Better question is how do they go through the minor leagues that bad defensively and nothing is ever done about it? Its like they hand them a glove and say, "good luck! Try not to get yourself killed out there."
The first wave of guys had solid defenders. Rutschman, Gunnar, Westburg and Cowser are all good defenders (at least average at premium position or above average at other position).
What's weird to me is not only that the next wave or two are so bad defensively, but only Mayo was ever someone we heard about in the minors as likely not good enough with the glove. Holliday is the really baffling one, as he was a shortstop and while he also played 2B and 3B, nobody ever really said he wouldn't be able to hack it at SS defensively in the majors just that he probably wouldn't supplant Gunnar. And then he shows up and is brutally bad at 2B. Hopefully that's just a bad rookie year and he's better overall moving forward. But beyond Holliday...Kjerstad stinks, Mayo stinks at 3B, Beavers looks real bad in the OF and yet they're trying him in CF. Stowers and Norby were pretty bad. Ortiz was great, so there is an exception, but he's hitting himself out of the sport. Basallo seems questionable at C, but if he can stick even as a below average glove that's a ton of value. He's not a lost cause.
Bradfield and Honeycutt seem to be exceptions and highly regarded defensively. We'll see if that translates to MLB (or if Honeycutt ever gets there which I'll guess not).
