Complete history of New York Mets' Silver Slugger winners

Despite a shorter history than most, the Mets have had their fair share of prominent sluggers.
New York Mets
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In 1980, Major League Baseball realized it had an awards problem. Historically, the best pitcher in each league was rewarded with the Cy Young Award, while the top position player would take home MVP honors. However, the MVP didn't account for the nuance between positions. Some, like first base, have always been more offensive-forward, while defense is the primary focus at a position like shortstop. Thus, the league partnered with Louisville Slugger for the creation of the award. Given its relatively short existence, the New York Mets being a young franchise in comparison to some of its peers hasn't hurt it in terms of representation throughout history in this prestigious category.

In total, the Mets have won 20 Silver Sluggers with representation coming from 14 different players. None of the names would truly be considered a surprise, but some guys you'd probably sure took home the honor at least once are conspicuously absent. With the 2025 season winding down, here's a comprehensive look at the entire list of Silver Slugger winners in Mets history.

These are all of the NY Mets who have earned Silver Slugger honors since the award's inception

Keith Hernandez - 1984 - .311/.409/.449 15 homers 94 RBI 143 OPS+

Somehow beloved by Mets fans yet criminally underrated at the same time, Hernandez would become the first Met to take home this prestigious award. While Keith didn't possess the typical power you'd expect from a first baseman, his bat-to-ball skills and on-base ability were top-tier.

He had many spectacular seasons during his 17-year career, but 1984 may have been his most decorated, with the slick-fielding Hernandez also taking home a Gold Glove and All-Star honors while finishing as the NL MVP runner-up to Ryne Sandberg.

Gary Carter - 1985 - .281/.365/.488 32 homers 100 RBI 138 OPS+

The first of two Silver Sluggers Gary Carter would win in a Mets Uniform and one of five that he would take home in his career, 1985 goes down as one of the best seasons in the Hall of Famer's career. In the midst of a 10-straight All-Star appearances from 1979 through 1988, Carter cracked a career-high 32 homers while reaching the 100 RBI plateau, showing that he was one of the best power-hitting catchers in history.

Gary Carter - 1986 - .255/.337/.439 24 homers 105 RBI 115 OPS+

The second Silver Slugger award Carter would win in a Mets uniform, and the final of the five he'd win in his career. 1986 was a step back for Carter and the beginning of his decline. Still, his bat was a key part of the Mets' championship run, and he'd top the 100-RBI plateau for the third straight season.

Darryl Strawberry - 1988 - .269/.366/.545 39 homers 101 RBI 164 OPS+

If Darryl Strawberry played today he'd be a Statcast darling. The 1983 NL Rookie of the Year put together arguably the best season of his career in 1988, leading the National League in home runs, slugging percentage, and OPS.

He'd finish second in the NL MVP voting and was likely robbed due to the fervor Kirk Gibson's dramatic World Series walk-off home run created. Gibson, of course, had a great year, but Strawberry was statistically better, meaning the top honor should have been his.

Howard Johnson - 1989 - .287/.369/.559 36 homers 101 RBI 169 OPS+

Continuing the trend of prolific Mets sluggers throughout the second half of the 80s, Howard Johnson was the third different Met and fourth overall to win the award to close out the decade. His first of (spoiler alert) two Silver Slugger honors, 1989 saw him lead the National League in runs scored with 104, showing his prowess as a guy who could both set the table and clear it at the same time.

Darryl Strawberry - 1990 - .277/.361/.518 37 homers 108 RBI 142 OPS+

Another vintage Strawberry performance, 1990 would be his last season in Queens as the 28-year-old would bolt to his hometown of Los Angeles following the 1990 season. He'd have one more productive season in 1991 with the Dodgers before his addiction issues would derail his promising career, later redeeming himself in a part-time role, returning to New York as a member of the Yankees in 1995.

Howard Johnson - 1991 - .259/.342/.535 38 homers 117 RBI 145 OPS+

Back after a disappointing 1990 season that saw his average fall to .244 and his slugging percentage plummet to .434, Johnson returned for his second and final Silver Slugger campaign in 1991. Leading the National League with 38 homers and 117 RBI, it was a well-deserved honor and perhaps the best power production he'd display in his career.

