David Dahl Debuts Spectacularly

Best player: Outfielder David Dahl began the season with 76 solid games at Double-A Hartford, hit .484/.529/.887 with five homers and 16 RBI in 16 games at Triple-A Albuquerque and vaulted to the majors July 25.

The 22-year-old Dahl, the 10th overall pick in 2012 out of Oak Mountain (Birmingham, Ala.) High, tied a major league record by hitting safely in his first 17 games and hit .324/.371/.520 with five homers, 18 RBI and 33 runs over his first 39 games.

“Typically when young players show up, they’re not too sure,” manager Walt Weiss said. “They don’t have a track record at the major leagues to fall back on, to draw confidence from. David showed up here a very confident player, very composed. He always looks like he’s in control of his game, control of his at-bats.”

Best pitcher: Righthander Jeff Hoffman went 6-9, 4.02 with 9.4 strikeouts and 3.3 walks per nine innings at Albuquerque before making his major league debut Aug. 20.

Hoffman, 23, has improved command of his mid-90s fastball, particularly down in the zone. The No. 9 overall pick in 2014 out of East Carolina didn’t throw sliders last year as he recovered from a May 2014 Tommy John surgery, but that pitch now nearly equals his curveball, giving Hoffman two plus breaking balls he can throw anytime for strikes. His improved changeup is regarded as average now but projects to be as plus pitch.

Keep an eye on: First baseman Brian Mundell set a modern single-season minor league record with 58 doubles for low Class A Asheville and hit .313/.383/.503 with 14 homers and a South Atlantic League-leading 83 RBIs. A catcher at Cal Poly, Mundell, a seventh-round pick in 2015, made huge strides this season at first base.

“He’s average, and in two years, he’s going to be an above-average first baseman,” farm director Zach Wilson said.

Mundell’s power has started to play and should yield more homers. Using a line-drive, middle-of-the-field approach, Mundell, 22, consistently hits balls hard with many of his doubles shots off the walls and to the gaps. Mundell’s leadership skills, focus and work ethic are exemplary. Better yet, Mundell embraces the weight on his shoulders to produce, lead and make others better.