If we were to pick a lineup of the Defensive All-Stars for each league to this point in the season, who would we pick?

The cleanest way to do this is to look at the Defensive Runs Saved leaderboards and select the top players, so that’s what we’ll do.

Here are the NL leaders:

(stats via fieldingbible.com)

1B- Matt Olson is one of three Braves representatives on the team. He’s had a terrific season, with twice as many Runs Saved as AL leader Carlos Santana. Olson’s 88 assists at first base are 16 more than the next-closest player (Pete Alonso, 72).

2B- Nico Hoerner has a three-run lead in Runs Saved over the next-closest NL contenders, Brice Turang and Tyler Fitzgerald. He’s already matched his career high in Runs Saved at second base.

3B- Ke’Bryan Hayes is 4 runs ahead of Matt Chapman for the NL lead. Hayes has won 2 Fielding Bible Awards and will be a strong contender to win a 3rd.

SS- Nick Allen has met all the defensive expectations that came when he was initially a prospect with the A’s. He’s 3 runs ahead of Mookie Betts for the NL shortstop lead.

LF- Tommy Pham is ahead here, though the competition is tight with James Wood just a run behind and 3-time Gold Glove winner 2 runs behind. Pham has totaled as many as 11 Runs Saved in a season, so this isn’t necessarily new territory for him.

CF- Pete Crow-Armstrong is looking like the heir to Kevin Kiermaier as a regular Defensive Runs Saved leader in center field with a wide-ranging assortment of great catches. He’s already exceeded his 2024 Runs Saved (11) in 27 fewer games and has a 4-run lead on Michael Harris for the NL center field lead.

RF- Fernando Tatis Jr. was one of the top defensive players in baseball two seasons ago and has returned to form in 2025. The next-closest NL right fielder is 5 runs behind him (Mike Yastrzemski).

C- When Patrick Bailey isn’t hitting walk-off inside-the-park homers, he’s winning games with his defense. With 11 Runs Saved he’s 5 runs ahead of the next-closest NL catcher (Pedro Pagés, 6).

P- Spencer Schwellenbach is currently injured, but he’s a deserving choice here. The former college shortstop nearly won a Fielding Bible Award last season and was going to contend for one this year before his injury (still could if he returns in September). He’s 2 Runs Saved ahead of fellow National Leaguers, Logan Webb, Colin Rea, and David Peterson.

Here are the AL leaders:

1B- Carlos Santana is defying the defensive aging curve. He’s leading AL first basemen in Runs Saved at age 39, two years after leading everyone at the position. It’s close though. He’s currently 1 run better than Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

2B- David Hamilton is No.1 though he’s made only 28 starts at second base for the Red Sox. He’s going to need to play more to qualify for a Gold Glove or Fielding Bible Award but he’s definitely shown he can handle the position. He had 8 Runs Saved in a similar small sample last season. Hamilton has a 2-run lead on Ernie Clement, who is more likely to qualify at third base. Among AL regulars, Andrés Giménez is closest to Hamilton, 3 runs behind.

3B- Rookie Ben Williamson leads the way, 1 run ahead of the just-mentioned Clement. He’s been good fielding balls hit both to his left and right and has looked the part of a solid defender.

SS- Taylor Walls not only has the most Runs Saved by a shortstop this season. He has the most Runs Saved by shortstops over the last 5 seasons, amazing given that he’s never played more than 100 games there in a season. He’s crushing the field in 2025, 10 runs better than closest AL counterpart, Jeremy Peña.

LF- Steven Kwan, a two-time Fielding Bible Award winner, has a 5-run lead on Wyatt Langford for No. 1 in the AL. Kwan’s value has come not just from making catches but also from throws. His 6 assists without a cutoff man are already a career high.

CF- Ceddanne Rafaela is such a good defensive player that the Red Sox moved the 2024 MLB center field leader in Runs Saved, Jarren Duran, to left field to allow Rafaela to play full-time there. Rafaela is tied for the MLB lead in Runs Saved in center field and has a 2-run edge on Julio Rodríguez for the AL lead.

RF- Adolis García had a rough year in right field in 2024 but has bounced back in a big way, going from -5 to 10 Runs Saved. He has a 2-run lead for No. 1 in the AL over newcomer to the position Cam Smith and 2024 Fielding Bible Award winner Wilyer Abreu.

C- Carlos Narváez has been a defensive star as a rookie for the Red Sox this season, matching Bailey in Runs Saved and leading the closest AL catchers, Adley Rutschman and Alejandro Kirk, by 4 runs.

P- Max Fried won Fielding Bible Awards in 2020 and 2021, so we’re used to seeing defensive excellence from him, regardless of what team he’s on. He’s currently 1 run better than Luis Severino for the AL lead.