In 2011, Rawlings unveiled the first-ever Rawlings Platinum Glove Award™, a new fan-centric platform asking the game’s avid fans who the best defensive baseball player is among that season's Rawlings Gold Glove Award® winners. To determine the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award winners, fans can only select one player among the Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners from each League.
Rawlings Platinum Glove Award voting – and its open and spirited debate on social media – proved what many believed to be true: fans have a very vocal opinion on who they believe is "the best of the best", and they understand the defensive nuances enough to back their favorite player's candidacy from the point-of-view of a scout and an advance analytics sabermetrician.
In 2013, a new sabermetric component from the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award's new presenting sponsor, the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) and its new SABR Defensive Index™ (SDI™) joined the international fan vote to determine the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award winners from each league. The SDI's ability to accurately compare players from different positions helped establish the "science" behind the evolving Award platform.
2020
Nolan Arenado (NL), Alex Gordon (AL)
2019
Nolan Arenado (NL), Matt Chapman (AL)
2018
Nolan Arenado (NL), Matt Chapman (AL)
2017
Nolan Arenado (NL), Byron Buxton (AL)
2016
Anthony Rizzo (NL), Francisco Lindor (AL)
2015
Yadier Molina (NL), Kevin Kiermaier (AL)
2014
Yadier Molina (NL), Alex Gordon (AL)
2013
Andrelton Simmons (NL), Manny Machado (AL)
2012
Yadier Molina (NL), Adrian Beltre (AL)
2011
Yadier Molina (NL), Adrian Beltre (AL)