Former Ohio State catcher and current Detroit Tiger Dillon Dingler was named the 2025 American League Gold Glove award winner at the catcher position Sunday evening. The Gold Glove is awarded to one player
at each position, in each league, for being the best defensive player at their position. Dingler is the first former Ohio State player to ever win a Gold Glove, and is the first Detroit Tiger to win the award since second baseman Ian Kinsler won it in 2016. He is also the first Tigers’ catcher to win the award since Hall of Fame catcher Pudge Rodriguez won it in 2007.
Gold Glove voting was comprised of 75% coaches and managers votes and 25% SABR Defensive Index.
Dingler, who was born in Massillon and played at Jackson High School, was one of three finalists at catcher, along with Toronto’s Alejandro Kirk and Boston’s Carlos Narvaez. He played at Ohio State from 2018-2020, where he was a two-time captain and a Second Team All-Big Ten selection as a sophomore. He was then selected by Detroit in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB Draft.
2025 was Dingler’s first full MLB season, and he played in 126 games — 113 of which were at catcher. He led all American League catchers in caught stealing percentage at 31.7%, and was third in defensive runs saved (DRS) at +6, which put him behind the other two finalists, Narvaez and Kirk. Dingler was not charged with a passed ball this season, while Kirk was charged with four and Narvaez had nine.
According to the MLB news release, Dingler ranked in the 85th percentile or higher last season in blocks above average (+10, 95th percentile), caught stealing above average (+4, 85th percentile), framing (+7, 91st percentile), and fielding run value (+12, 95th percentile).
Dingler entered the season as the primary backup to Tigers’ catcher Jake Rogers, but assumed the starting role when Rogers suffered an oblique injury in April. When Rogers returned on May 20, Dingler was hitting .299 with a .786 OPS and had taken his starting spot. Dingler remained the primary catcher for the remainder of the season, and finished with a .278 batting average, 13 home runs, and 57 RBI in 126 games. Dingler registered a .752 OPS and 108 OPS+ this past season.
