2019 Pat Listach Award ROY candidates

Recent drafts may have ushered in a new era, with a changing of the guard among some of the DMBL's stars upon arrival of some impressive youngsters. The 1st round in 2018 saw three ineligible prospects chosen within the first seven picks, including No. 1 overall for the first time ever, along with some fruitful late-round prospects selected the past two years.

The past few drafts have made for some superb rookie campaigns of late and 2019 was no exception when looking for Pat Listach Award candidates.

The Pat Listach Award recognizes the best rookie in the DMBL the past season. Voters can choose up to 3 candidates for their ballots. Five points are awarded for each first-place vote, 3 points for each second-place ballot, and 1 point for each third. The award goes to the player who receives the most overall points.

Here's a look, in alphabetical order, at some rookie campaigns that could warrant one of the three places on your ballot (italics = led rookies; bold italics = led league):

Ron Acuna, CF, El Paso
Drafted: 2018. 1st round, 4th overall
.245/.302/.464--->.767 OPS
25 HR, 71 RBI, 73 runs
123 hits, 29 doubles
233 total bases
70.2 RC, 4.8 RC/27
37 BB, 157 K
It might be easy look at Acuna's stats and consider them mediocre -- until you realize he's only 22 and manned center field for 124 games for the Chihuahuas. He was equally adept against lefties and rights when it came to slugging, whacking them both at a .464 clip.

Ozzie Albies, 2b, Allentown
2018: 1st round, 7th overall
.226/.263/.381--->.644 OPS
19 HR, 82 RBI, 62 runs
143 hits, 37 doubles
241 total bases
62.7 RC, 3.3 RC/27
33 BB, 138 K
It might be easy to lose track of Albies' modest numbers amid that slash line and other rookie campaigns in 2019 but the switch-hitting 22-year-old from Curacao did it while not missing a game at 2B for the Mules. It helped to be in a lineup with Mike Trout, Manny Machado and Listach front-runner Max Muncy.

Miguel Andujar, 3b, Hopatcong
2018: 6th round, 83rd overall (from PHI)
.248/.270/.480--->.750
33 HR, 107 RBIs
167 hits, 55 doubles
323 total bases
82.8 RC, 4.2 RC/27
18 BB, 148 K
Andujar was not in the celebrated 1st round of the 2018 draft when  three prospects were taken but he was an under-the-radar 6th rounder that probably had a better first season. Unfortunately for the 24-year-old, offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum will cost him the 2020 DMBL season. Hopatcong actually received the pick as part of a deal for another rookie (Rhys Hoskins for Gio Gonzalez and a 6th, in January 2018).

The slash line might not look like much but with 161 starts at 3B for a down Hopatcong team, Andujar put up big aggregate numbers in his rookie campaign, leading all first-year players in RBIs, doubles and total bases. Only two players in the league hit as many doubles and he also ranked 6th overall in RBI. In a smaller field or a down year, he could very well be a lock for the Listach.

Walker Buehler, SP, El Paso
2018: 4th round, 58th overall
10-5 (.667), 3.58 ERA, 1.09 WHIP
10.5 R/9, 9.6 K/9
12-27 QS, .444%
156.0 IP, 167 K
The 25-year-old was among a number of prospects that started to pay dividends for El Paso. Buehler didn't log the innings or quality starts that make a pitching candidacy pop but he did lead all rookies with a 1.09 WHIP and 3.58 ERA while going 10-5 in his first year.

Taylor Cole, RP, Philly
2019: FA
8-3, 2.95 ERA, 1.00 WHIP
23 Saves, 5 BSv, .821%
6-34 IRS, .176%
9.7 R/9, 9.5 K/9
146.3 IP, 155 K, 90 G
Cole could be the most unheralded candidate for the Listach. He signed with Philly the day after the 2019 draft, and earned his keep and then some. He proceeded to be a stalwart for the Green Rage bullpen, racking up more than 146 innings in 90 appearances (El Paso rookie Ryan Yarbrough led the league with 113 appearances). The 30-year-old Cole led all rookies in saves, which was good for 5th in the DMBL.

Rafael Devers, 3b, Arkansas
2018: 1st, 1st overall
.206/.254/.401--->.654
14 HR, 41 RBI, 28 runs
52 hits, 7 doubles
101 total bases
25.6 RC, 3.3 RC/27
18 BB, 69 K
It wasn't exactly a memorable season but Arkansas is in it for the long haul with the 23-year-old, whom they made the No. 1 overall pick last year. The Dominican made one start at 2B and another 63 at 3B, sharing time mainly with Danny Valencia (49 games) and Hunter Dozier (43 games).

Seranthony Dominguez, RP, Hoboken
2019: 2nd round, 27th overall
9-5, 2.42 ERA, 1.01 WHIP
19 Saves, 4 BSv, .826%
3-28 IRS, .107%
9.2 R/9, 10.2 K/9
93 IP, 105 K, 71 G
Dominguez was essentially the primary closer for the 95-win Cutters and his 19 saves tied for 6th in the league against just four blow saves. 

Jack Flaherty, SP, Hoboken
2018: 13th round, 208th overall
15-7 (.682), 3.64 ERA, 1.16 WHIP
10.9 R/9, 10.5 K/9
20/31 QS, .645 QS%
187.2 IP, 219 K
Flaherty overtook his rookie teammate, 1st rounder and all-star Freddy Peralta (12-6, 4.19 ERA), to lead all rookies in wins as Peralta battled injuries in the second half of the season. The 24-year-old led all rookies in innings and strikeouts too, finishing behind El Paso's Walker Buehler for rookie-best ERA and WHIP.

