The Charleston RiverDogs have selected five standout performers from the 2024 season as finalists for the team’s annual “Top Dog” award. A fan vote will determine which player receives the title. The winner will be announced following the RiverDogs final regular season home game on Sunday, September 1.
The five finalists are listed below:
Drew Dowd - LHP
Making his professional debut this season in Charleston, Dowd has been one of the top lefthanded pitchers in the Carolina League and the one of the most consistent arms in the RiverDogs starting rotation. As of August 14, he held a 4-6 record and 3.36 earned run average with 82 strikeouts in 93.2 innings. That innings total is the third-most for any hurler in the Carolina League and he also ranks fourth among qualified pitchers in ERA. The Stanford product was named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week during the first week of July.
Gary Gill Hill - RHP
Gill Hill made a brief appearance in Charleston at the end of the 2023 season before suffering an injury that ended his year early. He has come back in grand fashion, dominating hitters from his first outing on. As of August 14, the 19-year-old had the best ERA of any pitcher in the league, ranked second in WHIP and opposing batting average, sixth in innings pitched and tied for 10th in strikeouts. He has allowed more than three runs in just one of his 18 appearances. Overall, he is 4-1 with a 2.40 ERA and has 90 strikeouts in 90.0 innings.
Noah Myers – OF
Prior to his promotion to High-A Bowling Green in early August, Myers was an on-base machine during his time with the RiverDogs. The outfielder was signed out of the independent Frontier League this winter after finishing his college career at USC-Upstate. Playing in 61 games, the Canadian wrapped up his time in the Holy City with a .280 batting average, three home runs and 22 RBI. He walked 56 times against just 54 strikeouts and stole 24 bases. Despite not receiving enough at-bats to qualify for the league leaderboard because of injury, Myers’ on-base percentage of .449 would lead the league by nearly 40 points.
Gerlin Rosario - RHP
Rosario has been one of the most reliable arms out of the bullpen for each of the last two seasons. Often working in the most high-leverage situations, the righthander from the Dominican Republic had compiled a 2.41 earned run average over 21 relief appearances with the RiverDogs as of August 14. His eight saves are second in the Carolina League and he has struck out 51 batters in 37.1 innings of work. The opposition is batting just .185 against him this season.
Adrian Santana - SS
Despite being one of the youngest players on the roster all season, Santana has been firmly entrenched in the top of the lineup throughout the 2024 campaign. Much of his impact has been felt defensively as one of the top shortstops in the league and on the bases, where has wreaked havoc on a nightly basis. As of August 14, Santana had posted a .970 fielding percentage in 69 games at short and stolen 45 bases, the second-most in the Carolina League. At the plate, he is hitting .232 with 31 runs batted in. He is coming off a torrid July in which he hit .342 and stole 13 bases.
Voting is available at this link, on the RiverDogs website and during home games at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.