Cano named Yankees' top defender

One day after earning an American League Silver Slugger Award for his impressive offensive work this season, Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano was recognized Thursday for his stellar defensive play.

For the second time in as many seasons, Cano was named the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year for the Yanks. The Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Awards, now in their second season, are distributed to the top defender on each big league team. Wilson also recognizes the top individual and team defenders in each league.

The Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Awards are determined by a specific formula that combines scouting information, sabermetric analysis and basic fielding stats.

Cano committed just six errors this season in finishing with a .991 fielding percentage, just shy of his career-best .992 mark a season ago.

A two-time Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner, Cano was a Gold Glove finalist this season among AL second basemen but lost out to Boston's Dustin Pedroia. Cano earned Gold Glove Awards in 2010 and '12.

The GIBBY trophy for Defensive Player of the Year will be awarded as part of the 2013 Greatness in Baseball Yearly Awards, which are based on voting by media, front-office personnel, MLB alumni and the Society for American Baseball Research, as well as fan balloting on MLB.com.

Through Sunday, Dec. 1, fans will be able to cast their ballots at MLB.com for the year's top defensive star, with no individual league affiliation.