KC Royals: Who are the club’s top Gold Glove candidates?

The Gold Glove, a coveted award bestowed since 1957 to players deemed to be the best at their positions, is something fans of the KC Royals should be quite familiar with. Many Royals have dominated Golf Glove nominations over the years, the two most notable being second baseman Frank White and left fielder Alex Gordon, both of whom are tied for the team lead with eight Gold Gloves apiece. Current KC catcher Salvador Perez is closing in on them with five.

Now, with little more than a month left in the 2021 season, there have been many ups and downs for this KC Royals team. Through it all, some players who haven’t quite shined at the plate have made up for it on the field, making spectacular catches and throws.

But which Royals are most worthy of the prestigious Gold Glove award? Let’s find out who the club’s top candidates are.

(ESPN was the source for players’ comparative position and DWAR statistics, and BaseballSavant the source for OAA, OAA percentile rankings, jump and defensive success rate statistics, for this story).

The KC Royals should never count out Salvador Perez as a Gold Glove winner.

Think of great contemporary catchers, and Salvador Perez should be atop the list with Yadier Molina, Buster Posey, and a few others.

Perez has had a fantastic 2021, probably his best ever. He’s slashing .277/.315/.544 with an .859 OPS, 94 RBIS and 38 home runs, including the two grand slams he hit in the recent Seattle series. But for all of the talk about his bat, Perez deserves the same praise for his defense.

His .998 fielding percentage ranks third in all the majors and second in the American League. He’s recorded 837 putouts while only committing two errors. His 40.6% caught stealing rate leads the American League and is second in the majors only to Molina’s 41.5%.

Perez is also tied with the Cubs’ Wilson Contreras for the major league lead with 52 assists. He’s turned the most double plays at his position with 10, and has a 1.0 DWAR.

Perez has already won five Gold Gloves in his career, his most recent one having come in 2018 (he missed the entire 2019 season with an injury and played 34 games as catcher in 2020). What a better way to cap off his great 2021 season than with Gold Glove No. 6?

Nicky Lopez’s glove stands out atop his amazing year for the KC Royals.

Nicky Lopez has been quite a Kansas City surprise this season. A poor spring training at the plate followed a bad 2020, but Lopez has since come into his own. His .292 average ranks first for the KC Royals and he’s hit .397 over his last 15 games. But for all of his offensive progress, Lopez’s defense has remained superb.

Not that there was ever a question about Lopez’s defense. He was a fantastic second baseman who had a .991 fielding percentage in 2020 and was even nominated for a Gold Glove. This season, Lopez looks to seal up that Gold Glove not as a second baseman, but as a shortstop.

Ever since Adalberto Mondesi’s oblique injuries sidelined him over the course of the season, Lopez has stepped up to the plate and made a name for himself. And being good on defense is one thing, but fielding as well as he has at a position he wasn’t thinking of playing in 2021 is something else.

Lopez leads American League shortstops with a .985 fielding percentage. He’s had 116 putouts and his 285 assists rank fourth in the AL. He has a range factor of 3.76, a DWAR of 1.2, and has helped turn 62 double plays on the year.

BaseballSavant gives him a 15 OAA at the shortstop position and ranks him in the 99th percentile. Though the American League is stacked at shortstop with names like Carlos Correa and Tim Anderson, Lopez just might be able to earn the first Gold Glove of his major league career.

Whit Merrifield has been on a run playing second base for the KC Royals.

Although Whit Merrifield is able to bounce around the outfield, his primary position has been at second base this season, a consequence of Nicky Lopez making the switch to shortstop in the face of Adalberto Mondesi’s injuries.

Kansas City fans already know what Merrifield brings to table. He’s an all-around utility player. He has the second-best average on the team at .280 and leads the majors with 38 stolen bases. And he’s also ranked high in top defensive categories.

In 117 games at second base, Merrifield’s .988 fielding percentage ranks first in the American League. He leads the AL with 213 putouts, 299 assists, and double plays turned at 82. Merrifield also has a range factor of 4.69 per nine innings, which is second in the majors, and he has a DWAR of 1.6 which is tied for second in the majors with the Angels’ David Fletcher.

BaseballSavant gives Merrifield an OAA of 7, as he’s had a 77% success rate at second base. This places him in the 92nd percentile.

Merrifield is another KC Royal who hasn’t yet won a Gold Glove. But considering his outstanding range and by leading the American League in a few major defensive categories, he might just be able to do it this season.

Four KC Royals have displayed outstanding defensive prowess this season. Salvador Perez, Michael A. Taylor, Nicky Lopez and Whit Merrifield all deserve Gold Gloves.