Arizona Diamondbacks top 50 prospects
Arizona Diamondbacks top 50 prospects
Updated: 9/11/19 (2019 draft picks added)
Preface: each list is done at the time of the update, and each list is fluid, so players could be adjusted at any time.
1. Kristian Robinson
Age: 18 (12/11/2000)
Position: Outfield
Current level: Low-A
Projected arrival: 2022
One of the top prospects in the 2017 international signing class, Robinson has been everything advertised thus far, working up to Kane County by the end of the season and giving the Diamondbacks a formidable outfield trio at the top of their prospect list, with each likely in heavy discussion for top 50 overall prospect lists.
2. Alek Thomas
Age: 19 (4/28/2000)
Position: Outfield
Current level: High-A
Projected arrival: 2021
Thomas’ father is a strength and conditioning coach with the Chicago White Sox, so he’s been around the game and MLB clubhouses his entire life. Because of that familiarity with the professional environment, Thomas hasn’t been phased at all in his first full pro season, and he very well may find himself in high-A by the end of the season after being selected for the Futures Game.
3. Corbin Carroll
Age: 19 (8/21/2000)
Position: Outfield
Current level: Short-Season A
Projected arrival: 2022
Carroll could end up being one of the better values in the 2019 draft, selected 16th overall by the Diamondbacks. He is a smaller build at 5’10”, 170ish, but he has some oomph in his bat. He showed off excellent plate discipline in his pro debut along with elite speed and defense, excellent building blocks for his future.
4. Daulton Varsho
Age: 23 (7/2/1996)
Position: Catcher
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: 2020
In the running for the most athletic backstop in all of the minor leagues, Varsho finally took some reps in the outfield in a game in 2019 during arguably his best season in the minor leagues. He will be behind last season’s top offseason acquisition at catcher, but Varsho will be pushing toward the majors quickly in 2020, and his athleticism should allow him to offer the Diamondbacks multiple positions to utilize his bat.
5. Levi Kelly
Age: 20 (5/14/1999)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: low-A
Projected arrival: 2022
Levi Kelly is a personal favorite of mine, having transferred to IMG Academy his senior year of high school to play with Blaze Alexander. He’s really taken significant strides in cleaning up his delivery and finding comfort with his change, which seems to be a bit of a split-change variety. Definite starter build and mid-90s velocity could allow Kelly to move quickly as a mid-rotation starter or a back-end reliever.
6. Geraldo Perdomo
Age: 19 (10/22/1999)
Position: Shortstop
Current level: High-A
Projected arrival: 2022
Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2016, Perdomo is a middle infielder that is the exact opposite profile of the type of guy whose tools are very, very loud, especially his plate discipline, but he’s also got a long way to go in the consistency department with those elite tools. Arguably the best baserunner in the entire system (that does not mean the fastest or the best base stealer), he showed some excellent gap power across both A-ball levels in 2019.
7. Seth Beer
Age: 22 (9/18/1996)
Position: First Base/Outfield
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: 2020
Beer has been followed by the prospect and draft guys for some time as he was one of the most productive college freshmen in NCAA history, with many projecting that he could be a #1 pick as a first baseman by the time he became draft-eligible. Instead, Beer didn’t really progress in his college years and fell to Houston in the draft, where he’s been a productive hitter in the minor league system. He’s seemingly flown under-radar in the minors for a guy who was so highly touted in college, but as part of the return for Zack Greinke, Beer could quickly establish himself in the heart of the Diamondbacks lineup.
8. Jon Duplantier
Age: 25 (7/11/1994)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: MLB
Projected arrival: already arrived
Sadly, Duplantier has been a guy that fed into the reputation of Rice pitchers as injury-prone. However, he’s never really had a major injury that knocked him out for significant time. Duplantier made the major leagues working out of the bullpen this season and had moments of effectiveness, but the Diamondbacks still see him as a potential mid-rotation starter.
9. Matt Tabor
Age: 21 (7/14/1998)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: low-A
Projected arrival: 2021
Cold-weather prep pitcher that many saw as a tough sign out of Massachusetts in 2017, but signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks as a 3rd round pick. The slow build of innings meant a full year of low-A in 2019 but don’t be surprised if he accelerates through High-A and AA in 2020, knocking on the door of the majors.
10. Brennan Malone
Age: 19 (9/8/2000)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: Short-season A
Projected arrival: 2022
The top prep arm in the 2019 draft in many eyes, Malone has an impressive mix of pitches that he can control already. The Diamondbacks managed his innings in his pro debut, just tossing 8 regular-season innings, though he did toss another inning in the playoffs.
11. Taylor Widener
Age: 24 (10/24/1994)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: AAA
Projected arrival: 2020
Widener is the king of horrific luck this year, with an 8.00+ ERA on a nearly-.400 BABIP and ridiculously low strand rate. He’s got 5 average-or-above pitches he can mix well and should work his way to the back of the Diamondbacks rotation as early as spring 2020. He will need to be added to the Diamondbacks 40-man roster or be exposed to the Rule 5 draft this offseason.
12. Blaze Alexander
Age: 20 (6/11/1999)
Position: Infield
Current level: low-A
Projected arrival: 2022
After losing the prep shortstop they drafted in the first round in 2018, the Diamondbacks were pleased to get Blaze Alexander in the 11th round as a borderline 1st round talent. He’s played primarily up the middle but also seen time at third. He’s the type of hitter and fielder that will have a certain big league future and could hit another gear and be a multiple-time All-Star sort of player.
