MLB Awards Watch: Top 5 NL Rookie of the Year Candidates Through April

4.Jake Lamb – .414BA, .514 OBP,

Apr 6, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Jake Lamb hits a three RBI double in the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants during opening day at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Diamondbacks aren’t off to a great start, but they’re off to a decent start. At 10-11, they’re playing much better baseball than people thought they would, competitiveness is very important. Jake Lamb had a big April, and the NL West standings are tight already – just three games separate first and fourth place. Lamb is hitting .414 with an OBP of .514, in 29 at-bats, he’s drawn six walks. His patience at the plate is great, and he’s been playing well, in 12 games he has 10 hits and nine RBIs. Lamb is third on the team in WAR (0.7) and third on the team in RBIs, with a fraction of the at-bats as the previous two. He doesn’t strike out, and is becoming very reliable, which is important because the Diamondbacks have some very promising young talent. They aren’t very close to being a playoff team, but they’re building a team on solid young talent – there’s something to be said for that.