Mike Trout Wins Ninth Silver Slugger Award; Full List Of Winners

Scott Geirman
Scott Geirman
3 Min Read
David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The 2022 Louisville Silver Slugger Award list of finalists was about as star-studded as there’s been in Major League Baseball in a number of years, and for the Los Angeles Angels, Mike Trout has represented them well, capturing his ninth Silver Slugger in his 12-year career.

The winners, voted on by both MLB managers and coaches, were announced on Thursday via MLB Network. Each position, plus three outfielders in each league, with one utility player, makes up the field for the award.

In just 119 games this season, Trout slugged 40 home runs, which accounted for half of his 80 RBI. His .999 on-base percentage was the fifth-best of his career, but his .630 slugging was the second-best mark, and if he were to have played a full season, Trout would’ve cleared his all-time numbers.

Trout is still under contract with the Angels through 2030, which would be his age-38 season, and with a base salary of around $35.5 million, he seems like a bargain. A full no-trade clause mixed in, with zero opt-outs means he is already locked in to be the Angels franchise player for a long, long time.

Which is another reason why his 2022 season when matched up against other Silver Slugger winners is so remarkable. Among outfielders with 450 plate appearances, Trout ranked third with a 176 wRC+.

The San Diego Padres were most represented in this year’s class, with three winners, and the Houston Astros led the American League with two recipients.

Here are the 2022 Silver Slugger Award winners:

First base

AL: Nathaniel Lowe, Texas Rangers

NL: Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals

Second base

AL: Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

NL: Jeff McNeil, New York Mets

Shortstop

AL: Xander Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox

NL: Trea Turner, Los Angeles Dodgers

Third base

AL: José Ramírez, Cleveland Guardians

NL: Nolan Arenado, Cardinals

Outfield

AL: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees; Julio Rodríguez, Seattle Mariners; Mike Trout, Angels

NL: Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers; Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies; Juan Soto, Washington Nationals & San Diego Padres

Catcher

AL: Alejandro Kirk, Toronto Blue Jays

NL: J.T. Realmuto, Phillies

Designated Hitter

AL: Yordan Alvarez, Astros

NL: Josh Bell, Nationals & Padres

Utility

AL: Luis Arraez, Minessota Twins

NL: Brandon Drury, Cincinnati Reds & Padres

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Scott Geirman is a journalist from Simi Valley, California, currently working as a staff writer for Dodger Blue and Angels Nation. After working as the Sports Editor for the Moorpark College newspaper, he graduated from Cal State University, Northridge with a Bachelor's Degree in broadcast journalism with an emphasis in political science. Scott has a passion for reading, writing, baseball, family, Mookie Betts, and being a father to his beautiful daughter. He is currently pursuing his career in the sports media industry.