MLB Awards Watch: Top 5 AL ROY candidates through August

Aug 23, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers (43) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Surviving the dog days of summer is a challenge for any ballplayer, let alone a rookie. August can be a tough month, but this year’s crop of young players in the American League were up to the test.

Several of the names in this edition of our MLB awards watch rankings are familiar, as the AL’s most prominent rookies continued to solidify their cases by putting together productive months. It’s difficult for latecomers to distinguish themselves at this point in the season, but a couple newer faces have also caught the baseball world’s attention recently in a big way.

Some who didn’t make the cut are also worth a bit of recognition. Eddie Rosario, the Minnesota Twins’ 23-year-old right fielder, is second among AL rookies with 95 hits. The Chicago White Sox’s big power arm Carlos Rodon settled down and had a very nice month, posting a 2.48 ERA over five starts. Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers made a three-week detour to the minor leagues to limit his innings, but his season numbers are also quite impressive (3.21 ERA in 89.2 IP).

The race has a distinct frontrunner, and though only a month remains in the 2015 regular season, there is still time for other contenders to beat the odds and change the narrative.

Honorable mentions: Eddie Rosario (MIN), Lance McCullers (HOU), Carlos Rodon (CHW)

Next: Rookie #5

5. Nathan Karns

Aug 14, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Nathan Karns delivers a pitch to the Texas Rangers during the first inning of a baseball game at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

Nate Karns deserves a lot of credit for maintaining a spot on this list since April. He had a forgettable August, pitching to a 4.97 ERA over six starts, but his overall numbers on the season are still quite solid.

Karns owns a 3.69 ERA in 144 total innings, standing up well to the workload of a full MLB season. He has allowed fewer than a hit per inning and is striking hitters out at a 8.8 K/9 rate.

Though he came up through the Nationals system, Karns has looked the part in the Tampa Bay Rays tradition of good young starting pitchers. He might be the one of the more overlooked, unassuming names in the race, but he definitely deserves acknowledgement for his thorough rookie resume.

Next: Rookie #4

4. Miguel Sano

Aug 30, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins designated hitter Miguel Sano (22) hits a 2 run home run against the Houston Astros in the seventh inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Miguel Sano has only played 50 games at the big league level, but in that short time he has already got more done than most MLB rookies this season. The 22-year-old slugger’s swing packs a major wallop, as evidenced by the 14 home runs he has clubbed in 211 plate appearances. Nine of those long balls have come in his last 18 games.

A pitcher-friendly home ballpark hasn’t been a problem either, as Sano has hit eight of his homers at spacious Target Field.

Sano is slashing .295/.403/.608 on the season and has driven in 41 runs. 27 of his 52 hits have gone for extra bases. The youngster’s power surge has provided a jolt to a squad that really needed it, as the Twins have won of eight of their last ten and sit just a game out of the second AL Wild Card.

Will Sano’s predominant usage as a designated hitter (41 of 50 appearances have been at DH) hurt him when it’s time to vote? Possibly, but getting into the thick of the ROY race was always going to be somewhat of an uphill climb since he didn’t make his debut until July. Regardless, Sano’s recent feats have been too much to ignore, and right now he is among the most exciting rookies the Junior Circuit has to offer.

Next: Rookie #3

3. Francisco Lindor

Aug 25, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) hits a two-RBI double in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The next player in our ranking is another relative newcomer, Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor. The top-ranked prospect in Cleveland’s system for several seasons running, the 21-year-old Lindor made his big league entrance in mid-June and has more than lived up to expectations.

Lindor sports a .309/.348/.440 slash line along with seven home runs and 31 RBI. He’s done a lot of the heavy lifting recently, batting .370 in August. His 2.9 WAR is good for second among AL rookies, trailing another young shortstop whose name you’ll see shortly.

Though they are still within striking distance of a Wild Card berth, the Indians have experienced a largely disappointing 2015 campaign. The quick emergence of Lindor will give the franchise and its fans a much brighter outlook for the future, however.

Next: Rookie #2

2. Billy Burns

Jul 30, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics center fielder Billy Burns (1) celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring on a double by right fielder Josh Reddick (not pictured) in the first inning against the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports

Billy Burns has been a fixture in the AL Rookie of the Year race over the past few months, and that didn’t change in August. The Oakland A’s center fielder is second among all qualified MLB rookies with a .296 batting average, and his 128 hits lead AL rooks by a wide margin of 33 over the Twins’ Eddie Rosario.

Burns doesn’t have much in the way of power (three homers in 104 games) but he makes up for it with speed. His 25 stolen bases lead all rookies. He has also used that skill to make some impressive catches while patrolling Oakland Coliseum’s expansive outfield.

He might not be the most bombastic name on this list, but Burns has shown considerable value since coming up in May. It’s been a tough season for the A’s, but their young new leadoff hitter has been a definite bright spot.

Next: Rookie #1