The Kansas City Royals are known for their top defense. And on Wednesday, the Royals had three players named 2025 Rawlings Gold Glove finalists.
Royals trio Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia and Kyle Isbel were named finalists at their respective positions. Witt received his second nomination after winning his first Gold Glove in 2024.
Garcia and Isbel earned their first ever nominations.
Witt, 25, is one of the premier shortstops in the league. He ranked second among American League shortstops in assists (382) and fielding percentage (.983). Additionally, Witt committed just 10 errors — which ranked second-fewest among AL shortstops.
This season, Witt showed his defensive range in multiple highlights. Witt robbed St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera with a diving stop at Busch Stadium. He also made several over-the-shoulder grabs from the shortstop position.
Garcia, 25, also came into his own this season. He posted career highs in batting average, home runs and RBIs. Along the way, his defense reached a new level at third base.
The Royals penciled in Garcia at third for 130 starts. He rewarded the team with a .980 fielding percentage and 105 putouts at the position. In his last 75 games, Garcia committed just one error while manning third base.
And should he win, Garcia will be the first Royal since George Brett (1985) to earn a Rawlings Gold Glove at third base.
Isbel, 28, is also a first-time finalist. Known for his elite first step, Isbel has patrolled Kauffman Stadium for multiple seasons. His defensive range earned him an everyday spot in the starting lineup and a key role on the team.
The Royals feel comfortable whenever Isbel is in center. He has the ability to make difficult plays look normal given his defensive range. On several occasions, Isbel was seen chasing a ball down in the outfield gap or slamming into the fence to rob a home run.
This season, Isbel made 118 starts in center and logged 1,032 innings at the position. He ranked first among AL center fielders in fielding percentage (.997), second in total chances (333) and second in putouts (329).
Isbel also had 12 Outs Above Average in 2025. If he wins the Gold Glove, he would be the Royals’ first center-field recipient since Michael A. Taylor in 2021.
The 2025 Rawlings Gold Glove winners will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 2, on ESPN.