Dwight Gooden - 1992 - .264/.274/.375 1 homer 9 RBI 84 OPS+

Pitchers hitting is now a relic of a bygone era, but in 1992, Dwight Gooden became the first Mets pitcher in history to win a Silver Slugger award. While Doc was much more well-known for his talent on the mound, his 1992 campaign might have made some utility infielders blush, as he was legitimately pretty good with the bat. Gooden would hit eight homers in his career, further showcasing what a tremendous athlete he really was.

Mike Piazza - 1998 - .328/.390/.570 32 homers 111 RBI 152 OPS+

1998 was a weird year for Hall of Famer Mike Piazza. The superstar catcher was traded from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Florida Marlins on May 14 in a swap of disgruntled stars. Eight days later, he'd be traded again, this time arriving in the Big Apple.

While Piazza spent time with three teams that year, the bulk of his time came with the Mets, where he'd play 109 games. His numbers in a Mets uniform were even more impressive than his season line, batting .348/.417/.607 in his first taste of action with the Amazins.

Mike Piazza - 1999 - .303/.361/.575 40 homers 124 RBI 135 OPS+

Piazza's first full season with the Mets saw the 12-time All-Star tie his career high with 40 dingers, placing him second in the Mets record books for most home runs by a catcher in a single season to Todd Hundley's 41 three years earlier. 1999 also saw Piazza finish third in the NL MVP voting, his best finish as a Met.

Edgardo Alfonzo - 1999 - .302/.385/.502 27 homers 108 RBI 125 OPS+

1999 would also be the first year that the Mets would see more than one player take home a Silver Slugger in the same season. Second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo joined Piazza in those honors, turning in a stellar performance that included a career-high 27 long balls.

Alfonzo probably wasn't properly appreciated by the baseball world at large during this time. He was an All-Star snub in 1999, earning that honor for the first and only time in his career in 2000. However, his 2000 season was likely better offensively than his 1999 campaign, which was the only time he'd take home Silver Slugger honors.

Mike Piazza - 2000 - .324/.398/.614 38 homers 113 RBI 155 OPS+

Piazza's best full season as a Met was arguably 2000. The catcher would lead the Mets to a World Series appearance against the crosstown Yankees, with Game 2's wild altercation that saw Roger Clemens hurl Piazza's broken bat back in his direction, setting the tone for the tensions that still simmer every time these two teams meet for the Subway Series, even 25 years later.

Mike Hampton - 2000 - .274/.313/274 0 homers 8 RBI 53 OPS+

2000 would mark the second year in a row that the Mets would have two players bestowed with the Silver Slugger honor, with lefty starter Mike Hampton becoming the second and final pitcher in Mets history to win the award.

Hampton will go down as one of the best hitting pitchers ever, winning the most Silver Sluggers of all time. Ironically, the 2000 season was his worst at the dish and came right smack dab in the middle of his five-year run of dominance from 1999 through 2003. Hampton would leave the Mets following the 2000 season, and hit a career-high seven dingers for the Colorado Rockies, putting up a stunning .881 OPS while taking advantage of the thin mile-high air.

Mike Piazza - 2001 - .300/.384/.573 36 homers 94 RBI 148 OPS+

2001 would be Piazza's final season batting .300 or better while also marking the first time since 1995 he'd finish a season with fewer than 100 RBIs, yet another plateau he wouldn't reach again in his career.

Mike Piazza - 2002 - .280/.359/.544 33 homers 98 RBI 138 OPS+

And there you have it, the last of Piazza's 10 Silver Slugger trophies, five of which came in a Mets uniform. Not too shabby for a former 62nd round pick!

