The St. Louis Cardinals endured a frustrating 2025 season, plagued by pitching woes and inconsistent offense. Yet one area remained steady throughout the year — their defense.
That effort was anchored by shortstop Masyn Winn, who put together one of the most impressive defensive campaigns in baseball at one of its toughest positions. Despite missing 33 games due to a torn meniscus, Winn still graded among the best defenders in the majors.
Before his injury, Winn led the league in Outs Above Average and finished tied for third by season’s end, trailing only Pete Crow-Armstrong and Bobby Witt Jr. His arm strength ranked in the 88th percentile, while his fielding run value landed in the 98th percentile, tied for sixth overall.
With numbers like those, it’s no surprise that Winn was named a Gold Glove finalist at shortstop in the National League on Wednesday. He joins Nick Allen of the Atlanta Braves and Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers as finalists for the award. Winn's teammate, Victor Scott II was also nominated in centerfield.
Given his defensive dominance, Winn could also draw consideration for the Platinum Glove, which recognizes the top overall defender in each league among Gold Glove winners.
For the Cardinals, Winn’s recognition serves as a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season. Though St. Louis slipped again in the NL Central standings, fans can find optimism in the emergence of Winn — a young, elite defender poised to anchor the franchise’s infield for years to come.