Jose Urbina voted 2025 Top Dog

Charleston, SC - RiverDogs starting pitcher Jose Urbina has been named the 2025 Top Dog award winner, as decided by an annual fan vote. Urbina was selected from a pool of five players that also included Angel Mateo, Theo Gillen, Trevor Harrison and Ryan Andrade.

Urbina, the Rays’ No. 12 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, was one of the most dominant pitchers in the Carolina League this season, posting a 2.05 ERA and 1.06 WHIP through August 31.

The right-handed pitcher was signed by the Rays as an international free agent in 2023.

The flame-throwing hurler gave the RiverDogs a chance to win in each of his starts this season, exemplified by the team’s nine-game win streak on days in which he started that ran from May 31 until August 6.

Urbina hit full stride mid-summer. In June, he allowed just two earned runs across 22 innings in four starts. He improved upon that in July, allowing two earned runs in 23.2 innings – including his first career seven-inning start on July 13 against Columbia.

2025 marks the second consecutive year a pitcher has won the award, after Gary Gill Hill earned the honor in 2024. Urbina also joins former Ray and current Minnesota Twin Taj Bradley (2021) as a recent pitcher to claim the honor.

In addition to being named Top Dog, Urbina has been named RiverDogs' MVP as voted on by coaches, coordinators and the Rays' Front Office.

The RiverDogs close the season on the road at Hickory, Sept 1-6.