MLB Awards: Top 5 NL ROY candidates through June

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Jun 21, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Yasmany Tomas (24) at bat during the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Though the National League Rookie of the Year race may look the same at the top, the month of June brought a crop of intriguing new challengers into the fold. Several players, some who got their starts as late as mid-May, really came into their own last month, putting up impressive numbers to make themselves factors in the ROY picture.

Some rookies who were on this list last month slumped their way through June and are absent from the latest edition of the rankings. One such example is the DodgersAlex Guerrero; after hitting nine homers through May, his output trickled to just one in the following month, along with a .220 batting average.

There is still a variety of compelling rookies outside of the top-5, however. Though he hasn’t exactly been the slugger that scouts described, Arizona‘s Yasmany Tomas is hitting .319. In the wake of his no-hitter, Chris Heston is continuing to quietly assemble a solid season in the Giants rotation (3.78 ERA, 1.23 WHIP).

The story can still change plenty of times in the second half, but at the close of June, these are the five names to watch in the NL ROY fray.

Honorable mentions: Yasmany Tomas (ARI), Chris Heston (SFG)

Next: Rookie #5