MLB

Vote: Who is USA TODAY Sports' Minor League Player of the Year?

USA TODAY Sports

Since 1988, USA TODAY Sports has bestowed its Minor League Player of the Year award on the top-performing prospect from the A ball level all the way to the doorstep of the major leagues.

Alex Bregman dominated at two minor league levels, and is producing for the Astros after a slow start.

We seek a player whose production level matches or exceeds his potential as a prospect, and in this era, the gap isn’t long between the time a player flourishes on the farm and has a major impact on the big leagues. Four of our last five honorees - Paul Goldschmidt, WIl Myers, Xander Bogaerts and Kris Bryant – were All-Stars this season, and 2015 winner Blake Snell is now in the rotation with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Nominees are determined and voted on by a 10-person panel at USA TODAY Sports, but fans also have a say in the process.

Through Aug. 30, you can vote right here for your pick, and the winner of the fan vote will receive one vote in the total.

The winner will be announced in early September.

With that, a look at our five finalists:

Alex Bregman, 3B, Houston Astros

Age: 22

Stats through Aug. 23: At Class AA/AAA - .306 average, .986 OPS, 20 HR, 61 RBI. With Astros - .230, .692 OPS, four homers in 123 plate appearances.

His case: Bregman led the Class AA Texas League in on-base percentage (.415) and posted a 1.083 OPS in an 18-game stint at Class AAA Fresno (Calif.) before making his major league debut July 25. After a 1-for-32 start with Houston, Bregman has 25 hits in his last 80 at-bats (.309) with four home runs, all in his first full pro season after Houston drafted him second overall in 2015.

David Dahl, OF, Colorado Rockies

Age: 22

Stats through Aug. 23: At Class AA/AAA: .314 average, .963 OPS, 18 homers, 61 RBI, 17 stolen bases. With Rockies: .330, .923 OPS, four homers in 118 plate appearances.

His case: Like Bregman, Dahl blasted through the final two levels of the minors and debuted in the majors on July 25. Unlike Bregman, Dahl flourished from the jump, beginning his career with a 17-game hitting streak, tying a 75-year-old major league record. His major league performance only adds shine to his minor league campaign.

Yoan Moncada, 2B, Boston Red Sox

Age: 21

Stats through Aug. 23: At high-A and AA: .298 average, .934 OPS, 14 homers, 51 extra-base hits in 460 plate appearances.

His case: With enviable depth throughout the organization, the Red Sox haven’t aggressively moved Moncada through the system, and he took advantage, getting on base at a .427 clip at Salem (Va.), tops in the Carolina League. His production hasn’t slipped in 38 games against much older competition at Class AA Portland (Me.), with a .368 OBP and nine homers in 150 plate appearances. Moncada may force the Red Sox to put him in their 2017 plans.

Joe Musgrove, RHP, Houston Astros

Age: 23

Stats through Aug. 23: At Class AA/AAA - 7-4, 2.74 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 87 strikeouts in 85 1/3 innings. With Astros: In four games (three starts), 1-2, 5.20 ERA, 25 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings.

His case: Pitching in hitter-friendly environments in the Texas and Pacific Coast leagues, Musgrove struck out 87 and walked just 10, while averaging slightly better than a strikeout per inning. He’s made three starts for the Astros and should emerge as a rotation cog in 2017.

Tyler O’Neill, OF, Seattle Mariners

Age: 21

Stats through Aug. 23: At Class AA - .302 average, .913 OPS, 23 homers, 96 RBI, 10 stolen bases in 531 plate appearances.

His case: At 5-11, 210 pounds, O’Neill packs a lot of power in a compact frame. After hitting 32 homers in 106 games at high-A Bakersfield in 2015, O’Neill has nearly repeated that feat over a full season at Jackson (Miss.), against significantly older competition and in a tougher offensive environment. As of this writing, he’s on track to win the Southern League triple crown.

GALLERY: USA TODAY Sports' Minor League Players of the Year