Miami Marlins’ Rookie Javier Sonoja A Gold Glover Playing Everywhere

Javier Sanoja played more positions for the Miami Marlins than he hit home runs. The 2025 Sanoja Scoreboard reads:

Positions Played 7

Home Runs Hit 6

That’s how a 23-year-old standing only 5-foot-7 can win a Gold Glove. He is just the 19th rookie to win one.

Christina De Nicola of MLB.com dubbed the diminutive Venezuelan “The Human Swiss Army Knife” in spring training last March. That was when Marlins manager Clayton McCullough told her Sanoja could possibly play everywhere but catcher and first base.

Ironically, Sanoja was a catcher as a little kid.

McCullough was almost correct. Sanoja did not get behind the plate nor out in right field. He did play one inning at first base. The ultimate utility player’s season broke down this way in the 113 games he played:

1. Third Base: 255 2/3 innings, 72 chances, 2 errors
2. Second Base: 208 2/3 innings, 103 chances, 0 errors
3. Left Field: 156 1/3 innings, 39 chances, 0 errors
4. Center Field: 79 innings, 19 chances, 0 errors
5. Shortstop: 75 innings, 33 chances, 2 errors
6. Pitcher: 9 1/3 innings, 3 chances, 0 errors
7. First Base: 1 inning, 0 chances, 0 errors

He was part of six times as many double plays (24) than errors made.

Technically, Sanoja’s name was attached to eight positions on a Marlins scorecard this year. He was the designated hitter once.

Despite pitching in eight games, there’s not a potential Cy Young Award in his future. Every outing came late in a game Miami hopelessly trailed. The right-hander did nothing to help – except what McCullough wanted, which was to preserve the bullpen. Sanoja allowed 24 hits and 17 runs over 9 1/3 innings. The Marlins lost those games by a combined score of 106-16.

A Triple Crown at the plate isn’t likely, either – though Sanoja is no automatic out. He hit .231 with 22 doubles, 4 triples, 6 homers and 38 RBI. In 415 games in the minors before this season, he batted .277 and had an excellent ratio of 132 walks to 138 strikeouts.

Another Campy?

Could Sanoja become the sixth man to play all nine spots in the field in one game? He thinks it is possible. He played right field 24 times in the minors but has not played catcher since he was a boy.

“As a kid, I started as a catcher,” Sanoja told De Nicola thru interpreter Luis Dorante Jr., last spring. “My manager actually moved me because I was too small, and then he started putting me in different positions. I never asked or demanded to be in a specific position. I was always more thankful to be on the roster or in the lineup, and that’s something that gets you better.”

Five versatile players have played every spot in one game, beginning with Bert Campaneris of the last-place Kansas City Athletics on Sept. 8, 1965. What started as a publicity stunt by team owner Charlie Finley ended with his prized shortstop in the hospital.

The opposing California Angels did not like that the event was being done against them and were delighted that “Campy” did not do well. He went 0-for-3, made an error in left field and allowed a run on two walks and single on the mound.

He did draw a first-inning walk off Angels’ ace Dean Chance, get his 49th stolen base and score. When pitching, he struck out Bobby Knoop and got out of a jam when Jim Fregosi was caught trying to steal third on the play.

He played each spot for one inning in this order: SS, 2B, 3B. LF, CF, RF, 1B, P, C. When the game went to extra innings, Campaneris was on the way to the hospital with an injured left shoulder.

When he went behind the plate in the ninth inning, the Angels were trying to add to a 3-1 lead. Ed Kirkpatrick singled, stole second and went to third on an outfield out. With two outs, he tried to score on a pitch in the dirt. Campaneris recovered the ball and tagged him out in a collision that nearly caused a fight.

The A’s scored twice in the bottom of the ninth to tie it and eventually lost in 13 innings. Campaneris missed the next four games.

Others Going 9-for-1

On Sept. 22, 1968, Cesar Tovar of the Minnesota Twins faced Campaneris and figured anything you can do, I can do better.

He got Campaneris and Sal Bando to foul out and fanned future Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson in the first inning. He also walked Danny Cater and balked him to second in the only mound appearance of his career.

Tovar went 1-for-3 with a walk and steal at bat. In the field, he had five putouts. The Twins gave him a color TV for his effort.

Thirty-two years later, two guys played all nine. Scott Sheldon of the Texas Rangers did it on Sept. 6, 2000, and the Detroit Tigers’ Shane Halter did it on Oct. 1.

Texas manager Johnny Oates put Sheldon in the game in the fourth inning and said go for it. Oates used three players at three spots and two others at two to accommodate Sheldon’s sojourn, which included pitching one-third of an inning and switching spots several times in mid-inning.

Halter played all nine in the Tigers’ season finale against the Twins. He walked the only man he pitched to, and played flawless defense everywhere.

He also went 4-for-5 with three RBI and scored the game-winning run on a walkoff hit by Hal Morris in a wild 12-11 win.

Detroit’s Andrew Romine did it on Sept. 30, 2017, at Minnesota. He was part of a 4-6-3 double play as the shortstop and used his brother Austin’s catcher’s mitt behind the plate in the seventh inning. He induced the only man he pitched to, slugger Miguel Cano, to ground out.

Sanoja’s Future With Miami Marlins

The sprightly Venezuelan’s value should keep him around a long time. Other glove-first versatile players such as Cookie Rojas played all nine positions over a 16-year career in the 1960s and 70s. Jose Oquendo played them all over 12 years in the 1980s and 90s.

Sanoja’s speed helps, too. He can pinch-run for nearly any player and then remain in the game at that spot. His manager does not have to use two players to make one move during a critical rally.

The Miami Marlins’ Gold Glover has the entire skill set to repeat winning the award as his league’s best fielding utility player.