MLB Awards Watch: Top 5 NL ROY candidates through July

Jul 28, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Jung Ho Kang (27) hits a single in the fourth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The American League rookies put on a good show in July, but their counterparts on the Senior Circuit are no slouches either. The National League certainly doesn’t lack for rookie star power in 2015.

The field is so crowded this season that there are a few players who by all means should be on the list but just miss the cut due to the strength of the competition. The Pirates had little idea what they were getting when they signed infielder Jung Ho Kang from Korea, but they could not be more pleased with his contributions in his debut season. Kang has an .821 OPS through 88 games and his 3.5 WAR is currently the highest among all MLB rookies.

One of the biggest disappointments since last month? Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco. He made a thunderous entrance onto the MLB stage, slashing .304/.349/.559 with 10 home runs and 32 RBI in his first 41 games. By the end of June, the young slugger looked determined to prove that this year’s NL ROY battle belonged to more than just two players. Franco fizzled in July, however, batting .253 and adding only one homer and six RBI to his ledger during the month. He is still certainly worth a mention, but gets edged out by some of the hotter names on this list.

The NL ROY has looked like a two-horse race for virtually the entire season, and it still might be one. However, there is a very talented secondary group of rookies who could sneak to the forefront if circumstances change significantly over the final two months.

Honorable mentions: Jung Ho Kang (PIT), Maikel Franco (PHI)

Next: Rookie #5