James McCann catches a pitch on the first day of White Sox spring workouts
The Chicago White Sox are a team on the rise in Major League Baseball, and they’re being recognized for their solid defensive play, as five players were named as finalists for Gold Glove awards.
The White Sox, who made the postseason for the first time in 12 years this season, were rewarded with a pair of nominees for the Gold Glove at catcher, with Yasmani Grandal and James McCann both named finalists for the prize.
Grandal, playing his first season for the White Sox, posted a .993 fielding percentage on 286 total chances behind the plate for the White Sox along with five defensive runs saved, according to Baseball Reference. He also gunned down six of a potential 13 base stealers on the season.
McCann posted a .985 fielding percentage on 261 chances for the White Sox, nailing four would-be base stealers and posting a DRS of five on the season.
The White Sox will also have a finalist at second base for the second straight season, as Danny Mendick was chosen as a finalist at the position. Cleveland’s Cesar Hernandez and Detroit’s Jonathan Schoop were also named as finalists for the prize.
Yolmer Sanchez is the reigning Gold Glove award winner at the position, giving Mendick the chance to secure it for Chicago for a second straight season. Mendick posted a .991 fielding percentage this season, with just one error in 106 total chances. He also accounted for four defensive runs saved at the position.
White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada was also named as a finalist at the hot corner, joining Texas’ Isiah Kiner-Falefa and New York’s Gio Urshela.
Chicago Baseball
Moncada committed five errors on 139 chances this season for a .964 fielding percentage.
Rookie center fielder Luis Robert was rewarded for his first big league season with a selection as a finalist up the middle, with Minnesota's Byron Buxton and Oakland's Ramon Laureano also picked as finalists.
Robert made just one error in 154 chances this season, using his incredible range to rack up a defensive runs saved mark of +6, according to Baseball Reference.
