The best defensive players in baseball

Apr 20, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Minnesota Twins base runner Aaron Hicks (32) gets back to first on a throw to Kansas City Royals first basemen Eric Hosmer (35) during the fourth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

First Baseman: Eric Hosmer, Kansas City Royals

Any player that dons the Kansas City uniform right now appears to be naturally gifted defensively. Hosmer is no exception, winning the Rawlings Gold Glove in 2013. Once a third pick in the draft and third in the Rookie of the Year voting, Hosmer has matured into the best defensive first baseman in the game.

Last season in 1372 innings, he made 1205 putouts. This was a massive increase of 1096 from his rookie campaign only two seasons before. He recorded 122 assists and made ten double plays. Another amazing statistic is that he made 52 first base scoops. As the numbers clearly convey, Hosmer was durable and, most importantly, reliable at the corner of the Royals infield.

Hosmer made only eight errors all season. Rather impressive given the number of innings he featured. He finished the season with a tidy .995 fielding percentage. According to his rPM, Hosmer saved three runs above the average first baseman and finished the year with a solid 0.3 ultimate zone rating.

Contenders: Adrian Gonzalez and Mike Napoli