The Gold Glove Award is given to defensive standouts at each position in MLB, with a total of 18 recipients each year—nine for the American League and nine for the National League. This includes one award for every position (catcher, first base, second base, third base, shortstop, three outfield positions, pitcher, and a utility/extra position in some years), plus the distribution has occasionally varied slightly due to league-specific considerations or special cases. The standard is 18 Gold Gloves annually.