Adalberto Mondesi, ss, Arkansas
2019: 1st round, 7th overall
.205/.253/.369--->.622
25 HR, 70 RBIs
125 hits, 25 doubles
229 total bases
62.4 RC, 3.3 RC/27
37 BB, 198 K
46 SB, 8 CS, .852 SB%
Any rookie will take 162 starts at shortstop as a successful first season. Add in a league-leading stolen base total and it warrants some kind of recognition among rookies. Mondesi led the league in stolen bases and ranked 3rd in stolen base percentage but don't sleep on his power numbers either: 25 HR and 70 RBI are more than respectable first-year totals even though that slash line is not.

Max Muncy, 1B, Allentown
2019: 1st round, 2nd overall
.256/.368/.540--->.908 OPS
42 HR, 99 RBI, 88 runs
138 hits, 21 doubles
291 total bases
112.7 RC, 7.5 RC/27
91 BB (22 IBB), 212 K
The Listach could be Muncy's to lose. He led rookies in a slew of sexy stats, including HR, as well as leading the league or finishing in the top 10 in a variety of categories. It helps to bat in a lineup with Mike Trout and Manny Machado but Muncy met or exceeded the expectations that come with being a high draft pick. He was selected No. 2 overall in the 2019 draft after Poovey Farms made Brandon Nimmo the top pick. The 28-year-old had eligibility across the diamond -- 1B, 2B and 3B -- but started 154 games at 1B for the Mules.

The lefty-swinging Muncy led the league with 22 intentional walks, the most by a rookie - or anyone - since 2017 Listach Award winner Gary Sanchez of Hopatcong had 33. He led all rookies in home runs, on-base percentage, slugging, OPS, strikeouts, runs created, RC/27, as well as isolated power, total average and secondary average.

Shohei Ohtani, OF/SP, Poovey Farms
2017: 8th round, 116th overall
.315/.365/.592--->.957
19 HR, 51 RBI, run
92 hits, 22 doubles
173 total bases
64.7 RC, 8.5 RC/27
22 BB, 100 K
It took two years for Ohtani to pay off but he made history as the first two-way player in DMBL history. Ohtani was a strict platoon, making 76 starts at DH, and arguably had a better year at the plate than on the mound. Ohtani led rookies in slugging percentage but given his limited at-bats, he did not qualify for those categories. For that reason, his aggregate numbers look a little tame but he still managed respectable line of 19 HR and 51 RBI along with a rookie-best 8.5 RC/27.

On the mound, Ohtani's numbers were not quite as impressive:
6-8, 4.45 ERA, 1.30 WHIP
12.0 R/9, 10.2 K/9
7-29 GS, .241 QS%
153.2 IP, 175 K

Matt Olson, 1B, Tucson
2019: 3rd round, 45th overall
.256/.322/.488--->.810 OPS
27 HR, 69 RBI, 65 runs
124 hits, 29 doubles
236 total bases
76.7 RC, 5.6 RC/27
45 BB, 156 K
Olson had a more-than-respectable rookie season for the King Snakes, providing some pop while making 126 starts at 1B, doing most of his damage against right-handers. He more or less matched numbers in some areas, or close to it, of our next candidate...

Juan Soto, OF, Livingston
2018: 15th round, 234th overall
.257/.351/.429--->.780 OPS
26 HR, 98 RBI, 106 runs
162 hits, 30 doubles
270 total bases
101.1 RC, 5.6 RC/27
92 BB, 182 K

Whether Soto comes home with the Listach Award or not, he's still got a few things for his mantel: the 2019 DMBL Championship, along with his DMBL World Series MVP award -- the first rookie ever to win it. The Dominican had a great first year in Livingston, leading rookies in walks and runs while putting up solid numbers across the board a year after was drafted as a teenager, behind 233 other players.

Gleyber Torres, SS/2B, Hillsborough
2017: 5th round, 71st overall
.225/.289/.386--->.675
21 HR, 68 RBI, 80 runs
132 hits, 25 doubles
226 total bases
64.4 RC, 3.7 RC/27
46 BB, 184 Ks
Another prospect who took a few years to make a contribution, Torres was another youngster who didn't light up the slash line but compiled solid aggregate numbers in his rookie campaign. As a 22-year-old, the Venezuelan native started 146 games for the Hit Men, 99 at SS and 47 at 2B.

Christian Villanueva, DH, Hoboken
2019: 4th round, 50th overall
.276/.329/.618--->.947
25 HR, 59 RBI, 46 runs
62 hits, 2 doubles
139 total bases
46.1 RC, 7.4 RC/27
17 BB, 90 K
Here's a dark horse candidacy - and one-year wonder - if ever there was one. His RC/27 and OPS ranks right up there with the likes of Muncy and his 25 HRs would look good on any rookie's resume, despite a paltry 2 doubles. It all came in very limited action as a part-time DH (20 innings at 3B). The 225 AB over just 80 games makes the HR total even more impressive, projecting upwards of 70 dongs over a full season -- as long as he faced left-handers: .319/.370/.736. What curveballs are to Pedro Cerrano, right-handers are to this 28-year-old Mexican: .093/.152/116 (in just 43 ABs). He's already has decided to take his talents to Japan next season so it's anyone's guess if this meteor will swing past DMBL again.