Silver Slugger Award winners 2022

Major League Baseball honored the top hitters from the 2022 season on Thursday night when the Louisville Silver Slugger Award winners were announced on MLB Network.

Silver Slugger Awards, which are voted on by MLB managers and coaches, are given to the top offensive player at each position in each league. That includes three outfielders (regardless of specific position) in each league and, for the first time, one utility player in each league.

This year’s group of recipients included 10 first-time winners. The Padres led all clubs with three winners – all three of whom came over to San Diego at the Trade Deadline – while the Cardinals, Dodgers and Phillies each had two on the National League side. As for the American League, nine teams were represented among the 10 recipients, with the Astros being the only AL team with multiple winners.

Here are the 2022 Silver Slugger Award winners:

AL winner: Nathaniel Lowe, Rangers (first win)

Lowe had a breakout year for Texas, slashing .302/.358/.492 with 27 home runs and 76 RBIs. The 26-year-old set career highs in home runs, RBIs, batting average, OBP, slugging percentage, OPS+ (141) and total bases (292).

NL winner: Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals (fifth win)

Goldschmidt, who is also a finalist for the NL MVP Award and won the Hank Aaron Award as the Senior Circuit’s top offensive performer, claimed his fifth career Silver Slugger — but his first as a Cardinal. His previous four (2013, ’15, ’17 and ’18) all came as a member of the D-backs. As for this season, Goldschmidt hit .317 with 35 home runs and 115 RBIs, all while leading the NL in slugging percentage (.578), OPS (.981) and OPS+ (180).

AL winner: Jose Altuve, Astros (sixth win)

Altuve rediscovered his Silver Slugger form in 2022, winning his first honor since taking home five straight Silver Slugger Awards from 2014-18. The Astros second baseman hit .300 with 28 homers and a .921 OPS, while also racking up 18 stolen bases and 103 runs scored.

NL winner: Jeff McNeil, Mets (first win)

McNeil led all players with a .326 average this season, becoming the first Mets player to win an NL batting title since Jose Reyes in 2011 — and the only player in franchise history to lead the Majors overall. McNeil also had 39 doubles this season, tied with Altuve for the most by any player who played at least 100 games at second base.

AL winner: Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox (fifth win)

Bogaerts took home his second straight Silver Slugger — and fifth overall — after slashing .307/.377/.456 this season. His .307 average and .377 on-base percentage each led all qualified shortstops.

NL winner: Trea Turner, Dodgers (first win)

Turner hits the free-agent market as a first-time Silver Slugger winner after racking up 21 homers, 100 RBIs and 27 stolen bases this season. He was the only shortstop with at least 20 homers and 20 stolen bases, as well as the only one to score at least 100 runs. Turner slashed .298/.343/.466 (.809 OPS) in the process.

AL winner: José Ramírez, Guardians (fourth win)

Ramírez racked up 29 homers and 20 stolen bases this season, making him the only third baseman to turn in a 20-20 season. In fact, he’s the only third baseman to accomplish that feat in the last seven seasons — and he’s done it four times during that span (2018, ’19, ’21 and ’22). Ramírez also led all AL players, regardless of position, with 44 doubles.

NL winner: Nolan Arenado, Cardinals (fifth win)

Arenado, who is also an NL MVP Award finalist, finished the season with 30 homers, 103 RBIs and 42 doubles. His .533 slugging percentage was the best by any player at his position, while his 103 RBIs paced all NL third basemen.

Aaron Judge, Yankees (third win)

No surprise here, as Judge — who is an MVP finalist and won the Hank Aaron Award in the AL — set an AL record by hitting 62 home runs this season. Judge not only led the Majors in home runs, but he also paced all players in runs (133), RBIs (131), on-base percentage (.425), slugging percentage (.686), OPS (1.111), OPS+ (211) and total bases (391).

Julio Rodríguez, Mariners (first win)

Rodríguez, who is a finalist for the AL Rookie of the Year Award, hit .284 with 28 home runs, 25 stolen bases and a 147 OPS+ while leading the Mariners to their first postseason appearance since 2001. The 21-year-old became just the third rookie with at least 25 homers and 25 steals — and the first since Mike Trout in 2012.

Mike Trout, Angels (ninth win)

Despite being limited by injuries to just 119 games, Trout still managed to hit 40 home runs this season. That ranked second (albeit a distant second) to Judge in the AL, and it was a 54-homer pace over 162 games. Trout also posted a .999 OPS and a .630 slugging percentage, which ranked second in the AL behind Judge among players with at least 450 plate appearances.

Mookie Betts, Dodgers (fifth win)

Betts adds another Silver Slugger Award to his collection after already taking home a Gold Glove Award earlier this…