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Juan Soto wins first career Silver Slugger award

Juan Soto was named a Silver Slugger winner for the first time in his career last night, after he also won the batting title in the National League this season.

By Patrick Reddington
Photo © and courtesy @MLBNetwork.

Recently-turned 22-year-old Washington Nationals’ outfielder Juan Soto finished his third big league season with the highest batting average in the National League (.351; second-highest in the majors), Major League Baseball’s top OBP, (.490), its highest SLG (.695), its highest wOBA (.478), highest wRC+ (200), the fifth-most walks (41), and the highest BB% (20.9%) over a total of 47 games and 196 plate appearances in a 60-game COVID season.

In addition to his NL Batting title, Soto can now add a Silver Slugger award to his trophy case.

Soto was named a Silver Slugger winner on the MLB Network last night, joining the Braves’ Ronald Acuña, Jr., and the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts. It is the first Silver Slugger award of Soto’s career.

Photo © and courtesy @MLBNetwork.

“I am so happy to win this award,” Soto said, as quoted in a press release on the award sent out by the Nationals. “Thank you to the opposing managers and coaches who voted for me. I am proud to be a part of this year’s talented group of award winners.

“I want to thank Dave Martinez, Kevin Long, Pat Roessler, Troy Gingrich and the rest of the staff for working with me and pushing me to be the best I can be. I also want to thank my family who is there to support me each and every day.”

Soto is the 10th different National to win a Silver Slugger in Nationals’ franchise history (2005-present):

2006: OF Alfonso Soriano; 2009: 3B Ryan Zimmerman; 2010: 3B Ryan Zimmerman; 2012: SS Ian Desmond, 1B Adam LaRoche, P Stephen Strasburg; 2013: SS Ian Desmond; 2014: SS Ian Desmond, 3B Anthony Rendon; 2015: OF Bryce Harper; 2016: 2B Daniel Murphy, C Wilson Ramos; 2017: 2B Daniel Murphy; 2019: 3B Anthony Rendon; 2020: OF Juan Soto

”Congratulations to Juan on his first Silver Slugger Award and his incredible 2020 season as a whole,” Nats’ President of Baseball Operations and GM Mike Rizzo said in the press release last night.

“He continues to show that he is one of the top offensive players in Major League Baseball.

“This well-deserved honor is another addition to his growing list of tremendous accomplishments.”

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