The Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization that is widely considered one of the most successful and iconic sports leagues in the world. With teams from all across the United States and Canada, MLB is home to some of the most talented athletes and teams in all of professional sports. As such, it should come as no surprise that competition for the title of the best slugger in the league is fierce. So, who leads the MLB in slugging?
What is Slugging?
Before we answer that question, it is important to understand what slugging is. Slugging is a statistic that measures the total number of bases a player has earned per at-bat. It is calculated by adding the total number of singles, doubles, triples and home runs a player has hit and dividing it by their total number of at-bats. A higher slugging percentage indicates that a player has been more successful in terms of hitting for extra bases.
Fernando Tatis Jr.
At the time of writing, the MLB leader in slugging is San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., with a slugging percentage of .687. Tatis Jr. has been one of the most impressive hitters in the league since making his MLB debut in 2019. The 22-year-old has already made two All-Star teams, won the Silver Slugger award, and is considered one of the most exciting players in the game.
Tatis Jr. is also one of the most powerful hitters in the league. He has 27 home runs, 34 doubles, and five triples in 2020, with a total of 66 extra-base hits. He also has a career OPS of .936, which is the highest among all active players.
Mookie Betts
Second on the list is Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts, who leads the league with a slugging percentage of .664. Betts has been one of the most consistent and productive hitters in the league over the past few seasons, and is a four-time All-Star and former MVP. In 2020, he has hit 24 home runs, 32 doubles, and three triples, making him one of the most prolific extra-base hitters in the league.
Betts is also one of the most complete hitters in the league. He has a career OPS of .902, and has hit for a .303 average over his career. He is also an elite baserunner, with a career stolen base percentage of 84.4%.
Mike Trout
Rounding out the top three is Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, with a slugging percentage of .637. Trout is widely considered to be the best player in the game, and has won MVP awards in three of the past eight seasons. In 2020, he has hit 18 home runs, 26 doubles, and four triples, while maintaining an impressive career OPS of 1.077.
Trout is also one of the most consistent hitters in the league. He has hit for a .306 average over his career, and has a career on-base percentage of .416. He is also one of the most dynamic baserunners in the game, with a career stolen base percentage of 78.3%.
Conclusion
The MLB is home to some of the most talented and productive hitters in all of professional sports. As such, it should come as no surprise that the competition for the title of best slugger in the league is fierce. At the time of writing, the leader in slugging is San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., with a slugging percentage of .687. He is followed by Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts, with a slugging percentage of .664, and Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, with a slugging percentage of .637.