It’s Santana’s first Gold Glove, and the Twins’ first since 2017
Twins first baseman Carlos Santana was awarded a Gold Glove for his work at first base when MLB revealed the 2024 awards late yesterday.
YOU GLOVE TO SEE IT ✨
Congratulations to Carlos Santana on winning his first @RawlingsSports Gold Glove!!!!! pic.twitter.com/o3wGRWiWi5
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) November 4, 2024
The award is the first of Santana’s lengthy career, and the first awarded to a Minnesota player since both Byron Buxton and Brian Dozier were recognized in 2017. At age 38, Santana becomes the oldest position player to win a Gold Glove. Santana also becomes Minnesota’s third first baseman to win a Gold Glove, joining Doug Mientkiewicz (2001) and Vic Power (1962, 1963).
Santana’s glove work last season was superlative in the eye test and the metrics. The Gold Glove selections are made by a combination of votes from managers and coaches (75%) and the Society for American Baseball Research Defensive Index metrics (25%).
Santana’s teammates and coaches raved about his consistency, effort, and the safety net he provided his teammates on the infield with scoops and stretches all season.
On the metric side, by Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), he tied for the American Lead among first basemen with +8. By Statcast’s Outs Above Average and Fielding Run Value, he led all MLB first basemen with +14 and +11, respectively. Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) was slightly less impressive with +1.9, which still ranked 6th in the AL and 10th overall.
GG, CARLOS!!! pic.twitter.com/KJDZ7kpTfz
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) November 4, 2024
Not only was Santana solid in avoiding errors and making the routine and expected plays, but he also made a habit of ranging far from the first base bag to chase down pop-ups, line drives, and shallow flies. Statcast credited him with +11 runs above average for his range, which ranked 17th among all fielders in MLB and was the largest total accumulated by a player who wasn’t a regular outfielder or middle infielder.
For Santana, winning a Gold Glove at First Base represents a capping accomplishment on a career that began behind home plate in 2010 as a bat-first backstop. Santana moved primarily to first base in 2014 and the metrics show he has been consistently above average with the glove at first since.
However, last season was inarguably his best work at the position. Santana said he made a promise to his mother that he’d win a Gold Glove in his career, as reported by Betsy Helfand in September, and now he’s made good on that commitment.
Santana also slashed .238/.328/.420 with a team-leading 23 home runs and 71 runs batted in across 150 games last season. That average-ish offensive production, when combined with his stellar fielding and passable baserunning, put Santana at 3.0 fWAR and 2.5 bWAR for the campaign, which was excellent value for the 1-year, $5.25 million contract he signed before the season. Santana is once again a free agent this winter.
Minnesota utility man Willi Castro was also a Gold Glove finalist at the utility position designation, but Dylan Moore of the Seattle Mariners took home that honor.
John writes for Twinkie Town, Twins Daily, and Pitcher List with an emphasis on analysis. He is a lifelong Twins fan and former college pitcher. Follow him on Twitter @JohnFoley_21.