By Pavhel Rochin

The catcher from Sonora, Brandon Valenzuela, was named one of the three finalists for the 2026 American League Gold Glove, thanks to his defensive performance with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Hermosillo native shares the nomination with Dillon Dingler of the Detroit Tigers and Austin Wells of the New York Yankees in the catcher category.

His statistics support his candidacy: during the regular season, he participated in 84 games as a catcher, accumulated 618.2 defensive innings, and threw out 19 out of 63 runners who attempted to steal a base against him, equivalent to a 30.2% success rate in that situation. Furthermore, he recorded a .986 fielding percentage, numbers that highlight his ability to control the game from behind the plate and halt the progress of opposing runners.

The nomination represents a significant recognition for Mexican baseball and for Sonora, a land with a rich baseball tradition. At 25 years old, Valenzuela is beginning to make his mark in Major League Baseball with Toronto, and this distinction places him among the catchers recognized for their defensive work in the young circuit. The Gold Glove winner will be announced on November 1st, according to the award's official calendar.