We’ve just begun our preparation for the 21st annual Fielding Bible Awards, which are given to the best defensive player at each position.

One of the stats I looked up yesterday was that there has been only one season in the history of the Fielding Bible Awards in which there were no repeat winners from the previous season (2022).

After I looked that up it got me wondering about the chance that it could happen again this year. So I looked into each of last year’s Fielding Bible Award winners to see how they’ve fared in 2026.

First Base – Matt Olson, Braves

Matt Olson has been his usual steady self at first base. He plays every day and he plays well just about every day. His 10 Runs Saved rank tied with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for second behind Ty France, who has 13. Olson still has standout range and his 19 double plays started are easily the most he’s had in a season.

Second Base – Nico Hoerner, Cubs

After posting a career high 17 Runs Saved at second base in 2025, Nico Hoerner has dropped to 4 there in 2026, with a big chunk of the difference coming on balls hit up the middle (last year he was great, this year he’s below average). Hoerner moved to shortstop when Dansby Swanson missed time due to injury and totaled -2 Runs Saved there, so Hoerner has fewer games than he had at second base in the previous few seasons.

Third Base – Ke’Bryan Hayes, Reds

Ke’Bryan Hayes has missed time due to a lumbar bulging disc injury and a groin strain. He’s played well in the field. If you looked at his performance on a per-inning basis it’s comparable to other seasons but the limited playing time has kept him to 7 Runs Saved.

The injuries seem to have had a bigger impact on his hitting. He’s hitting only .146 this season.

Shortstop – Mookie Betts, Dodgers

Mookie Betts is having a good season, although an oblique injury has limited him to 113 games. He has 6 Runs Saved and has made more Defensive Misplays and Errors than he did last season in about 300 fewer innings, which may explain why his Runs Saved numbers came down from the 17 he had last year.

Left Field – Steven Kwan, Guardians

Steven Kwan is going to be an interesting case come Fielding Bible Awards time because he’s split time almost evenly between center field and left field this year. You can only qualify at one position for the Gold Gloves and the Fielding Bible Awards, and the latter qualification may not be determined until the very end of the season.

Kwan has been good at both positions, though he’s been better in left field (11 of his 17 Runs Saved), where he’s won a Fielding Bible Award 3 times before and where his arm plays as highly valuable, almost matching the value of his range.

Center Field – Ceddanne Rafaela, Red Sox

Ceddanne Rafaela has been great for the second year in a row and has a chance to post consecutive seasons with at least 20 Runs Saved. His outfield arm numbers have improved, with baserunner advance rates dropping from 54% last year to 44% in 2026.

The Fielding Bible Award vote is going to be a tough one between him, Andy Pages, and Pete Crow-Armstrong. Only one player has won back-to-back Fielding Bible Awards in center field: Lorenzo Cain in 2018-19.

Right Field – Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres

Fernando Tatis Jr. seems to have an every-other-year thing going. In 2023 and 2025 he saved 29 and 15 Runs, respectively, and won Fielding Bible Awards. In 2024 and 2026 he’s totaled 0 and 1 Runs Saved there. This year, a move to second base (-2 Runs Saved) took him away from right field and the number of good Fielding Plays he made there has dropped from 28 to 12.

Catcher – Patrick Bailey, Giants

There was a lot of parity and a lower ceiling with our pitch framing stats this year, and with that our reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Patrick Bailey, came back to the pack. He didn’t excel as he previously had. As such, he went from seasons with 13, 20, and 19 Runs Saved overall to 7 in 2026. The pattern that shows up elsewhere among last year’s winners—a dip from great to good—is here with Bailey too.

Pitcher – Max Fried, Yankees

Another of last year’s Fielding Bible Award winners who dealt with injuries, Max Fried has 2 Runs Saved this year, a perfectly respectable total for a pitcher, though a number he’s surpassed five times. It’s a drop from the 10 he had last season.

Multi-Position – Ernie Clement, Blue Jays

With the Blue Jays acquisition of Kazuma Okamoto, Ernie Clement moved off third base (where he was very good last year) and was used more as a middle infielder, primarily at second base. He’s had more mistakes this season than he did last season and his overall Runs Saved has dropped the most of any of last year’s Fielding Bible Award winners, going from 22 to 1.

Overall Defensive Runs Saved – 2025 Fielding Bible Award Winners

A couple of takeaways from these lookups:

1- There’s no shame in dropping from great to good, as it’s been really hard for these players to maintain the level of defensive excellence that made them a Fielding Bible Award winner the previous year. Kudos in particular to Rafaela and Kwan for doing so.

2- There are three chances in which there could be a repeat winner: Olson at first base, Rafaela in center field, and Kwan wherever he qualifies, or as a multi-position winner. If those go 0-for-3, we’ll almost surely have our second year with no repeat winners.

The Fielding Bible Awards will be announced in the leadup to the World Series. Stay tuned!