On Wednesday, Seattle Mariners second baseman Cole Young was announced as a finalist for the Rawlings American League Gold Glove Award. Rawlings Sporting Good Company and Major League Baseball presented the list of players eligible to win the award as award season finally begins. While the Seattle Mariners had an incredibly disappointing season, Young was one of the extreme bright spots as he took a massive step forward. Michael Massey of the Kansas City Royals and Chase Meidroth of the Chicago White Sox are the other two nominees.
Young led the American League in many defensive metrics at second base: games played (157), innings (1350.1), putouts (223), assists (397), fielding percentage (.990), and defensive runs saved (16). Looking at Fangraphs and Baseball Reference, Young’s wins above replacement sits at 2.0 fWAR and 4.4 bWAR. The discrepancy between both numbers revolves around how the two entities factor defense into their formulas. He became the fifth player aged 22 or younger in franchise history to have a bWAR of at least 4.0. Alex Rodríguez, Ken Griffey Jr., Julio Rodriguez, and Ruppert Jones.
If he wins, Young would be the first Seattle Mariner to win a Gold Glove since 2024 when Cal Raleigh and Dylan Moore received their awards. Secondly, Young would also become the first infielder to win the award since J.P. Crawford in 2020. Bret Boone and Harold Reynolds are the only other two second baseman to win Gold Gloves.
Seattle Mariners Second Baseman Cole Young Nominated for Gold Glove
When the Seattle Mariners entered the 2026 season, they needed Cole Young to make significant developments in his game. Jorge Polanco started the majority of games down the stretch at second base during the 2025 season. However, he left for the New York Mets after a stellar postseason where he was one of the most clutch players in all of baseball.
While Young’s offensive metrics still can improve, his defense was one of the few bright spots for a unit that ranked dead last in many fielding metrics. His glove saved the Seattle Mariners in several situations especially early in the season. Young’s production dropped off as the season continued, but the Mariners put him in a tough position with how many other players were struggling. Regardless, he is only 23 years old and hopefully will continue to build off their success in 2026.
Cole Young Should Be One of the Most Reliable Mariners Moving Forward
When the Seattle Mariners extended Colt Emerson at the beginning of the MLB season, many started to envision what the future of the infield would become. Emerson’s first stint in the Majors was not a huge success, but he can look at how Young developed in his sophomore season. Young struggled in his rookie season for the Seattle Mariners, causing them to pivot to Polanco when winning games became critical. Similarly, Seattle had to shut down Emerson because of injury troubles and poor play. The Mariners are fantastic at player development, and Young is a bright spot in that regard.
Seattle Mariners Cole Young Named Gold Glove Finalist