What happened: Curtis Mead, born in Adelaide, Australia, has broken out as a key bat for the Washington Nationals, slugging 11 home runs across his first 59 games of the season. A Yahoo profile dubbed the infielder the Nationals' "wonder from Down Under."

Why it matters: The early power has given Washington a productive middle-of-the-order threat as the club sits at 39-36 and among the league's higher-scoring offenses. Mead's emergence adds a cost-controlled run producer to a lineup trying to stay above .500.

What to watch: Watch whether Mead can sustain the home-run pace over a full season and how Washington positions him in the order down the stretch.