Gabriel Moreno wins award for best Venezuelan player in MLB this season

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno was named the 2026 recipient of the Luis Aparicio Award, given out annually to the best Venezuelan player in Major League Baseball. 

The award is voted on by sports journalists in Venezuela, and Moreno received 65 out of 100 first-place votes. Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesus Luzardo came in second, and D-backs pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez finished third.

“It is an honor to receive this award,” Moreno said in a press release. “Luis Aparicio is our legend, the first Hall of Famer we Venezuelans have in Cooperstown, and he means a lot to us.”

Aparicio was the first player voted into the Hall of Fame from the Latin American country, getting inducted in 1984 after make 13 All-Star teams and winning nine Gold Gloves. The award bearing his name was created in 2004 and first won by pitcher Johan Santana.

In a breakout season, Moreno became the fifth catcher since 1900 to win a batting title, and he has a compelling case to earn his second career Gold Glove and his first Silver Slugger.

He hit .311 and clubbed a career-high 16 home runs. Moreno was the eighth-most valuable player in MLB, per Baseball Reference WAR.

There were 92 Venezuelans who played an MLB game this past season, second to the Dominican Republic in terms of international players, according to Baseball Reference. Slugging third baseman Eugenio Suarez won the Aparicio Award last year after splitting time between Arizona and the Seattle Mariners.

Moreno will receive the hardware in December.

Related

MLB testing new outfield rules in Arizona Fall LeagueReport: Diamondbacks picking Chris Garagiola as next TV play-by-play voiceWhich Diamondbacks are finalists for Gold Glove Awards?Grading Diamondbacks’ offseason trades, signings 1 season laterDiamondbacks bringing back hitting coach Joe MatherPat Murphy can save baseball and further cement himself as an Arizona legend