This hasn’t happened in quite a while. Not since Ian Kinsler took home the 2016 AL Gold Glove award at the second base position has a Detroit Tigers player claimed the award. On Sunday, Dillon Dingler ended that unfortunate streak, winning his first Gold Glove award as the best defensive catcher in the American League.
The award, presented by Rawlings, was well deserved despite tough competition from Alejandro Kirk of the Toronto Blue Jays, and Carlos Narváez of the Boston Red Sox.
Dingler was third
best in baseball in blocks above average, according to Statcast. He was fifth in framing runs above average leaguewide and tied for eighth leaguewide with four caught steals above average. In every metric, Dingler is right near the top of the board.
Dingler’s first full season in the major leagues saw him catch 118 games and appear in 126 games total. The Ohio State product, selected with the first pick in the second round of the abbreviated 2020 MLB draft, not only seized the starting role from Jake Rogers but went on to grade out as one of the game’s top all around catchers.
Dingler hit 13 home runs with a 109 wRC+ and slashed .278/.306/.425 during the 2025 season. The recently turned 27-year-old backstop was worth 4.1 fWAR on the year, truly coming into his own as a leader and a two-way force for the Detroit Tigers.
If he can improve on his plate discipline a little more, this may only be the beginning for Dingler as the defensive chops and leadership behind the plate were undeniable this season. The Tigers appear to be set at the catcher position for years to come.
