Doosan Bears slugger Yang, 36, is one step closer to winning his ninth Golden Glove, which is awarded to the best player at each position in professional baseball.

Yang was named the winner in the catcher category at the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League Golden Glove Award Ceremony held at the COEX Auditorium in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul on Nov. 11.

Yang received 214 votes (73.5%) out of 291 eligible votes, beating out LG Twins’ Park Dong-won (63 votes-21.6%) by a wide margin.

This is the ninth Golden Glove award for Yang, who won the award every year from 2014 to 2016 and again from 2018 to 2022.

This puts him second on the all-time list, just one win shy of tying Doosan manager Lee Seung-yeop’s KBO League record of 10.

Yang also set a new record for most Golden Gloves won by a catcher, surpassing Kim Dong-soo of the Seoul Giants, and became the oldest catcher to win the award (36 years, 6 months, 6 days).

Previously, Kang Min-ho (Samsung Lions) held the record for the oldest catcher to win the Golden Glove in 2021 at the age of 36 years, 3 months, and 22 days.

Yang, who has won the award for six consecutive years, is tied for second in the category with former Hanwha Eagles manager Han Dae-rae. In first place is Lee Seung-yeop, who has won the award seven years in a row.

Yang has won the Golden Glove eight times as a catcher and once as a designated hitter (in 2021).

Although he was unable to break his all-time record of 99.4% of the vote (340 out of 342 eligible ballots), which he set in 2020 with the NC Dinos, he blew away the competition this year with a high percentage of votes.

“Next season, I will prepare better so that coach Lee Seung-yeop can cheer even more,” Yang said.

Yang, who returned to his hometown club Doosan this year, played in 129 games and led the team with a .305 batting average, 17 home runs and 68 RBIs, while his on-base percentage was first among the seven catchers nominated (0.378).

The pitching honors went to NC foreign-born pitcher Eric Peddie, who went 20-6 with a 2.00 ERA and 209 strikeouts to lead the team in wins, ERA, and strikeouts.

Pedi ended 2023 on a high note, winning the regular season Most Valuable Player (MVP) award and the Golden Glove.

After evaluating the KBO, Pedi will play for the Chicago White Sox in Major League Baseball (MLB) next year.

The First Baseman category was also won by a foreign player. Austin Dean, who led the LG Twins to their first Korean Series (KS) title in 29 years, won the award.

Austin received 271 votes, or 93.1 percent of the vote, to earn the honor of receiving the most Golden Glove votes this year.

In his first year with LG, Austin batted .313 with 23 home runs and 95 RBIs in 139 games, putting an end to LG’s “Foreign Hitter Massacre”.

Austin, who re-signed with LG for $1.3 million per year, will continue to play at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul next year.

Second base went to Kim Hye-sung of the Kiwoom Heroes. Kim won the Golden Glove in 2021 as a shortstop, last year as a second baseman, and again this year as a second baseman.

She also received the 2023 Fair Play Award on the same day.

Hanwha’s next big man, Noh Shi-hwan, was named the winner of the third baseman category and wore a golden glove for the first time in his career.

Noh led the team in both categories this year with 31 home runs and 101 RBIs.

“I’m happy to receive my first Golden Glove,” he said, “I’ve been working hard this year to surpass Choi Jeong, so I’m happy to get this award. I am grateful.”

With Noh’s and Yang’s awards, SSG Landers third baseman Choi Jung (eight) slipped from second to third place on the all-time list.

In the shortstop category, one of the most competitive positions, LG captain Oh Ji-hwan beat out KIA Tigers’ Park Chan-ho.

Oh received 154 (52.9%) of the 291 votes cast, while Park received 120 (41.2%).

Oh hit .268 with eight home runs and 62 RBIs this year, while Park hit .301 with three home runs and 52 RBIs.

“We will win the overall title next year and start a dynasty,” said Oh.

NC Son Ah-seop, who led the league in batting average (0.339) and hits (187), won the Golden Glove for designated hitter.

LG’s Hong Chang-ki, Samsung’s Koo Ja-uk, and NC’s Park Gun-woo won the outfield categories.

Hong ranked first in on-base percentage (0.444) and runs scored (109), while Gu led the Samsung lineup with a second-place batting average (0.336), second-place slugging percentage (0.407), and fourth-place on-base percentage (0.494).

Park finished seventh in batting average (0.319) and ninth in RBIs (85), earning his first career Golden Glove.

He received 139 votes (47.8% of the vote), narrowly edging out SSG Guillermo Heredia (101 votes – 34.7% of the vote).

“It took me a long time to get this award,” Park said in his emotional acceptance speech, adding, “I will dedicate the rest of my baseball life to my parents, who have always supported me.”

Voting for the Golden Globes was conducted online from March 29 to April 1 by media representatives from the KBO, including reporters, photographers, PDs, announcers, and commentators.

Along with the Golden Globe, each category winner received a voucher worth 5 million won to purchase ZETT products. 안전놀이터