Mountcastle and Cowser are Gold Glove finalists

By Roch Kubatko

Orioles

October 15, 2024, 11:50am

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Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle is a repeat finalist for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, another nod to his immense improvement at a position that he had to learn. His fourth and final position as a professional.

Rookie Colton Cowser, the fifth-overall pick in the 2021 draft, was chosen as a finalist in left field to give the club multiple representatives.

The Orioles’ last season with multiple winners was 2014 with shortstop J.J. Hardy, center fielder Adam Jones and right fielder Nick Markakis.

Catcher Adley Rutschman was a finalist last year but didn’t make it onto the 2024 list. Left fielder Austin Hays also represented the Orioles last fall, losing to the Guardians’ Steven Kwan, but he was traded to the Phillies at the deadline.

Shortstop Gunnar Henderson seemed like a lock earlier in the season to at least become a finalist, if not win the award, but he fell into a fielding slump, finished with 25 errors, and was excluded. The Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr., the Yankees’ Anthony Volpe and the Guardians’ Brayan Rocchio are the last shortstops standing.

Also omitted are center fielder Cedric Mullins, a finalist in 2022, and right fielder Anthony Santander, a finalist in 2020.

Mountcastle’s competition comes from the Rangers’ Nathaniel Lowe and the Twins’ Carlos Santana. Lowe won it last year.

The Orioles drafted Mountcastle as a shortstop in 2015 and moved him to third base and left field before he settled at first. His eight Defensive Runs Saved this season tied with Santana for most among American League first basemen, and he committed only three errors in 114 games and 937 chances. Lowe is credited with one DRS.

Rafael Palmeiro is the last Orioles first baseman selected for a Gold Glove in 1998. He also won it in ’97.

Hall of Famer Eddie Murray won in 1982-84.

No Orioles left fielder has earned a Gold Glove. Rawlings began distinguishing outfield positions in 2011.

Jones and Markakis are the most recent Orioles outfielders to win the award, in 2014.

Cowser is the frontrunner to be voted American League Rookie of the Year, and his work in left and center also separates him from other players. Kwan is a finalist again for the Gold Glove and is joined by the Yankees’ Alex Verdugo.

Kwan might be the favorite again, but Cowser made only one error in 109 games and 205 chances in left and skillfully handled the difficult dimensions at Camden Yards. Cowser’s 11 Outs Above Average per Statcast include eight in left field that are double Kwan's total and eight more than Verdugo's.

Cowser is trying to become the first player to win Rookie of the Year and Gold Glove awards since the Mariners’ Ichiro Suzuki in 2001.

Third baseman Ramón Urías is the last Orioles Gold Glove recipient, in 2022. He didn’t make the list of finalists the last two seasons.

The winners will be announced on Nov. 3 on ESPN beginning at 8:30 p.m.

Here are the American League finalists:

Pitchers

Cole Ragans, Royals
Seth Lugo, Royals
Griffin Channing, Angels

Catchers

Freddy Fermin, Royals
Cal Raleigh, Mariners
Jake Rogers, Tigers

First basemen

Ryan Mountcastle, Orioles
Nathaniel Lowe, Rangers
Carlos Santana, Twins

Second basemen

Nicky Lopez, White Sox
Marcus Semien, Rangers
Andrés Giménez, Guardians