Who is the best defender in baseball? Let's ask the players

During Spring Training, MLB.com beat writers surveyed their clubhouses, asking players for their opinions on a range of topics. Well over 100 players participated, in exchange for anonymity. In the leadup to Opening Day, MLB.com is publishing a series of stories based on the results of that survey.

Today’s topic: Who is the best defensive player in the game?

Maybe Andrés Giménez and Francisco Lindor are destined to cross paths forever, even in player polls. The two erstwhile Guardians infielders – traded for one another in a blockbuster deal ahead of the 2021 season – sit tied atop our latest poll thanks to their slick gloves.

We asked Major League players to name the best defensive player in the game. Here are the results.

T-1. Andrés Giménez, 2B, Blue Jays

The offseason trade that sent Giménez to the Blue Jays had at least one player celebrating.

“Now that he’s not in the division, maybe I’ll actually get a hit when we play Cleveland,” said an AL second baseman.

The 26-year-old Giménez is simply that good in the field. Last season, he led MLB with +21 Outs Above Average; since becoming a full-time starter in 2022, Giménez has posted +52 OAA, the second-highest total of any player in that span. In 2023, he became the first second baseman to win the Platinum Glove, given annually to the best defender in each league.

“He could be at any infield position and be elite,” said an NL starting pitcher. “The fact that he’s a second baseman, I think he gets overlooked.”

T-1. Francisco Lindor, SS, Mets

Statcast began tracking OAA in 2016, Lindor’s first full season in the Major Leagues. Since then, no one holds a candle to the +137 OAA that Lindor’s accumulated, indicative of his sustained defensive excellence.

“He plays a great shortstop. He gets to a lot of balls that guys don’t get to,” said an NL first baseman.

Much of that comes via exceptional range. No infielder is better going to their right than Lindor, whose +17 OAA on balls hit to his backhand last season was the most of any player in MLB.

3. Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Royals

You wouldn’t expect to find Witt on this list after he posted –11 OAA as a rookie in 2022. But he’s made tremendous strides with his glove over the last two years, becoming one of baseball’s best defensive shortstops.

“Shortstop is the golden position as far as defense goes, and he’s the best one right now,” said an AL starting pitcher.

Added an AL first baseman: “I think he has the best range in baseball.”

Witt certainly has a case. Over the last two seasons, his +30 OAA comes in as the sixth-most of any player; it’s the third-highest total among shortstops. And after winning his first Gold Glove in 2024, he has some hardware to flaunt, too.

4. Matt Chapman, 3B, Giants

Speaking of hardware, only two active players – Nolan Arenado and Mookie Betts – have more Gold Gloves than Chapman, who earned his fifth last year.

“Overall defender, my brain keeps going to Chapman,” an NL relief pitcher said. “You don’t win all those Gold Gloves – and the Platinum a couple times – by accident.”

In 2024, Chapman was worth +11 OAA, the third-highest single-season mark of his career. He’s consistently great charging the baseball and touts a cannon of an arm, too: Statcast’s Arm Strength metric graded Chapman’s arm as the fourth strongest of any qualified third baseman last season.

5. Patrick Bailey, C, Giants

Most of Bailey’s support came from his fellow catchers, perhaps signaling that his defensive value is underappreciated.

“He’s doing things that are new in baseball right now on the catching side,” an AL catcher said. “He’s had success the last three years in the bigs.”

Indeed, he has. Last year, Bailey sat atop Statcast’s Fielding Run Value leaderboard with an FRV of +22 runs, making him the most valuable defender in baseball by a healthy margin.

Bailey’s prowess is twofold. With baserunners running wild, he's a capable neutralizer: Last season, he nabbed 29% of prospective base stealers, the seventh-highest rate among qualified catchers. And he’s the best at stealing strikes, too, generating +16 framing runs – three more than the next closest catcher.

Other players who received votes: Nolan Arenado, Christian Walker, Brenton Doyle, Daulton Varsho, Mookie Betts, Brice Turang, Dansby Swanson, Cal Raleigh, Fernando Tatis Jr., Miguel Rojas, Travis Jankowski, Byron Buxton, Alex Bregman, Manny Machado, Michael Haris II, Jarren Duran, Josh Jung, Taylor Walls, Trea Turner