Here we go again.

Andrew McCutchen joined the Pirates June 4, 2009, put on an impressive offensive display and nearly won the National League Rookie of the Year award, finishing fourth in the voting.

Now Neil Walker is headed down that same path this season.

The Pine-Richland graduate was called up to the Pirates May 25 and has gone on a similar offensive tear.

Entering this weekend riding a 15-game hitting streak — longest on the team this season and longest by a Pirates rookie since Rennie Stennett hit in 18 straight games in 1971 — Walker has worked his way into the NL Rookie of the Year conversation.

Plenty of his teammates have bought into the idea, wearing No. 18 Neil Walker T-shirts around the clubhouse.

"Yeah, it's our own personal campaign for him," relief pitcher Joel Hanrahan said. "The Pittsburgh Kid has been phenomenal.

"Our place in the standings may hurt him, but that kid has been as good as any rookie in the league."

Walker is hitting .312 with 10 home runs and 51 RBI through 87 games. He is hitting .344 with 38 RBI in his last 49 games.

Walker ranks fifth among NL rookies in batting average, eighth in home runs and sixth in RBI.

He does face stronger competition this year than McCutchen was up against last year in terms of winning the award.

San Francisco catcher Brad Posey is hitting .328 with 11 home runs and has become an everyday player for a team in the middle of the pennant race.

Atlanta outfielder Jason Heyward has been a regular for the Braves all year and is hitting .281 with 16 homers and 61 RBI.

Jon Jay of the Cardinals, Starlin Castro of the Cubs, Chris Johnson of the Astros and Gaby Sanchez of the Marlins are among other NL rookies having big seasons.

A bumper crop of first-year players, to be sure, but Walker ranks with any of them.

He turned 25 Friday and has gone from being projected as a utility player at best to becoming firmly entrenched as the Pirates' No. 3 hitter in a matter of two months.

Walker has 106 hits, including 26 doubles, and led the Pirates with 22 RBI in August. He's hitting .372 with runners on base, .337 with runners in scoring position.

During his current hitting streak, Walker has 25 hits in 65 at-bats, good for a .365 average, and five home runs.

While a sophomore jinx may await as pitchers start to compile a book on Walker as a hitter, there's no denying he's proving his worth as an everyday second baseman.

And this is a guy who never played the position before this year.

The Pirates have rookies in the No. 2, 3 and 5 spots in the batting order, second-year players in the No. 1 and 4 positions.

"I look at the young talent in here and it's easy for me to be positive, despite our record," Hanrahan said.

He pointed to the No. 18 as he spoke.

Not a bad place to start.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle