Alec Burleson Brings Home Silver Slugger Honors
Former East Carolina Pirate Alec Burleson added another major accomplishment to his baseball journey this week. The St. Louis Cardinals standout was announced Thursday as the National League Silver Slugger Award winner for the utility position — an honor that recognizes the league’s top offensive performers.
Burleson, 26, turned in a breakout 2025 season, posting a .290 average, .459 slugging percentage, and .801 OPS, all career bests. His consistent production helped anchor a Cardinals lineup that battled through an up-and-down year.
Since its creation in 1980, the Silver Slugger Award has been one of MLB’s most respected offensive honors. Managers and coaches across the league vote for the winners, weighing both statistical numbers and overall offensive value. Burleson joins a star-studded group of National League winners that includes Pete Alonso, Manny Machado, Juan Soto, Kyle Tucker, and Shohei Ohtani. He’s also the first Cardinal since Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt in 2022 to earn the award.
Burleson’s success came from a disciplined approach at the plate. One of the toughest hitters in baseball to strike out, he ranked in the 86th percentile in K rate and 85th in whiff rate, fanning in just 13.6% of his plate appearances throughout his career, far below the league average of 22%.
In 2025, he played 139 games, recording 546 plate appearances with 26 doubles, two triples, 18 home runs, and 69 RBIs. He also walked 39 times while striking out only 79, finishing the season with a 1.8 WAR, the best mark of his career. His defensive versatility stood out, too, appearing in 74 games in the outfield (41 in left, 34 in right), 50 at first base, and 22 as the designated hitter.
While the Cardinals finished 78–84, Burleson’s growth stood as one of the season’s biggest positives. He’s now viewed as a cornerstone piece for St. Louis moving forward, entering arbitration eligibility for 2026 with team control through 2028.
The former Pirate continues to make ECU proud, proving once again that Greenville produces big-league talent that lasts.