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As a teenager during the summer of 2004, Andrew McCutchen kept busy demonstrating to scouts and cross-checkers his serious bat speed and seemingly limitless power potential while performing at the Perfect Game National Showcase and the Perfect Game All-American Classic, among other PG events.
That same summer, Pedro Alvarez was showing off the same hitting tools at the Perfect Game Underclass National Showcase and the Perfect Game Showcase-Aflac, along with a couple of PG WWBA tournaments.
Fast-forward 10 years to the 2013 Major League Baseball season, when the duo were using their bats to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a runner-up finish in the National League Central Division standings and a subsequent NL Wild Card victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
On Wednesday night, the two elite Perfect Game alumni and National League All-Stars added to their trophy cases when they received Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Awards. McCutchen, the Pirates’ center fielder, received the award for the second time while Alvarez, the Bucs’ third baseman, was honored for the first time. They are two of 11 Perfect Game alumni to receive 2013 Silver Slugger Awards.
The Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award goes out annually to the players that MLB managers and coaches feel are the most productive offensive players at their position in both the American and National Leagues. The managers and coaches are not allowed to vote for players on their own teams.
Nine of this year’s 18 winners won their first Silver Slugger Award, including Alvarez, who led the National League with 36 home runs in 2013.
Other Perfect Game graduates that received their first Silver Slugger Award were Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis, the American League home run and RBI champion with 53 and 138, respectively; Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy; Orioles outfielder Adam Jones; Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Matt Carpenter; and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke.
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, Washington Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond and Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce joined McCutchen as PG alumni that won their second Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Awards.
2013 Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award Perfect Game Alumni
(Position – Name, MLB team: Notable PG events attended)
American League
1B – Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles: 2003 PG National Showcase
SS – J.J. Hardy, Baltimore Orioles: 2000 PG WWBA World Championship
OF – Mike Trout, 2007-2008 PG WWBA World Championship; 8 PG WWBA tournaments
OF – Adam Jones, 2003 PG World Showcase
National League
1B – Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks: 2004 PG WWBA 17u National Championship
2B – Matt Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals: 2002 PG Southern Top Prospect Showcase
3B – Pedro Alvarez, Pittsburgh Pirates: 2004 PG Underclass National Showcase; 2005 PG Showcase-Aflac; 2005 PG World Showcase; 2004-2005 PG WWBA World Championship
SS – Ian Desmond, Washington Nationals: 2003 PG WWBA World Championship; 2004 PG World Showcase
OF –Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates: 2004 PG National Showcase; 2004 PG All-American Classic; 2003-2004 PG WWBA World Championship
OF – Jay Bruce, Cincinnati Reds: 2003 South Underclass Showcase; 2004 PG WWBA World Championship
P – Zack Greinke, Los Angeles Dodgers: 2000-2001 PG World Showcase; 2001 PG WWBA World Championship