Kumar Rocker had the best start of his career this past weekend against one of the best teams in baseball, the Detroit Tigers. The Rangers rookie has showed signs of being a future Black Ace ever since he was recalled from the Minors over a month ago as he takes the top spot on Week 16 of our #HighFive list.
1. Kumar Rocker
From locating in the strikezone, to holding runners on base and fielding his position, Rocker has done a complete 180 since being recalled from the Minor Leagues after being sent down to focus on the details he may have missed out on learning while being injured in past seasons.
READ: “There Are Going To Be Growing Pains “ | Kumar Rocker Is Still Figuring Things Out
Last Saturday Rocker threw 6.1 shutout innings of one hit baseball, striking out five and walking three.
That outing improved his home ERA to 1.84 and gives him a 3-0 record with 26 strikeouts at Globe Life Field this season.
Since returning to the Majors on June 15th he has posted a 3.26 ERA and has a 3-0 record. Outside of a rough start against the Los Angeles Angels, he has been one of the best pitchers in the American League over that span.
Rocker will look to improve his home record to 4-0 this Saturday in a primetime contest against the Atlanta Braves.
2. Masyn Winn
Masyn Winn compiled a seven-game hitting streak on his way to earning the two spot on our #HighFive list.
READ: What’s Poppin? | Masyn Winn Is The Calm And The Storm For The Cardinals
July has been the best month of the season for Wynn who has a .290 average, four RBI and two stolen bases with a little less than a week to go this month.
Defensively Winn has always been elite, but since a slow start in May he has been one of the best two-way shortstops in the Majors.
In his last seven games he is slashing .429/.448/.464.
Although record wise the Cardinals have not been able to turn his statline into wins, his improvement is key for the future success of St. Louis.
3. Byron Buxton
Byron Buxton is in the midst of the best season of his career as he has continued tormenting pitchers and bashing baseballs.
He is on pace to play in the most games he has since 2017 and reach 100 games played in back-to-back seasons for the first time in his 11-year career.
After putting on a show in his home state of Georgia during last week’s Home Run Derby, Buxton is slashing .419/.455/.839 with three home runs and five RBI over his last seven games.
One of those bombs was a leadoff shot against multi-time MVP Shohei Ohtani.
It will be interesting to see if the Twins do anything to get Buxton, who has a no-trade clause some help so that they can make a playoff push during these last two months of the season.
He will face off against James Wood and the Washington Nationals in Minnesota this weekend.
4. Xavier Edwards
After reaching safely in 24 of his last 26 games Xavier Edwards finds himself in the four hole of our #HighFive list and could find himself on another team come next week’s trade deadline.
The Marlins should consider making him their franchise shortstop for the next few years, but with a few teams in need of an upgrade in the infield; including the Yankees, Braves, Blue Jays and Rays they could look to move him while his value is high.
Edwards has the fourth most hits in the National League this month and is slashing .325/.358/.481 with three steals and seven RBI in July.
5. Chandler Simpson
Chandler Simpson made history once again to claim the fifth and final spot on our #HighFive list.
READ: What’s Poppin’? | Chandler Simpson Is Looking To Continue Enhancing Tampa Bay Rays In Second Half
In just 59 games he has stolen a rookie franchise record 31 bases and had he gotten to play in the Majors full-time this year chances are high that he would have eclipsed Carl Crawford’s franchise record of 60 set in 2009.
Simpson is going to be one of the best, most feared players in the sport if he continues to bat .300 with his elite speed.
This season he is slashing .300/.342.693 with 15 RBI and those 31 steals which rank 3rd amongst all Major Leaguers. I expect him to pass his teammate Jose Cabarrero, who has played in 20 more games than Simpson by the time
