#HIGHFIVE | Top 5 Black & brown MLB Players (Week 12)

Josh Bell cemented his case for the National League Player of the Month award as well as an All-Star berth with a .583 batting average in the last week of June, giving him the top spot in Week 12 of our #HighFive List.

1. Josh Bell

 

Despite not getting much love in the All-Star fan votes, Josh Bell was Major League Baseball’s top hitter for the month of June. He finished first in on base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS while finishing second in average and third in WAR.

Bell’s .319 batting average is the highest for any switch hitter in the Majors and is tops among MLBbros and good for eighth in all of baseball entering Friday.

 

 

Last weekend Bell made a statement during his return to his hometown of Dallas, Texas where he attended Jesuit high school.

Friday, he went 3-for-4 with a triple, double, RBI and scored the game-winning run late in the eighth inning, finishing the series 7-for-12 with an RBI and three runs scored, missing the series cycle by just a home run.

This weekend Bell and the Nationals welcome the Marlins to D.C. who will be without superstar Jazz Chisholm Jr. after he was placed on the Injured List with a lower back strain.

2. Devin Williams 

 

“The Airbender” is pitching on a level he has never reached before as he has gone 20 innings without allowing a run to go along with 30 strikeouts, six walks and just five hits.

Williams, who won the National League Rookie of the Year award in 2020 has been a major part of a Brewers bullpen that is one of the top groups in the Majors, and this season it looks like he will be a lock for his first career All-Star Game.

This season Williams has a 2-0 record with a 2.12 ERA and 49 K’s.  

His next chance to pitch will be in Pittsburgh during the Brewers weekend series against Ke’Bryan Hayes and the Pirates.

3. Michael Harris II

 

Michael Harris II is the youngest player in the Majors, and he is already playing a grown-man game through the first 30 games of his career.

“I feel like as soon as he came up here, he kind of changed the whole complexion of our team,” said Braves pitcher Kyle Wright on Harris’ impact on last year’s World Series champions.

Since coming to the Majors Harris is top 10 in WAR and the Braves have closed in on the Mets in their bid for the National League East title.

He bats .327 with 15 RBI, 4 steals and an .860 OPS but his defense is his best tool as he is currently rated the best defensive center fielder in baseball with a success rate of 97%.

 

 

Harris has already put his name in the early conversation for the National League Rookie of the Year award.

4. Cedric Mullins

 

We finally saw a glimpse of the 2021 version of Cedric Mullins who had the best season in Baltimore Orioles history this week, giving him the fourth spot on our #HighFive List.

This week Mullins hit .379 with five runs scored and three RBI to cap off a solid month of June which saw his Orioles finish with their first winning month since August of 2017.

Even though his offense got off to a slow start, the 2021 American League All-Star starting center fielder has yet to lose a step while patrolling the outfield5. 

5. Josh Naylor 

 

Josh Naylor added to his folklore in Cleveland with the second walk-off home run of the season to lift his Guardians over the Twins.

Naylor has been the juice guy for the Guardians this year as his head banging celebration sent Proggessive Field into a frenzy after another comeback victory against the team they are attempting to track down in the American League Central.

This season Naylor is hitting .263 with nine home runs, 49 RBI and a .798 OPS.