The NFL gives out its annual Comeback Player of the Year award and it generates a great amount of buzz. The MLB version of the award is much less talked about, but it doesn’t take away from the seasons of the candidates.

This year, especially, has been a strong comeback year for many MLB players. From a late resurgence to budding superstars finally finding their strides, the 2014 season has seen its fair share of comebacks. Here are a few of the most improved players from last season.

Jose Altuve, 2B, Houston Astros

Altuve’s story has been one ready for a movie script, as the 5-foot-5 second baseman was told he was too small for baseball, but kept playing and impressed the Astros management. In the three seasons prior to this season, Altuve batted above .275, but it wasn’t until 2014 that he became a star.

This year, Altuve is batting a whopping .336, which ranks second in the league behind Troy Tulowitzki. He has 42 fewer hits than all of last season, only with 224 fewer at bats. He’s getting on base much more than last year.

It doesn’t stop there, as Altuve also has six more steals (41) than all of last season. All of these stats lead to his 3.4 Wins Above Replacement number, which puts him second among players in his position.

Giancarlo Stanton, RF, Miami Marlins

Stanton has always had the power, as evidence by his 117 home runs in the four seasons before this year. However, in order to be a star in this league, he needed to make contact more often. In 2013, he batted just .249, which translated to 24 home runs.

This year, Stanton has found his stroke, batting .295 with a .394 on-base percentage. With these numbers, Stanton has already reached 23 home runs for the year and is on pace for 38 home runs; one more than his career high.

Josh Beckett, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

Many thought Beckett’s days as a consistent starter were gone after a dismal 2013 season that saw him start just eight games and post a 5.19 ERA. However, he’s in the process of proving the naysayers wrong this season.

Beckett has already started 17 games, including a no-hitter on May 25. He is 6-5 on the very with a strong 2.26 ERA, the lowest in his career if the season ended today. His ERA ranks fifth in the league and his WHIP (1.03) sits at ninth in all of baseball.

Scott Kazmir, SP, Oakland Athletics

The Athletics are the best team in baseball in part because of their second-ranked pitching staff. Players like Kazmir have found their confidence and surprised Billy Beane and company. After a 2013 season with the Cleveland Indians in which he went 10-9 with a 4.04 ERA, Kazmir was not expected to put up All-Star numbers this season.

However, through 19 starts with the Athletics, Kazmir is 11-3 with a 2.38 ERA. He has the sixth-highest ERA and second-most wins in all of baseball. Not bad for a pitcher that couldn’t find a major league job just a few years ago.

Kazmir is pitching even better than his strongest years in Tampa and is on pace for 18 wins. He could easily win the Comeback Player of the Year and could even be a factor in the Cy Young come October.