It is with great pleasure that we have brought back the Notinhalloffame MLB Regular Cup, and let us explain how this works:

For every regular-season game, we anointed the top five players with the most points, in descending order: 5-4-3-2-1. 

We know the following:

• The top players for the MLB NIHOF Cup are not always the best in the league, as injuries keep players out of games, and a premium on staying healthy can help pile up points. It also does not hurt to be a top player on an average or mediocre team, as they can amass Cup points more easily than elite players on loaded squads.
• In Baseball, it is more common than in Basketball and Hockey for a player to accrue points with a single Home Run in a game, which favors position players. Starting Pitchers have a hard time with approximately 30-35 Starts and throwing fewer innings than previous generations. This is also true for closers not made for this process.
• Please remember that this is NOT necessarily who we think were the best players this year and does not reflect overall consistency. Treat this the way we did: as a fun process and more of a compilation of temporary statistical domination.

Here is the current top ten after games concluded on July 14.

1. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees: 153 Cup Points in 96 Games. (#1 Last Week).  7.0 bWAR, 85 Runs, 125 Hits, 35 Home Runs, 81 Runs Batted In, .355/.462/.733 Slash Line, 1.194 OPS & 228 OPS+.

2. Pete Alonso, New York Mets: 125 Cup Points in 97 Games. (#2 Last Week).   3.1 bWAR, 53 Runs, 101 Hits, 21 Home Runs, 77 Runs Batted In, .280/.376/.532 Slash Line, .908 OPS & 160 OPS+.

3. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers:  117 Cup Points in 95 Games.  (#4 Last Week).  4.3 bWAR, 91 Runs, 102 Hits, 32 Home Runs, 60 Runs Batted In, .276/.382/.605 Slash Line, .998 OPS & 174 OPS+.

4. Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners: 113 Cup Points in 94 Games. (#5 Last Week).   4.7 bWAR, 65 Runs, 90 Hits, 38 Home Runs, 82 Runs Batted In, .259/.376/.634 Slash Line, 1.011 OPS & 190 OPS+.

5. Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals: 112 Cup Points in 97 Games. (#3 Last Week).  4.5 bWAR, 57 Runs, 112 Hits, 14 Home Runs, 54 Runs Batted In, .294/.345/.504 Slash Line, .849 OPS & 134 OPS+.

6. Riley Greene, Detroit Tigers:  109 Cup Points in 95 Games.  (#6 Last Week).  2.8 bWAR, 53 Runs, 104 Hits, 24 Home Runs, 78 Runs Batted In, .284/.335/.544 Slash Line, .879 OPS & 142 OPS+.

7. Manny Machado, San Diego Padres: 105 Cup Points in 96 Games. (#8 Last Week).   2.9 bWAR, 57 Runs, 107 Hits, 17 Home Runs, 56 Runs Batted In, .292/.350/.490 Slash Line, .841 OPS & 133 OPS+.

8. Francisco Lindor, New York Mets: 104 Cup Points in 95 Games. (#7 Last Week).   3.0 bWAR, 63 Runs, 99 Hits, 19 Home Runs, 54 Runs Batted In, .260/.330/.457 Slash Line, .787 OPS & 126 OPS+.

9. (TIE) Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins:  98 Cup Points in 78 Games.  (#6 Last Week).  4.1 bWAR, 64 Runs, 86 Hits, 21 Home Runs, 56 Runs Batted In, .289/.351/.574 Slash Line, .925 OPS & 149 OPS+.

9. (TIE) Juan Soto, New York Mets: 98 Cup Points in 79 Games.  (Not in the Top Ten Last Week).  3.9 bWAR, 70 Runs, 89 Hits, 23 Home Runs, 56 Runs Batted In, .262/.396/.509 Slash Line, .905 OPS & 161 OPS+.

San Francisco’s Rafael Devers and Washington’s James Wood fell out of the Top Ten.

Notably, 974 baseball players have earned at least 1 point, up from 959 last week.

Drafted in the second round out of Southern Methodist in 2018, Courtland Sutton landed in Denver boasting an ideal alpha receiver frame, a massive catch radius, and physical boundary dominance. Save for a torn ACL that wiped out nearly his entire 2020 campaign, he has consistently operated as the reliable wide receiver anchor for an evolving Broncos offense.

Sutton's breakout arrived in 2019 when he earned his first Pro Bowl selection, hauling in 72 passes for 1,112 yards and six touchdowns while proving he could win against top primary cornerbacks. Through years of quarterback instability in Mile High, his ability to win 50/50 contested balls remained a constant offensive lifeline. He hit another gear in 2023, showcasing lethal red-zone efficiency by catching a career-high 10 touchdown passes.

His role as the primary passing engine truly crystallized alongside young quarterback Bo Nix. In 2024, Sutton recorded his second career four-digit campaign, racking up 1,081 receiving yards and eight touchdowns to lead Denver back into the postseason. He kept that standard going in 2025, stringing together his second consecutive 1,000-yard year with 74 receptions for 1,017 yards and seven touchdowns while capturing his second career Pro Bowl nod.