Carlos Beltran - 2006 - .275/.388/.594 41 homers 116 RBI 150 OPS+

Mets fans may have been a little down on Carlos Beltran following the 2005 season. Arriving in New York with a big seven-year, $119 million deal, Beltran had been the epitome of a five-tool player, clocking 38 jacks and stealing 42 bases the year prior. However, his first season in Queens saw him post a .744 OPS with a paltry 16 homers, making his All-Star selection seem more based on name recognition than actual merit.

He'd quickly redeem himself in 2006, however, with a career-high 41 taters and taking home not only his first Silver Slugger, but also his first Gold Glove award as well.

Jose Reyes - 2006 - .300/354/.487 19 homers 81 RBI 115 OPS+

Jose Reyes may have begun his breakout in 2005, but it was 2006 when he had truly arrived, marrying his blazing speed with some surprising pop. The then-23-year-old led the National League in steals (64) and triples (17) but also threw in a career-high 19 homers to boot.

Reyes would go on to win a batting title in 2011, but 2006 was the only Silver Slugger honor he'd win during his career.

Carlos Beltran - 2007 - .276/.353/.525 33 homers 112 RBI 125 OPS+

The second and final Silver Slugger campaign of Beltran's career, 2007, was a continuation of the all-around brilliance the Mets were counting on when they signed him to that massive deal. He'd also take home his second consecutive Gold Glove award, with his third and final defensive honor coming the following season.

David Wright - 2007 - .325/.416/546 30 homers 107 RBI 149 OPS+

David Wright's 2007 season was one of the most ridiculous performances in New York Mets history. In addition to 30 homers, Captain America swiped 34 bags while being caught just five times, all the while playing Gold Glove defense at the hot corner. Wright finished fourth in the NL MVP voting that year, the highest finish of his career.

David Wright - 2008 - .302/.390/.534 33 homers 124 RBI 142 OPS+

In his follow-up to 2007, Wright set a career-high for homers with 33 while still proving to be an on-base machine and stellar defender with his second consecutive Gold Glove award coming in 2008 as well. Wright was 25 at the time and looked to be on a Hall of Fame trajectory before his unfortunate spinal stenosis condition derailed his career.

Yoenis Cespedes - 2016 - .280/.354/.530 31 homers 86 RBI 136 OPS+

Following Wright's 2008 Silver Slugger campaign, the Mets experienced an eight-year drought, the longest in franchise history, before Yoenis Cespedes broke the ice in his first full season in Queens.

The Cuban defector was the engine that brought the Mets the 2015 division title following the trade that landed him in Queens, and his 2016 campaign was instrumental in driving the team back to the postseason in 2016 despite an onslaught of injuries. Unfortunately, Cespedes' career took a turn with injuries, both on and off the field, dramatically impacting his performance and making his contract extension following the 2016 season one of the worst in recent Mets history.

Jeff McNeil - 2022 - .326/.382/.454 9 homers 62 RBI 140 OPS+

From unheralded prospect to 2022 NL Batting Champion and Silver Slugger winner, there's a case to be made that Jeff McNeil's 2019 season was even more deserving of the Silver Slugger honor than this one. However, the 2022 honor was well-deserved, and McNeil is the only Met in history to take home a Silver Slugger without hitting double-digit home runs.

Francisco Lindor - 2023 - .254/.336/.470 31 homers 98 RBI121 OPS+

One of Steve Cohen's first acts as New York Mets owner was bringing star power back to Queens, with the Mets trading for Francisco Lindor ahead of the 2021 season and then opening up the checkbook for a massive 10-year $341 million contract extension right before Lindor's opening-day deadline.

Lindor's 2021 campaign was one of his worst, and while 2022 was a bounce-back year, it was 2023 that would earn him his first Silver Slugger as a Met as he partnered his 31 homers with a career high 31 stolen bases.

Francisco Lindor - 2024 - .273/.344/.500 33 homers 91 RBI 137 OPS+

If Lindor's 2023 season was good, its encore was even better. While he came just one stolen base shy of a second consecutive 30-30 season, Lindor raised his batting average by 19 points while depositing two more balls into the stands. His 137 OPS+ is the best mark of his career so far, and his 2024 season is the last Silver Slugger year by a Met to date.