Cardinals Fan Favorite Will Be 'Very Surprised' If Phenom Doesn't Win Gold Glove

The St. Louis Cardinals finished 2024 with a winning record but failed to make the playoffs in another disappointing season, which saw poor performances across the board.

Despite several notable names underachieving this past season, a few standout defensive performances recently gained recognition.

On Monday, Rawlings Baseball announced the finalists for this year's Gold Glove award finalists and three Cardinals defenders found themselves on that list -- Brendan Donovan, Nolan Arenado and Masyn Winn. According to a St. Louis fan favorite, one is bound to win.

"'I don’t know if it will be this year, but if he doesn’t win a Gold Glove, I’ll be very surprised,' teammate Paul Goldschmidt said earlier this season," as transcribed by St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold on Monday. “'He’s been more than his arm. Just has great range and makes really good plays out there. But, yeah, obviously his arm sticks out. Some of the double plays he comes across, he throws a guy out where I think most guys aren’t doing that. He’s made some plays in the hole – diving plays. Just all-around played great defense.'”

In his first entire season as a major leaguer, Winn dazzled with his triple-digit velocity throwing arm and gritty fielding approach, which made him a perpetual highlight reel.

Winn led Major League Baseball with 14 defensive runs saved among shortstops, four more than the runner-up, Colorado Rockies' Ezequiel Tovar.

Surely, this should be Winn's first of many Gold Glove awards. There are high expectations for the projected future face of the franchise. Perhaps he'll be the most memorable Cardinals shortstop since 'The Wizard,' Ozzie Smith, after it's all said and done.