A complete history of Chicago Cubs Silver Slugger Award Winners

Heading into mid-October and with the Chicago Cubs done playing for the year, awards season will soon be upon us. One such end-of-year honor that's always fun to talk about is the Silver Slugger Award, given to one premier offensive player at each position in both the American and National Leagues. It used to include pitchers, but since 2022, when the designated hitter was universally adopted by the entire league, it includes a designated hitter for each league, bringing the number of awards to 20 per season (10 in each league).

The Silver Slugger Award has been given out since 1980 by Louisville Slugger. The winners are voted on by league managers and coaches, though voters are prohibited from voting for players from their own team. The Chicago Cubs have had a rich history of Silver Slugger Award winners, totaling 12 different players, three of whom won the award multiple times.

Which Cubs players have won a Silver Slugger Award?

Leon Durham

Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round of the 1976 MLB Draft, Leon Durham played for the Cubs from 1981 until 1988. Durham was the first Cubs player to win the Silver Slugger Award when he won it in 1982 as an outfielder. That season, Durham hit .312 with 22 home runs and 90 RBI while posting a .909 OPS. Durham was also effective on the basepaths, stealing 28 bases that year.

Ryne Sandberg

Largely regarded as the best second baseman in franchise history, “Ryno” won seven Silver Slugger Awards, which is the most of any Cubs player. The first time he received the honor was in 1984, a season in which he also won the National League MVP. That season, Sandberg had 200 hits and an astounding 19 triples. He also stole 32 bases and hit .314, making him more than worthy of the award. He’d go on to win six more Silver Slugger Awards (1985, 1988-1992).

Andre Dawson

Outfielder Andre Dawson spent his first 11 major league seasons with the Montreal Expos before coming to the Cubs in 1987. You could say his impact in Chicago was immediate, as “The Hawk” not only won the Silver Slugger Award but was also named NL MVP in 1987, his first year in Chicago. Dawson slugged 49 home runs and had 137 RBI that season. He also won three Silver Slugger Awards in his time with the Expos.

Sammy Sosa

Sammy Sosa is the most prolific home run hitter on this list, so it’s not surprising that he won six Silver Slugger Awards with the Cubs. The outfielder’s most memorable season came in 1998, when he hit 66 home runs and had an eye-popping 158 RBI, winning the Silver Slugger and also the NL MVP. The Cubs slugger also won the award in 1995 and from 1999-2002.

Michael Barrett

Michael Barrett is the only Cubs catcher to win a Silver Slugger Award. Originally drafted by the Expos in 1995, Barrett played for the Cubs from 2004 until 2007. He won his Silver Slugger in 2005, hitting .276 with 16 homers and 61 RBI.

Derrek Lee

One of the best offensive first basemen the Cubs have ever had, Derrek Lee won the Silver Slugger Award in 2005. That season, Lee had 199 hits, 50 doubles, 46 home runs, and 107 RBIs. He also slashed .335/.418/.662, giving him a 1.080 OPS. This was truly one of the best offensive seasons by a Cubs hitter in the franchise’s long and storied history.

Carlos Zambrano

”Big Z” was the first Cubs pitcher to win a Silver Slugger Award, and he didn’t stop at just one. Carlos Zambrano won the award three times (2006, 2008, 2009). He finished his career with a .238 batting average, 24 home runs and 71 RBI, which are exceptional career offensive numbers for a pitcher.

Aramis Ramirez

Third baseman Aramis Ramirez played for the Cubs from 2003 until 2011 and won the Silver Slugger Award in 2011, his final season in Chicago. Ramirez hit .294 with 239 home runs in his nine years with the Cubs, making him one of the most productive third basemen in franchise history.

Jake Arrieta

The only other Cubs pitcher to win a Silver Slugger, Jake Arrieta was a late bloomer. He started his career in 2010 with the Baltimore Orioles and was mediocre, at best. Arrieta came to the Cubs in 2013 and immediately made a name for himself on the mound. In 2016, Arrieta grabbed attention for his work at the plate as well, hitting a robust .262 and posting a .720 OPS, easily winning the Silver Slugger Award.

Anthony Rizzo

Perhaps the most beloved first baseman in Cubs history, Anthony Rizzo surprisingly won the Silver Slugger Award just one time - in 2016. Rizzo was a model of consistency during his career in Chicago, hitting .272/.372/.489 with 242 home runs over 10 seasons with the Cubs.

Javier Baez

Javy Baez is the only Cubs shortstop to win a Silver Slugger Award. “El Mago” won the award in 2018, the best offensive season of his career. That season, Javy hit .290 with 34 home runs and 111 RBI to go along with 21 stolen bases, finishing runner-up to Christian Yelich in NL MVP voting.

Cody Bellinger

Cody Bellinger spent six seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers before coming to Chicago. The outfielder played just two seasons (2023, 2024) for the Cubs, but he won the Silver Slugger Award in 2023, hitting .307 with 26 homers and 97 RBI. Bellinger also won the award in 2019 with the Dodgers.

The Cubs have certainly had a rich history of Silver Slugger winners, and the future looks bright for even more with the likes of young talent such as Pete Crow-Armstrong and Matt Shaw.