On November 10, MLB announced the winners of the Silver Slugger awards. Each season, the league hands out this award to the best hitter at each position. Also new for 2022 is the addition of a Utility Silver Slugger. This award is given to the hitter that plays a utility role in the field and plays more than one position on a regular basis. So, which players won Silver Sluggers in 2022? We now have an answer.
Here’s a look at the American League winners:
American League
- C: Alejandro Kirk (Blue Jays)
- 1B: Nathaniel Lowe (Rangers)
- 2B: Jose Altuve (Astros)
- 3B: Jose Ramirez (Guardians)
- SS: Xander Bogaerts (Red Sox)
- OF: Aaron Judge (Yankees)
- OF: Mike Trout (Angels)
- OF: Julio Rodriguez (Mariners)
- DH: Yordan Alvarez (Astros)
- UTL: Luis Arraez (Twins)
The American League side of things didn’t yield too many surprises. AL home run king and probable MVP Aaron Judge led all players in home runs (62), OBP (.425), and OPS (1.111). Judge is joined by superstar Mike Trout, who belted 40 home runs in 2022. That figure comes in a season that saw Trout miss 43 games due to injury.
The World Series champion Houston Astros had two Silver Slugger winners in Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve. Also, AL batting champion Luis Arraez won the inaugural Utility Silver Slugger award for the AL.
And for the National League:
National League
- C: J.T. Realmuto (Phillies)
- 1B: Paul Goldschmidt (Cardinals)
- 2B: Jeff McNeil (Mets)
- 3B: Nolan Arenado (Cardinals)
- SS: Trea Turner (Dodgers)
- OF: Mookie Betts (Dodgers)
- OF: Kyle Schwarber (Phillies)
- OF: Juan Soto (Nationals/Padres)
- DH: Josh Bell (Nationals/Padres)
- UTL: Brandon Drury (Reds/Padres)
The National League champion Phillies saw J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber have impressive regular seasons. Realmuto slugged 22 home runs, while posting a very respectable 129 OPS+. Schwarber, in his first season in Philadelphia, set a career high in home runs (46). That figure led all NL hitters.
The Cardinals also had two Silver Slugger winners, in third baseman Nolan Arenado and 2022 NL Hank Aaron Award winner Paul Goldschmidt. Goldschmidt beats out two other superstars in the NL, in Freddie Freeman and Pete Alonso.
Other notable winners include two former Nationals, in Trea Turner and Juan Soto. While Soto saw his batting average decline by 71 points between 2021 and 2022, the star outfielder remained a force at the plate. Soto smashed 27 home runs between his time in Washington and San Diego, while also leading all of baseball in walks (135).
