Gabriel Moreno wins award for best Venezuelan player in MLB

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno has won the 2026 Luis Aparicio Award, recognizing the best Venezuelan player in Major League Baseball. Voted on by sports journalists in Venezuela, Moreno secured 65 out of 100 first-place votes to claim the honor. Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesus Luzardo finished second in the voting, followed by Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez in third place.

Moreno enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2026, hitting .311 with a career-high 16 home runs to become just the fifth catcher since 1900 to win a batting title. Ranked as MLB's eighth-most valuable player by Baseball Reference WAR, Moreno succeeds former teammate Eugenio Suarez as the award winner and will officially receive the trophy in December.