New York Yankees. Like Perdomo, Durán has never won a Gold Glove.
José Soriano, a right-handed pitcher born in Santo Domingo, is a finalist among American League pitchers. The Los Angeles Angels traded him to the Blue Jays on Monday, 3 August, MLB transaction records show.
None of the three American League pitching finalists has won a Gold Glove before. MLB.com said Tanner Bibee of Cleveland leads Soriano and Jacob deGrom of the Texas Rangers on two key fielding metrics.
How the Gold Glove Winners Are Chosen
Managers and up to six coaches from each of the 30 Major League clubs vote at the nine standard positions. They choose only from players in their own league and cannot vote for their own team’s players.
Those votes count for 75% of the result, and the SABR Defensive Index makes up the other 25%. SABR is the Society for American Baseball Research, a US group that studies the game’s history and statistics.
The utility award skips the vote and uses a separate defensive formula instead. Rawlings developed that formula together with SABR.
How Dominicans Compare on the Finalist List
MLB counted 93 Dominican-born players on 2026 Opening Day rosters, the most of any country or territory outside the United States. That is nearly one in ten of the 948 players on active rosters and injured or restricted lists.
Four of the 60 finalist spots amount to about 7%, below that roster share. Players born in Venezuela, which had 60 players on Opening Day rosters, hold eight finalist spots, according to MLB player records.
Last year, Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres was the only Dominican among the 20 Gold Glove winners. He won in right field in the National League, the second Gold Glove of his career.
Local Reports Differ on the Count
Dominican outlets disagreed on how many compatriots made the list. Diario Libre counted four, while El Nacional, another Santo Domingo daily, counted five by including New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells.
MLB player records list Wells as born in the United States, while Perdomo, Durán and Soriano were born in the Dominican Republic. Guerrero, born in Canada but picked for the Dominican Republic’s 2026 World Baseball Classic team, brings the count to four.
What It Means for US Readers
For US fans, the 1 November show settles fielding honours for players on the Texas Rangers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Toronto Blue Jays. ESPN, the US sports network, will reveal all 20 winners in a one-hour special.
The list also shows how much Major League talent comes from the Dominican Republic, which supplied 93 Opening Day players this year. One Dominican winner would equal last year’s total, when Tatis was the only one.
For background, see Dominican Republic culture and the country’s role in Latin America. The Santo Domingo city guide covers Estadio Quisqueya, the capital’s best-known ballpark, for visitors.
What Is Not Known
The winners will not be known until the ESPN reveal on Sunday, 1 November. No vote totals or individual ballots have been released for any position.
El Nacional’s count of five Dominican finalists is not supported by the official list or MLB player records. The finalist announcements also do not give Soriano’s own fielding figures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Dominican players are 2026 Gold Glove finalists?
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Geraldo Perdomo, Ezequiel Durán and José Soriano are the four Dominican finalists. Guerrero is at first base, Perdomo at shortstop, Durán in the utility category and Soriano among pitchers.
Is Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Dominican?
He was born in Montreal, where his Dominican father, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, played for the Expos. He was named to the Dominican Republic’s 2026 World Baseball Classic roster, so he is counted among the four.
When will the Gold Glove winners be announced?
The winners will be revealed on Sunday, 1 November, during a one-hour special of ESPN’s Baseball Tonight. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. ET.
How are Gold Glove winners chosen?
Managers and up to six coaches per team vote, and their votes count for 75% of the result. The SABR Defensive Index, a statistical measure, makes up the other 25%.
Why do some outlets say five Dominican finalists?
El Nacional included New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells in its count. MLB player records list Wells as born in the United States, so the official list supports four.
Sources: Rawlings, 2026 Gold Glove Award finalists; MLB.com, 2026 Gold Glove Award finalists; MLB.com, 2025 Gold Glove Award winners; MLB, Opening Day rosters feature 249 internationally born players; MLB, rosters announced for the 2026 World Baseball Classic; National Baseball Hall of Fame, Vladimir Guerrero; TSN, Blue Jays acquire RHP Soriano from Angels; Diario Libre; El Nacional (all accessed 15 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief