Ezequiel Tovar was named the youngest Gold Glove shortstop in National League history when the 2024 Gold Glove Awards were announced on Sunday, Nov. 4. The 23-year-old becomes the youngest Colorado Rockies player ever to win a Gold Glove.
Tovar, of Maracay, Venezuela, made a huge jump in his third season in the majors as an all-around player, and this season, he was one of the best defensive infielders in the National League. In 1375 2/3 innings this season, Tovar accumulated 10 DRS and a .988 fielding percentage. He also led the entire MLB in assists, with 435. Tovar led that category-handedly, as the player with the second-highest assist total during the season was Zachary Neto with 405. In total, Tovar accumulated 3.8 WAR overall and 2.0 dWAR throughout the year.
Tovar has gained a reputation for being a good defensive shortstop throughout his short time in the Major Leagues. In 2023, Tovar had 13 DRS, a massive improvement from his rookie season.
In addition to having a great defensive season, Tovar also took a jump offensively. He recorded his first MLB season with an OPS+ over 100, recording a .763 OPS.
Tovar won the National League Gold Glove Award over some other strong defensive shortstop candidates, with his main competitor being Masyn Winn of the St. Louis Cardinals. Wynn accumulated 14 DRS and 2.4 dWAR over the course of the season. The 14 defensive runs saved by Wynn led all the entire Major Leagues.
Ezequiel Tovar wraps up a breakout year with hardware to reward his strong defensive efforts, and with his young age, he could be a mainstay in the NL shortstop Gold Glove Award picture for years to come.
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