Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Dustin May
Jake Croneworth - Shortstop - San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres shortstop Jake CroneworthGregory Bull - Associated Press
The University of Michigan product starred as a closer during his time with the Wolverines, but has been making noise at shortstop for the Padres. Originally drafted in the seventh round of the 2015 MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays, Croneworth was acquired by San Diego in the offseason as part of the trade that sent Hunter Renfroe to Tampa Bay.
Croneworth is hitting .325 this year in 37 games with 4 homers and 19 RBIs. One of those homers was a grand slam on August 22, which was the fifth grand slam the Padres hit in a six game span, marking the first time in MLB history that a team had accomplished that feat. With Croneworth as part of a talented young core, San Diego is surprising many with their performance so far this season.
Randy Dobnak - Pitcher - Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins pitcher Randy DobnakJeff Wheeler - Star Tribune
Calling Randy Dobnak's journey to the show interesting might be an understatement. Dobnak was undrafted out of Alderson Broaddus University in West Virginia. The Minnesota Twins signed Dobnak to a minor league contract without seeing Dobnak pitch in person, instead relying on YouTube videos of his starts to make the decision to bring the pitcher in.
After signing with the Twins in 2017, Dobnak made his MLB debut two years later, appearing in nine games for the Twins last year, with five of those appearances being starts. Dobnak finished the regular season with a 2-1 record and 23 strikeouts in 28.1 innings of work.
The right-handed pitcher has been even better this year, posting a 6-2 record in six starts with a 2.72 ERA. Dobnak's pitching has been just as good as his Uber rating, where he has amassed a rating of 4.99 stars since beginning driving for the company in 2017.
Dustin May - Pitcher - Los Angeles Dodgers
One of the most highly-touted rookies in the minor league system of the Dodgers prior to this season was Dustin May, but it's unlikely May will be heading back down to the minors anytime soon. The Dodgers drafted the tall Texan in the third round of the 2016 MLB Draft. Last year, not only was May a Texas League All-Star, but he was also selected for the Futures Game before being called up to the big leagues in early August.
After a solid 2019 that saw him toss 34 innings, May became the youngest Los Angeles pitcher to start on opening day since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981. So far in seven starts this year May is 1-1 with a 2.88 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 40.2 innings for a Dodger team that currently has the best record in baseball.
Kyle Lewis - Right Field - Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners right fielder Kyle LewisGene J. Puskar - Associated Press
There hasn't been much to cheer about in Seattle lately, but Kyle Lewis is changing that. The Mercer grad was the 2016 Golden Spikes winner in his final season in college, hitting .395 with 20 home runs and 72 RBIs. The Mariners took Lewis with pick 11 in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
Lewis made a big splash last season in limited action, becoming just the second player in MLB history to homer in each of his first three games. The right fielder finished the 2019 season with six homers in 71 at-bats.
Lewis has been even better in 2020, with the 25-year-old hitting .310 with nine blasts and 23 RBIs in 40 games. Seattle hasn't made the playoffs since 2001 but Lewis has them in the hunt to end their playoff drought. If the Mariners are going to return to the postseason for the first time in nearly two decades, Lewis is going to be a big reason why.
Luis Robert - Center Field - Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis RobertCharlie Reidel - Associated Press
Born in Cuba, Luis Robert's journey to the majors has taken a different path than most. Robert defected in November 2016, which allowed him to sign a contract with the Chicago White Sox in 2017. The Cuban was electric last year in three levels of minor league baseball, hitting 32 home runs, driving in 92 runs, and swiping 36 bases overall.
Robert has been so good, the White Sox signed him to a six-year, $50 million extension in January, even though he still hadn't appeared in a MLB game. So far Robert hasn't taken long to adjust to life in the big leagues, hitting .266 and cranking 11 homers and driving in 27 runs in 39 games for Chicago. With Robert, and a number of other talented young hitters, the White Sox are going to cause a lot of problems going forward in the AL Central.
