Cardinals' cornerstone player leading Major League Baseball in key statistic

The calling card of the St. Louis Cardinals success throughout the 2010s and early 2020s hinged on superb defense. They had 11 Gold Glove winners from 2010-2019 and nine winners from 2020-2022 including winning the team Gold Glove Award in 2021 and 2022. The Cardinals were the class of the league when it came to defensive prowess for a time.

Over the last two years, the Cardinals have not had a player win a Gold Glove despite having a few finalists. The club's lackluster defensive efforts in 2023 and 2024 were part of the reason why the Cardinals missed the postseason in consecutive years.

For so long, The Cardinal Way preached fundamentals and a focus on defensive effort. The Cardinals strayed away from that mantra after the departures of players like Yadier Molina, Harrison Bader, Kolten Wong, and Paul Goldschmidt. Nolan Arenado's defense is still above average, but it pales in comparison to his glory days at the hot corner.

However, the Cardinals have a defensive savior of sorts in 2025.

St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn is on pace to be the best defensive player in Major League Baseball this year.

Winn's defensive abilities have been touted throughout his career as a prospect. He's lived up to his billing just two years into his MLB career.

In 2024, Winn finished the season with 14 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and three Outs Above Average (OAA). He graded out as a negative defender according to Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR). Regardless, Winn was a plus defender at shortstop last year, and he was nominated as a finalist for a Gold Glove at shortstop in the National League.

Winn has taken his defense — and his entire game — to another level this year.

Masyn Winn leads all major leaguers in Outs Above Average this year with 21 OAA. The next closest players are shortstop Nick Allen, center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, and shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., all with 18 OAA; Winn has a healthy lead in Outs Above Average to say the least.

Do you prefer Defensive Runs Saved? Well, Winn is a top-50 defender in all of baseball with five DRS. That figure places him seventh among all shortstops in baseball. He ranks first in defensive efficiency according to FanGraphs.

Winn's arm speed ranks in the 89th percentile. He consistently throws balls across the infield above 90 miles per hour. His fastest throw this year was clocked at 93.9 MPH, the fourth-fastest throw across the infield among all shortstops in baseball according to Baseball Savant.

We all knew Masyn Winn would be an excellent defender. After a solid audition in 2024, he's taken his game to another level. He has a good chance to win the Gold Glove this year at shortstop in the National League, and he even has a chance to win the National League Platinum Glove Award for being the best defender in the league.

Winn's profile as a player is certainly buoyed by his defensive output. He's a solid hitter, but his ability to be a star defensively raises his ceiling significantly.