KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. tonight was named the 2025 Rawlings Platinum Glove Award winner for the American League. The award, which recognizes the top defensive player in each league via fan voting, was first established in 2011.
Witt Jr. is the second Royals player to win Rawlings Platinum Glove honors, following Alex Gordon, who was named the American League’s best defensive player in both 2014 and 2020. The Royals are the only American League team with three Platinum Glove Awards. Among all Major League teams, only St. Louis (6) and Colorado (4) have more.
Witt Jr. is only the fourth shortstop in either league to win the award since its inception in 2011, following Andrelton Simmons (2013), Francisco Lindor (2016) and Carlos Correa (2021).
Earlier this week, Witt Jr. was named the Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner among American League shortstops for the second straight season.
Earlier tonight, Witt Jr. was named the Silver Slugger Award winner among American League shortstops for the second straight season. He is the fourth player to earn both a Rawlings Platinum Glove Award and a Silver Slugger Award in the same season, following Hall of Fame third baseman Adrian Beltre in 2011, first baseman Anthony Rizzo in 2016 and third baseman Nolan Arenado in 2017, 2018 and 2022.
Witt Jr., 25, tied for the Major League lead among all players in 2025 with 24 Outs Above Average, according to Baseball Savant. He made 153 starts at shortstop, 3rd most in the American League. Witt Jr. ranked 2nd among AL shortstops in assists (382) and fielding percentage (.983), and he was charged with just 10 errors in 578 chances, 2nd fewest among AL shortstops (min. 125 starts).