Cooper Flemming Earns 2026 ‘Top Dog’ Honors
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Following the final home game of the regular season Sunday, the Charleston RiverDogs named infielder Cooper Flemming the organization’s “Top Dog” for the 2026 season.
Fans selected Flemming from a field of five finalists that also included Aidan Cremarosa, Blake Morgan, Brady Marget and Taitn Gray.
The annual RiverDogs’ annual Top Dog Award, as voted on by the fans, recognizes the community’s choice for most outstanding player.
At just 20 years old, Flemming put together one of the Carolina League’s most productive offensive seasons, ranking among the league leaders in several major categories:
- Second in batting average among qualified hitters: .298
- First in RBI: 79
- Second in hits: 133
- First in doubles: 29
- Second in extra-base hits: 43
Flemming also led the RiverDogs in hits, home runs (11), RBI, doubles, extra-base hits, total bases (201) and runs scored (84).
His 2026 campaign placed him among some of Charleston’s most productive offensive seasons in recent history. He became the 25th RiverDogs player since 2005 to record at least 40 extra-base hits, the 9th to drive in 75 or more runs and the 17th to collect at least 29 doubles. He is the sixth to achieve all three marks over the stretch, and first since 2017.
Flemming was equally valuable defensively, providing dependable play at shortstop, third base and second base throughout the season. He was also one of only a handful of players age 20 or younger across the minors to appear in at least 116 games this season.
He finishes the regular season as one of the organization’s top young prospects. He was ranked No. 83 overall by MLB Pipeline this past summer after being selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the second round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Aliso Niguel High School in California.
With the postseason right around the corner, Flemming will look to help lead the RiverDogs to another Carolina League championship. After clinching the Carolina League South first-half title, Charleston has secured a spot in the 2026 postseason, presented by Nucor Steel Berkeley.
The best-of-three Division Series begins Tuesday, September 8 in Hickory, the home of the Crawdads. Thanks to their first-half division title, the RiverDogs are guaranteed to host Game 2 on September 10, and, if necessary, Game 3 at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park on September 11.
Single-game postseason tickets are on sale now. For more information, visit RiverDogs.com.
Past Winners:
2025 Jose Urbina
2024 Gary Gill Hill
2023 Cooper Kinney
2022 Carson Williams
2021 Taj Bradley
2019 Canaan Smith
2018 Pablo Olivares
2017 Isiah Gilliam
2016 Chris Gittens
2015 Jorge Mateo
2014 Tyler Wade
2013 Greg Bird
2012 Pedro Guerra
2011 Ramon Flores
2010 Rob Lyerly
2009 Melky Mesa
2008 Jesus Montero
2007 Mitch Hilligoss
2006 Ben Jones
2005 Phillip Hughes
2004 Delmon Young
2003 BJ Upton
2002 Adam Bonner
2001 Rocco Baldelli
2000 Josh Hamilton
1999 Joe Kennedy
1998 Aubrey Huff
1997 Matt White