What Javier Sanoja Can Learn From Falling Short of a Gold Glove

The Miami Marlins' third baseman may not have brought home the gold, but he has several reasons to hold his head high.

Miami Marlins third baseman Javier Sanoja (8) fields a ball and throws to first base. Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Miami Marlins are one of the more entertaining young teams in Major League Baseball, and they proved to live up to that narrative in 2026. While they finished under .500, the Marlins have several pieces they can build around to bring a championship to Miami for the first time since 2003.

One young star who should be part of those future plans is infielder Javier Sanoja. Sanoja took a massive step in the right direction in 2026, both at the plate and in the field. He set new offensive career highs in home runs (11), batting average (.295) and OPS (.791), but also impressed at the hot corner.

Finding solid infielders sometimes gets overlooked, but not with Sanoja. His defense complements his offense perfectly, making him an entertaining young player in the National League. So much so, Sanoja was nominated for the National League Gold Glove Award for third base.

Sanoja went up against two veterans, Alex Bregman of the Chicago Cubs and Max Muncy of the Los Angeles Dodgers, for the award, falling short to Bregman, who won his second Gold Glove Award Sunday night.

Though Sanoja didn't win, the Marlins shouldn't change anything they've taught the young infielder.

Javier Sanoja's Numbers Were Gold Glove Caliber

Miami Marlins third baseman Javier Sanoja (8) throws on the runner. Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Statcast shows fans just how well Sanoja played all across the infield, but primarily at third base. Among third basemen across Major League Baseball, Sanoja ranked fifth with a 5 in fielding run value, much better than Muncy and just short of Bregman, who finished with 7.

The best part about Sanoja is that he's young and quickly proving he can be an all-around force for the Marlins. Winning a Gold Glove Award in 2025 at the age of 22 and falling short of a second at age 23 just proves the youngster is hanging with the best of his kind.

One area that likely held Sanoja back in the voting process was his error amount at the position, committing 11 errors in 778.1 innings. Bregman committed six errors in 2026, yet led the league in assists (251) and double plays (30), while holding a .982 fielding percentage.

Sharpening up at the hot corner this offseason will only help Sanoja as he continues to chase his second Gold Glove. The numbers prove the potential is there; Now, Sanoja has to fine-tune his talents, which will only help the Marlins in the long run anyway.