It's been just over six years since Cincinnati Reds prospect and former Chattanooga Lookouts' outfielder Dernell Stenson's death left a huge hole in the Arizona Fall League and baseball community.

The league, as it has each year since 2004, will present one current AFL player with the Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award, a recognition given to the player who best exemplifies unselfishness, hard work and leadership.

Last year, it was Phillies shortstop Jason Donald who best reflected those qualities on a daily basis.

The nominees from each of the six Arizona Fall League teams are selected by their team's field staffs. The winner will be announced Saturday at the circuit's championship game.

Here is a look at the six finalists for the 2009 award:

Russ Mitchell, 1B (Los Angeles Dodgers) Peoria Javelinas

Mitchell, a 15th-rounder in the 2003 Draft, struggled a bit during the regular season with Double-A Chattanooga, batting .241, but has turned it on in Arizona, hitting .326 in 24 games. He's 30-for-92 with 25 RBIs and 10 doubles. Mitchell, 24, fell a homer shy of the cycle on Nov. 10 and was named the league's Player of the Week on Oct. 19.

Nevin Ashley, C (Tampa Bay Rays) Phoenix Desert Dogs

Ashley, the Rays' sixth-round pick in 2006, enters play Wednesday batting .388 with a pair of homers and 14 RBIs in 17 games for the Dogs. The Indiana State product, who hit a walk-off grand slam on Oct. 26, has six doubles and four triples in 67 at-bats after collecting just 21 extra-base hits in 97 games in 2009. "I'm looking to have a good time, work on my hitting and keep improving as a baseball player," Ashley said of his AFL stint. "I want to try and show everybody how good I can be."

Daniel Descalso, 2B (St. Louis Cardinals) Surprise Rafters

The San Carlos, Calif. native, a Topps Double-A All-Star with Springfield in 2009, has struggled in Arizona after a solid regular season that saw the infielder reach Triple-A Memphis. Descalso, the Cardinals' third-round pick in 2007, is batting .220 with 11 runs scored and three RBIs in 21 games for Surprise.

Matt McBride, C (Cleveland Indians) Peoria Saguaros

The Indians prospect had 99 RBIs at two levels in 2009 and has continued to rake in Peoria. He's hitting .364 with four homers and 15 RBIs in 20 games. "I'm just trying to swing at good pitches, work counts, get into good hitters' counts and not go out of my zone," he said. "I need to look for balls I can drive, try to hit the gaps a little more." His two-run, eighth-inning homer off Nats first-rounder Drew Storen helped win the Rising Stars Game.

Chase d'Arnaud, SS (Pittsburgh Pirates) Scottsdale Scorpions
Another AFL Rising Star selection, d'Arnaud has followed up a solid 2009 campaign by batting .278 with 20 hits in 18 games in Arizona. He's hit safely in eight of his last 10 games and has 10 steals in 72 at-bats.

Bryan Petersen, OF (Florida Marlins) Mesa Solar Sox

The UC Irvine product has been on a tear in Mesa, hitting .398 through his first 19 games with the Sox. He's got three homers, 12 RBIs and four steals. "I've just been blessed that the Marlins put me here," Petersen said. "The regular season was a lot of fun, probably the most fun I had in a long time, just being in the trenches with those guys and winning a championship," Petersen said of his time with Double-A Jacksonville. "It kind of snowballed into this. [The AFL] has been a good experience. There are a lot of good players here, pitchers and hitters. I think it's a good measurement of where you're at as a player."
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Source: Milb.com

Dernell Stenson hitting for the Lookouts in April, 2003.
- Photo2 by Tim Evearitt