Chang-Mo Koo starting pitcher for the NC Dinos
NC Dinos 1 (38-17)
LHP - Chang-Mo Koo (8-0 ERA 1.48 WHIP 0.81)
RHP - Drew Rucinski (7-1 ERA 2.30 WHIP 1.11)
RHP - Mike Wright (6-2 ERA 3.63 WHIP 1.35)
RHP - Jae Hak Lee ( 3-4 ERA 5.59 WHIP 1.44)
Chang-Mo Koo is easily having the best season of any pitcher in the KBO. The 23-year-old is putting together monster numbers in his fifth season, and is at the top of a short list for the Choi Dong-Won Award given to the best starting pitcher in the KBO. He punched out seventeen batters over his last two games and now boasts a 82:13 K:BB ratio. Pitching at least six innings in all but one of his starts this season, he is a must start whenever on the mound for the league leading Dinos.
NC Dinos
Pat Shannahan/The Republic
Kia Tigers 2 (28-25)
LHP - Hyun Jong Yang (5-5 ERA 5,55 WHIP 1.37)
RHP - Min Woo Lee (4-3 ERA 4.92 WHIP 1.36)
RHP - Aaron Brooks (3-3 ERA 2.36 WHIP 1.08)
RHP - Drew Gagnon (5-3 ERA 3.94 WHIP 1.30)
RHP - Ki Young Im (4-4 ERA 3.42 WHIP 1.31)
Aaron Brooks may be a name you are familiar with if you follow the Royals, Athletics, Cubs, or Orioles minor league systems. He has bounced around the MLB minor leagues since being drafted in 2011. It now seems as though he is finally finding his stride with the Kia Tigers. He is putting together the best year of his professional career yet and his WHIP has been on a steady decline since mid-may which is a good indicator that he has figured out a thing or two. If the Tigers can find a way to give him a little more run support he will make for a great inexpensive pitcher each time he toes the rubber for the remainder of the season.
KIA Tigers
Kiwoom Heroes 3 (35-22)
LHP - Eric Jokisch (8-2 ERA 1.41 WHIP 0.89)
RHP - Won Tae Choi (4-3 ERA 4.02 WHIP 1.24)
RHP - Hyun Hee Han (3-3 ERA 5.94 WHIP 1.62)
LHP - Seung Ho Lee (2-3 ERA 5.33 WHIP 1.46)
RHP - Young Gun Jo (1-1 ERA 8.05 WHIP 2.11)
As I mentioned above, the list for the Chio Dong-Won Award is a short one; in my opinion it's a two man race. Right now number two in the race is another former Athletics and Cubs prospect Eric Jokisch. He has been the model of consistency this year only once allowing more than two earned runs in his eleven starts. He has also been outstanding at keeping the ball in the park this year. His amazing ratios make for a must start each time he gets the ball.
Doosan Bears 4 (33-23)
RHP - Chris Flexen (3-3 ERA 4.18 WHIP 1.36)
LHP - Hui Kwan Yu (6-2 ERA 4.87 WHIP 1.66)
RHP - Raul Alcantara (8-1 ERA 3.14 WHIP 1.10)
RHP - Young Ha Lee (3-4 ERA 5.79 WHIP 1.85)
RHP - Yong Chan Lee (1-3 ERA 8.44 WHIP 1.76)
Raul Alcantara is another starter that has had no problems getting the win when he is out on the mound. Though his ratios aren't quite up to par with the three starters featured above, his team is providing ridiculous run support leading him to the tune of eleven starts in a row without taking a loss. He has not had a problem at all missing the bats this season either, in his last start he sat eight batters down on strikes putting him at sixty nine for the year.
Doosan Bears
LG Twins 5 (30-26)
RHP - Tyler Wilson (3-5 ERA 4.48 WHIP 1.40)
LHP - Woo Chan Cha (4-5 ERA 6.04 WHIP 1.61)
RHP - Casey Kelly (4-3 ERA 4.86 WHIP 1.40)
RHP - Chan Gyu Lim (4-2 ERA 4.14 WHIP 1.31)
RHP Chan Heon Jung (4-1 ERA 2.62 WHIP 1.07)
Chan Heon Jung is an interesting player. He has by far been the best starter for the Twins this year, however the team is limiting his innings and only pitching him every other time through the rotation. Aside from his first two starts he has surpassed the 35 point mark in each of his last five starts, taking the win in four of those. He makes for a sneaky low cost start when the Twins allow him to let it loose on the mound.
LG Twins
