Mariners catcher Mike Zunino has been named 2018 Wilson Defensive Player of the Year at catcher. The Wilson Defensive Player of the Year, which honors the top defensive player at each position across the Major Leagues, is determined by a combination of traditional defensive stats and advanced metrics. The award was announced this afternoon on MLB Network. 
Zunino, 27, led all catchers with 12 defensive runs saved in 2018, according to Fangraphs. The 6-foot-2, 233-pound backstop also ranked 3rd in the American League/5th in the Major Leagues among qualifying catchers with a .998 fielding percentage. Among Mariners catchers in single-season club history, only Dan Wilson (.999, 2001, and .998, 2003) has recorded a higher fielding percentage. Zunino posted a 3.86 catcher ERA, 5th-best in the American League. He threw out 18-of-52 (34.6%) of would-be base stealers, 7th-highest among all catchers with at least 700.0 innings caught in 2018. In his 4th season as the Mariners primary catcher, Zunino appeared in 111 games at catcher in 2018, including 101 starts. He caught 921.2 innings, 10th-most in the Majors. 
Zunino is the first Mariners catcher to earn Wilson Defensive Player of the Year. He is the 3rd Mariners player to win the award at any position, joining Brendan Ryan (shortstop) in 2012 and Dustin Ackley (2nd base) in 2013.