Pirates utilityman Jared Triolo named Gold Glove finalist

Noah Hiles / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pirates infielder Jared Triolo was named one of the three finalists for the Rawlings Gold Glove award for National League utilitymen. Enrique Hernandez of the Dodgers and Brendan Donovan of the Cardinals are the other two finalists.

A 26-year-old utilityman, 2024 marked Triolo’s first full season in the big leagues. After winning the starting second base job out of spring training, he logged time at each of the four infield positions this season, playing in 125 games and making 114 starts. His most frequent spot was third base, having made 60 starts at the hot corner. Second base (42 starts) was next in line, then shortstop (eight starts) and first base (four starts). He also played two innings in right field on July 28 in an extra-innings Pirates victory over the Diamondbacks in Arizona.

“This kid's a good defender,” manager Derek Shelton said of Triolo in April. “It doesn't matter which side of the bag he's at.”

Triolo made just three errors in the 1,010⅔ innings he played in the field this season, two of them coming at third base and the other coming at second. Per Fangraphs, Triolo graded as an above-average fielder at third, second and first base in 2024. He combined for six defensive runs saved this season. His .985 fielding percentage at third base was second best among MLB players that logged at least 500 innings at the position, trailing only Jordan Westburg of the Orioles (.986). Triolo’s .995 fielding percentage at second base, meanwhile, was tied for second best among MLB players that logged at least 350 innings at the position, trailing only Brandon Lowe of the Rays (1.000).

“He’s always anticipating,” Pirates bench coach Don Kelly said of Triolo in early September. “He’s got a good pre-pitch [setup], gets good reactions and good jumps on the ball.”

The winners of this year’s Gold Glove awards will be announced on ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight” on Nov. 3 at 8:30 p.m. Of the three finalists, Donovan is the only one with a Gold Glove to his credit, having won the National League’s first award for a utility player in 2022. Donovan played at four defensive spots this season but only graded as a plus defender at second base. Hernandez, meanwhile, played six positions in 2024, grading as a plus defender at first base and in center field.