MLB Hot Dude Report - Thursday, April 2nd

The 2026 MLB season is young, but it doesn’t mean player performances go unnoticed. As a Rays fan, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that Yandy Diaz is currently the league leader in hits (45/1) after Gootz slandered him last week. That’s informative but too biased. Instead, I am going to take this time to point out a few guys who have gotten off to great starts.

Not the coolest name, but Joey hits baseballs and that’s all we care about. Wiemer is a 27 year old outfielder making quite an impression in his first season with the Washington Nationals. He came into the league in 2023 with the Milwaukee Brewers where he played 132 games and posted a .204 average. The Brewers gave up on him in 2024 where he went to Cincy. In 2025 he appeared in 26 games for the Miami Marlins. 

It’s unlikely that Joey will continue this sort of performance at the plate, but we aren’t here to make predictions. We just want to give credit where it’s deserved. Nice job on the hot start, Joey!

Liam Hicks is my kind of guy. A fellow 5’9 (I’m actually 5’8 but 5’9 with shoes) and 185 lbs (I’m 205 but close enough) who’s only 26 years old making a splash in Miami. He banged around in the minors for 4 years until he finally got a chance in 2025. Hicks played in 119 games and posted a .247 batting average. This year, he is off to a scorching hot start, currently holding a .467 average with 3 home runs, including two (2) in yesterdays game.

I have always been a Jose Soriano guy! Happy to see him get off to a strong start this year. The 27 year old has been with the Angels his entire career. 2024 was his first real shot and pitching in the big leagues and he was serviceable. Last year he started 31 games and finished with a 10-11 record and 4.26 ERA. Certainly nothing to marvel at, but nothing to give up on either.

This season, Jose has pitched 2 games and yet to allow a run. What’s most impressive is that he’s faced the Astros and Cubs on the road too. Each game Jose went 6 innings and only allowed 2 hits. 

Chase DeLauter - Cleveland Guardians 

24 year old outfielder who’s second in the league with 4 home runs. These all came in the first series of the season at Seattle. He was hitless in his second series, and now missing some time after a ball hit his foot. I’m no doctor but it does say that X-rays were negative, so that’s good. Chase spent the last two seasons in the minors.

Drake Baldwin - Atlanta Braves

The 25 year old catcher is coming off a 4 RBI night. He’s played in 6 games and had a hit in 5 of them. Drake has been in the minors since 2022 and his stepping up in place of injured Sean Murphy. The Braves will have a tough decision to make when Murphy comes back.