As a young ballplayer in Venezuela, Gabriel Moreno looked up to players in his home country, including Luis “Little Louie” Aparicio, a shortstop for three American League teams from 1956 to 1973.

Now Venezuelans can say the ballplayers’ names in the same breath.

Moreno, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ star catcher, won the Luis Aparicio Award as the best Venezuelan player in MLB. He is only the second catcher to win the honor, following Salvador Pérez in 2021.

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“It was special for me, for all my family and my people in Venezuela,” Moreno said via WhatsApp. “Everyone in Venezuela knows who he is. In the MLB, he does everything for us. He was the first [Venezuelan] we had in the Major League. 

Moreno will receive the 2026 Luis Aparicio Award on Dec. 20, which coincides with the 70th anniversary of Aparicio’s MLB debut and the 60th anniversary of him becoming the first Venezuelan to win a World Series.

“It means a lot for me. I feel really proud of myself,” Moreno said.

“I thank God. He’s always there with me, making sure I stay healthy all season. Glory to him. Without him, I can’t do it.” 

The Luis Aparicio Award winner is determined by a vote conducted by Venezuelan sports journalists and Spanish-language media worldwide.

Moreno received 502 points. He surpassed Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Jesús Luzardo, who finished second with 340 points, and his Diamondbacks teammate/starting pitcher Eduardo Rodríguez, who had 218 points.

“Thanks to everyone who’s voted for me as the best Venezuelan player of 2026,” Moreno said. 

The first Luis Aparicio Award was given in 2004 to Minnesota Twins pitcher Johan Santana, after Aparicio was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, and the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. 

Moreno also won the 2026 National League Rawlings Gold Glove Award for catcher and the 2026 National League batting title (.311 average). 

Moreno is the sixth winner of the Luis Aparicio Award to capture the batting title in the same year. He joins Magglio Ordóñez (2007), Carlos González (2010), Miguel Cabrera (2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015), José Altuve (2014, 2016 and 2017) and Luis Arráez (2022).

“I never won the batting title, ever,” he said. “This is my first one of my career. It feels amazing. It’s unbelievable that I did it. I always knew that I could hit over .300. That means something. I feel good and I trusted myself to win it.

“I always look at it, every time, every year. I know who won it every year before. There are amazing players, too — Miggy [Cabrera], Altuve — and now my name is there with them. I feel really proud and happy, again.”

Moreno is the second catcher in Major League Baseball history to win a batting title and a Gold Glove in the same season, joining Hall of Famer Joe Mauer.

Moreno caught 104 games, threw out 14 runners attempting to steal and led the Diamondbacks with a .996 fielding percentage. He also ranked among baseball’s top defensive catchers in defensive bWAR and Defensive Runs Saved.

His success helped the Diamondbacks tie a franchise record with three Gold Glove winners in 2026. Moreno joined teammates Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo.

His late-season surge helped secure the batting title and the Luis Aparicio Award. Over the final 20 games of the regular season, Moreno hit .377 with five home runs and 16 RBIs, edging out Arráez for the NL batting crown.

To add to the accolades, on Nov. 11, he was recognized among baseball’s best as All-MLB First Team Catcher, the team’s first backstop to win the honors.