Silver Slugger 2026 Predictions: The NUT Leader at Every Position
Yordan Alvarez of the Astros (+5.2 SEASON NUT) and Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs (+4.7 SEASON NUT) are the strongest 2026 Silver Slugger picks by NUT, leading every hitter in the AL and NL through the final 2026 regular season. Below is the NUT leader at all 9 position slots in each league: catcher through shortstop, three outfielders and designated hitter.
The Silver Slugger is an offense-only award, and NUT leaves defense out, so the two measure the same thing. Voters weigh more than one number, so read these as where each hitter finished by NUT, not as a ballot. Positions are each player's primary position; the utility award has no NUT board, so it isn't picked here. All values are final 2026 regular-season SEASON NUT, as of October 23, 2026.
AL Silver Slugger 2026 Predictions by NUT
Yordan Alvarez is the only AL hitter with an S, and his +5.2 is the highest of any hitter. His 1.033 OPS is the only one above 1.000 on either board. Ben Rice (NYY, +3.6, A) hit 41 home runs and finished second among AL DHs, ahead of every AL hitter at another position.
Shortstop is where NUT and reputation split. Bobby Witt Jr., the 2025 AL shortstop winner, stole 45 bases and finished at +1.2 (B). Rookie Kevin McGonigle finished at +2.4, double Witt's number, on a .376 on-base percentage.
Three AL races are within 0.3: Willson Contreras (BOS, +3.2) trails Alonso at first base with a higher OPS (.902 to .885) in 165 fewer plate appearances; Carter Jensen (KC, +1.2) trails Hicks at catcher with 27 home runs to Hicks's 18; and Chase DeLauter (CLE) finished at +1.9, level with Caglianone for the third outfield slot.
NL Silver Slugger 2026 Predictions by NUT
Pete Crow-Armstrong is the only NL hitter with an S: 45 home runs and 41 stolen bases in 162 games. The Cubs have two of the three NL outfield picks, with Seiya Suzuki third at +2.5.
Juan Soto (NYM) posted a .908 OPS, higher than every NL outfield pick except Crow-Armstrong, and finished fourth at +2.3. He played 111 games. NUT adds up over a season, so a hitter with 482 plate appearances finishes behind one with 634 at a slightly lower rate.
Three NL races are within 0.3: TJ Rumfield (COL, +3.0) trails Harper at first base with a .300 average; Brandon Lowe (PIT, +2.0) trails Turang at second base with 35 home runs to Turang's 21; and Shohei Ohtani (LAD, +2.6, hitting only) trails Schwarber at DH.
How NUT Picks a Silver Slugger
NUT is one number for production against league average, built on the advanced hitting and pitching stats analysts trust, not batting average or ERA. Defense is left out. For a hitter that makes it a measure of offense alone, the same thing Silver Slugger voters are asked to judge.
Every value here is SEASON NUT with a letter grade on the scale the app uses for every hitter's season — S, A, B, C, D, F. Only hitters who reached the qualifying bar for plate appearances are ranked. For the full ranking at each position, see Best Shortstops, Best Catchers and the other best-by-position boards →
Quick Answers
When are the 2026 Silver Slugger Awards announced?
In November, after the finalists are named. In 2025 the NL winners were announced November 6 and the AL winners November 7; the 2026 dates had not been announced as of October 23.
Who votes for the Silver Slugger Award?
MLB managers and coaches. Each team gets 4 votes: the manager and 3 coaches.
How many Silver Slugger Awards are there?
10 per league: one each at catcher, first base, second base, third base, shortstop and designated hitter, three outfielders, and a utility player (added in 2022).
Who was the best hitter of 2026 by NUT?
Yordan Alvarez of the Astros, at +5.2 SEASON NUT (S) with a 1.033 OPS and 42 home runs. Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs led the NL at +4.7 (S).
Does NUT count defense?
No. NUT leaves defense out, which matches the Silver Slugger: it is an award for offense only.