The Philadelphia Phillies are in a state of flux at the moment, as a monumental shift in defensive alignment has occurred due to the addition of second baseman Luis Arraez. Displacing four positions on the field all in the name of keeping punching bag Alec Bohm in the starting lineup may be a monumentally stupid idea, but at least it could provide a small silver lining for Bryson Stott.
Each year Rawlings presents their Gold Glove Awards to the most deserving players at each position on the field. Both a National League and American League player are given awards for each spot on the diamond, and in 2022 they began giving out an extra award to the top utility player in each league. This newer honor seeks to recognize the slickest fielders who don’t necessarily call one spot home, but instead hold down multiple positions.
This wrinkle could present a pathway to recognition for the perennially overlooked Bryson Stott, who has been named a finalist at second base in years past, but has yet to take home a trophy. The 2019 first-round draft pick spent his rookie season as the Phils’ everyday shortstop back in 2022, but has since shifted over to the keystone over the ensuing years in deference to the error-prone Trea Turner.
To that end, Stott spent his first 107 contests of the 2026 campaign at second base before the whirlwind rearrangement took place last week after the Arraez trade. The move hasn’t gone particularly well for some (in particular Bryce Harper, who is having knee problems due to shifting back to right field), but Stott has handled the hot corner with aplomb through his first nine contests, having yet to commit an error while making numerous sensational plays.
That's a third basemen right there 👊 pic.twitter.com/lqJtieQJ2n
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) August 12, 2026
The 28-year-old Stott has long been considered a top-tier defender at second base, and in fact owns the highest career fielding percentage at the keystone of all time (just ahead of former Phillie Placido Polanco). If his terrific glovework continues at third, he could set himself up for a well-earned utility Gold Glove at season’s end.
Phillies' Bryson Stott isn't the prototypical utilityman, but he's still an excellent choice for the utility Gold Glove Award
Most fans will conjure up images of jacks of all trades like Ben Zobrist or Brendan Donovan when they think of utilitymen. While Stott may not suit up at a multitude of positions like those guys, that’s not necessarily a prerequisite for consideration.
In 2023, the San Diego Padres’ Ha-Seong Kim took home utility Gold Glove honors when he spent 106 games at second base, with just 32 at third and 20 at shortstop. Jared Triolo of the Pittsburgh Pirates is another similar case, as he appeared at third base in 61 contests and second in 47, mixing in just a handful of starts at other positions in his award-winning 2024 campaign.
It’ll be an uphill climb for Stott to stand out in a crowded National League utility Gold Glove picture, seeing as both league’s winners are now in his division in Javier Sanoja and Mauricio Dubón. However, it’s certainly doable for a guy who holds an all-time record for fielding percentage.
The Phillies certainly seem to have erred in their decision to play musical chairs on behalf of Alec Bohm, and it remains to be seen how long the entire arrangement will last. Still, even if Harper moves back to first base, Stott will likely remain entrenched at third, and could stay there next season following Bohm’s merciful departure in free agency. The Phillies may not know what they’re doing, but that just might earn Bryson Stott a Gold Glove.
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