We’re a shade more than halfway through the Carolina League season, a perfect time to check out where the eight teams rank against each other. All records through May 19. The first rankings:

1. LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (24-13)

Who’s hot? Ray Chang. The second baseman hasn’t played a whole lot, but he’s made his time count. He’s in the middle of an 11-game hit streak and has turned outstanding plays at second base of late. Not bad for a player who said he has spent 90 percent of his career at shortstop. In Chang’s last 10 games, he’s hitting .425.

Who’s not? Justin Wilson. The rookie left-hander has had just one good turn this season, April 21 against Frederick when he allowed no earned runs in five innings. He hasn’t lasted longer than five innings this season and has at least three earned runs in all of his starts but two—the aforementioned Frederick game and a game at Salem in which he allowed four unearned runs and didn’t make it out of the first inning.

The skinny The Hillcats have been the league’s most dominant home team, going 14-6 at City Stadium. No other CL team is more than two games above .500 at home. Lynchburg has risen to the top of the Northern Division despite not having a dominant starting pitcher.

2. POTOMAC NATIONALS (22-14)

Who’s hot? OF Francisco Plasencia is Potomac’s top hitting regular, leading the Nats with a .317 batting average. He’s recorded multiple hits in six of his last 10 games and is batting .366 in that span with two home runs.

Who’s not? SS Danny Espinosa has struggled from the dish of late, hitting .132 in his last 10 games. During that span, he has twice as many strikeouts (10) as hits (5).

The skinny Thanks to solid starting pitching Potomac has rebounded from a 1-3 start to move into the thick of the Northern Division race. Starters Jeff Mandel, Bradley Meyers and Erik Arnesen all have ERAs of 2.25 or lower.

3. SALEM RED SOX (20-18)

Who’s hot? Ryan Kalish. So hot, in fact, that he be gone. Kalish was promoted to Boston’s Double-A club in Portland, Maine, after hitting .304 with five home runs and 21 RBIs for Salem.

Who’s not? LHP Jose Capellan has been pounded in his last two starts, allowing 13 hits and 13 earned runs in 7 1/3 innings, to go along with seven walks.

The skinny Salem has won five of its last eight games to open a small league in the Southern Division.

4. WILMINGTON BLUE ROCKS (18-19)

Who’s hot? Closer Aaron Hartsock has allowed just one earned run this season and leads the Carolina League with eight saves.

Who’s not? 2B Johnny Giavotella is Kansas City’s 11th-rated prospect, but he’s been in a major slump of late, batting .143 in his last 10 games. He showed signs of breaking out of it Saturday in Lynchburg, grabbing three hits.

The skinny Many of this year’s Blue Rocks were part of last year’s Midwest League championship team in Burlington, Iowa. Once this team gels, it will be a force in the CL North. Probably not until the season’s second half, though.

5. WINSTON-SALEM DASH (17-19)

Who’s hot? 2B Dale Mollenhauer, a Roanoke native, is batting a team-best .330. His younger brother, Brett, is a second baseman at Radford.

Who’s not? Six is not a happy number for starting pitcher Levi Maxwell, who is 0-6 in six starts with an ERA of 6.00. Wait, that’s three sixes ... El Diablo!

The skinny OF Jordan Danks has already been promoted to Double-A Birmingham, leaving the Dash with a void of speed and power at the top of the order. W-S has done a nice job hanging around despite only playing 14 home games so far.

6. FREDERICK KEYS (17-20)

Who’s hot? LHP Brian Matusz, the No. 4 overall pick in last year’s draft, is off to a sizzling start in Frederick. He’s 2-2 with a 2.95 ERA and struck out 13 Wilmington batters in seven innings May 8.

Who’s not? DH Chris Vinyard is barely above the Mendoza line (.208) and is batting .114 with 14 strikeouts in his last 10 games.

The skinny This team has got to start playing better defense. The Keys have allowed a whopping 51 unearned runs this season.

7. KINSTON INDIANS (17-20)

Who’s hot? Matt McBride torched Carolina League pitching, batting .405 with six home runs and 36 RBIs in 126 at-bats. Not surprisingly, the Indians promoted McBride to Double-A Akron.

Who’s not? LHP Ryan Morris had two disastrous turns before starting to straighten things out in his last start. He allowed three hits and two earned runs in six innings against Frederick May 16. The two starts before that? He threw 7 1/3 innings and allowed 15 hits and 14 earned runs.

The skinny Another top prospect—SS Lonnie Chisenhall—might not be in Kinston much longer. He’s hitting a crisp .326 with six home runs and 36 RBIs.

8. MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS (13-24)

Who’s hot? RHP Erik Cordier has made five starts and has allowed just three earned runs. But he’s only got an 0-1 record to show for it.

Who’s not? SS Chad Lundahl has gotten off to an awful start. He’s hit .148 in his last 10 games. Stunningly, that’s an improvement over his season average of .121.

The skinny The Pelicans have dealt with a ton of injuries on their pitching staff and haven’t hit consistently enough to make a move up in the standings.