His clutch perimeter play down the stretch helped power the Broncos to an AFC West title and an AFC Championship Game appearance. Entering his ninth NFL season in 2026, Sutton should continue to make a run on the franchise’s all-time receiving leaderboards.

When the Denver Broncos made Patrick Surtain II the ninth overall pick in the 2021 draft—the second defensive back selected behind Jaycee Horn—they landed a true blue-chip cornerstone. The Alabama product carried NFL pedigree and refined technical polish, stepping directly into the secondary and delivering a flawless All-Rookie campaign that signaled a star was born.

Surtain elevated his game into elite territory during his sophomore campaign in 2022. Blessed with long arms, elite recovery speed, and a high football IQ, he routinely eliminated opposing top targets in single coverage, capturing First-Team All-Pro honors and his first Pro Bowl selection. He backed that up with a second consecutive Pro Bowl nod in 2023, solidifying his reputation as the premier shadow cornerback in the league.

2024 would be a golden season for Surtain. Opposing offensive coordinators practically erased his half of the field, targeting him just 62 times all year. When quarterbacks did dare throw his way, Surtain punished them, holding passers to a microscopic 59.1 passer rating and allowing a league-low 326 yards in coverage. He snagged four interceptions—highlighted by a momentum-swinging 100-yard pick-six against the Raiders—and added 11 pass deflections. That total dominance earned him NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Gradishar as only the second Bronco in franchise history to claim the award.

Surtain remained the heartbeat of Denver's defense in 2025, securing his fourth straight Pro Bowl nod and earning Second-Team All-Pro honors. Even while battling a midseason pectoral strain, his presence helped Denver's unit dominate down the stretch, and he returned for the postseason to help drive the Broncos all the way to the AFC Championship Game. Entering the 2026 season for his sixth NFL campaign, Surtain sits firmly atop the league as the undisputed gold standard at cornerback.

Thus far, he has compiled 12 interceptions, 59 pass deflections, 279 combined tackles, two forced fumbles, and two defensive touchdowns.

Regular visitors to Notinhalloffame.com are aware that we are gradually compiling the top 50 lists for every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB. Once that is done, we will examine how each team honors its past players, coaches, and executives.   Eventually, this will extend to the college ranks.  As such, it is important to us that the University of Illinois has announced 11 new members to their Athletic Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame ceremony will take place on October 10, and the class will be honored the following day during the Fighting Illini’s home game against Ohio State.

The new inductees are:

Aspen Burkett Miles, Women’s Track & Field, 1995-98.  Burkett was a seven-time All-American (four relays and three individual), won seven Big Ten Championships, and played a big part in Illinois’ Big Ten 1995 Indoor and 1995 & 1996 Outdoor Championships. 

Mike Durkin, Men’s Track & Field, 1972-75.  A five-time All-American and nine-time Big Ten Champion, Durkin excelled in middle distances, winning most of his titles in the Mile or 1,000m distances.

Jane Fauntz Manske, Women’s Swimming and Diving 1930-34.  In 1928, Fauntz Manske set World Records in the 100-yard and 100-meter breaststroke, and the year after won the National 100-meter breaststroke and 100-meter springboard Championship.  She also competed for the United States in the 1928 and 1932 Olympics.

Kiwane Garris, Men’s Basketball, 1994-97.  Garris was a two-time First Team All-Big-10 Selection whose 1,948 Points are second all-time in Illini history.  He played pro for Orlando and Denver. 

Theresa Grentz, Women’s Basketball Coach, 1996-2007.  Grentz had a record of 210-156 and brought the Illini their only Women’s Big 10 Title.  She also took the Illini to two Sweet Sixteens.  Grentz is already a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

Meredith Hackett Kindt, Softball, 2009-12.  During Hackett’s time in Illinois, the school had a 45-8 record, while she boasted a stellar .616 Slugging Percentage. 

Benita Kelly Babridge, Women’s Track & Field, 1995-98.  Kelly earned eight All-America honors and the Big 10 100m and 200m titles in 1998.

Kurt Kittner, Football, 1998-2001.  Kittner took the Illini to the Sugar Bowl in 2001, and threw 8,722 Yards and 70 Touchdowns for the school.  He later played three years in the NFL.

Joe Rutgens, Football, 1958-60.  Playing at Defensive Tackle, Rutgens was a First Team All-American in 1960.  He later played a decade for the Washington Redskins, where he was a two-time Pro Bowl Selection.

Scott Spezio, Baseball, 1991-93.  An All-American in 1993, Spezio holds the school record for Home Runs (48).  Spezio later played 12 years in the Majors, winning two World Series rings: one with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the other with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Gene Vance, Men’s Basketball/Athletic Director, 1942-43, 1947 & 1967-72.  Vance helped Illinois win the 1942 and 1943 Big Ten Titles while securing First Team All-American honors in both of those years.  He would play professionally for five years, first with the Chicago Stags and then with the Tri-Cities Blackhawks.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the incoming members of the University of Illinois Athletic Hall of Fame.