13. Blake Walston
Age: 18 (6/28/2001)
Position: Left-Handed Pitcher
Current level: Short-season A
Projected arrival: 2023
Drafted with one of their two free agency compensation picks, the Arizona Diamondbacks grabbed one of the 2019 draft’s biggest risers this spring in Walston. Walston has plenty of frame to fill in, tipping the scales at 175 pounds dripping wet on a true 6’5″ frame. He only had 11 innings in his pro debut, but he struck out 17 over 11 innings and looked as impressive as the strikeouts showed!
14. Liover Peguero
Age: 18 (12/31/2000)
Position: Shortstop
Current level: Short-Season A
Projected arrival: 2023
The Arizona Diamondbacks signed the electric Peguero out of the Dominican Republic in 2017 and saw him make his pro debut last summer, playing well enough to earn a promotion from the DSL to the Arizona Rookie League. He’s simply kept hitting to open the 2019 season, and his raw tools could project him much higher in a hurry, though his inconsistency on defense is still a concern as far as future position is concerned.
15. Luis Frias
Age: 21 (5/23/1998)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: Low-A
Projected arrival: 2022
Frias has always had tremendous raw stuff, but he missed all of the 2017 season due to surgery. Frias returned with a guarded, but solid, season in 2018 and dominated short-season ball in 2019 with his upper-90s fastball and breaking ball that can flash double-plus. He finished with a half-dozen excellent starts in Low-A. He still has some reliever risk, but if he can continue the progress on his delivery, he could work as a power starter or a multiple-inning reliever.
16. Corbin Martin
Age: 23 (12/28/1995)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: MLB
Projected arrival: Already Arrived
Martin was already out with Tommy John surgery when the Astros dealt him to Arizona as part of the Zack Greinke deal. Martin made 5 starts for the Astros in 2019 with mixed results, but there is certainly plenty to draw interest here as a potential mid-rotation starter once he returns healthy.
17. Kevin Cron
Age: 26 (2/17/1993)
Position: 1B/3B
Current level: MLB
Projected arrival: Already Arrived
A monster-sized man out of TCU, Cron was a guy that many had written off as a minor league slugger, but even at that, he hit 100 home runs from 2015-2018. Then the ball was changed in AAA this season, and his already impressive power became simply impossible to ignore. While he struggled in his first exposure to MLB pitching, he has still shown plenty of power, slugging over .500. His ability to handle third base and taking outfield reps previously should give him a chance to be a big bat bench piece at the least.
18. J.B. Bukauskas
Age: 22 (10/11/1996)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: Late 2020
Coming into the 2017 draft, many viewed Bukauskas’ slider as the best pitch in the entire draft, and he had the velocity to pair with it to be successful, but he also has a small frame and violent delivery, which allowed him to fall to the 15th overall pick. Since the draft, the worry about his size and delivery making a full season difficult has born out to some degree with just 59 innings in his first full season in 2018 and 92 2/3 innings in 2019 due to various injuries. His performance brought him to AA, but he pitched to a 5.44 ERA thanks in large part due to terrible control. If Bukauskas can get his control figured out, the strikeout stuff is still there to certainly be a dominant reliever or even a potential #2/3 starter if he can also maintain health. Certainly, he was a worthwhile wild card in the Greinke trade.
19. Drey Jameson
Age: 21 (8/17/1997)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: Short-Season A-ball
Projected arrival: 2022
One of the most consistent performers in college baseball in 2019, Jameson is not a big guy (6′, 170ish), but he has a repeatable delivery and works quickly with a mid-90s fastball and a plus change, with a slider that balances things well. He could move quickly and be a very solid mid-rotation piece with work on consistency in his mechanics.
20. Wilderd Patino
Age: 18 (7/18/2001)
Position: Outfield
Current level: Advanced Rookie
Projected arrival: 2022+
Patino was signed out of Venezuela, and he flashed big raw tools last summer in the Dominican Summer League. He’s come out showing some increased physicality this spring (albeit still with plenty of physical projection) with the big thing to watch being how he controls the strike zone, as he’s finished the 2019 season with a 28% strikeout rate to 8% walk rate on the year. Patino’s defense is incredibly impressive in the outfield as well, with the ability to correct a bad initial read with elite speed.
21. Drew Ellis
Age: 23 (12/1/1995)
Position: Third Base
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: 2020
One of the top players in college baseball in 2017, Ellis has shown to be a very quality defender at the hot corner, but his bat has made slow progress, hitting for line-drive power thus far, but not the sort of home run power many felt he was capable of in college. He continued this in 2019 with low contact rate and a .171 ISO, which is solid, but doesn’t show up as well due to the low contact rate. Ellis did make a big jump in his walk rate in 2019 at AA, however, and if that can continue forward, it could help his value with his defense.
22. Josh Rojas
Age: 25 (6/30/1994)
Position: Infield/Outfield
Current level: MLB
Projected arrival: Already Arrived
Rojas was a 26th round pick in 2017 by the Astros out of the University of Hawaii, but he is an Arizona boy, born in Glendale and graduating from a high school in Goodyear. Now he got to make his big league debut with the Diamondbacks in 2019 after an impressive climb through the minor leagues that included 23 home runs and 33 stolen bases in the hitter-friendly AAA in 2019. Rojas has shown excellent plate discipline and a balanced offense skillset to go with defensive flexibility all around the infield and corner outfield spots, which should allow him a chance as a backup at least.
23. Ryne Nelson
Age: 21 (2/1/1998)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: Short-Season A-Ball
Projected arrival: 2021
The 2019 season was the first that Nelson had focused on pitching only with the University of Oregon, and many were excited to see his impressive raw stuff in the rotation, but he struggled initially and was moved back to the bullpen. Pro instruction could allow Nelson to progress as a potential mid-rotation starter or he could use his double-plus fastball and plus slider while dropping his other two pitches in order to be a dominant reliever that would move quickly.
24. Alvin Guzman
Age: 17 (10/20/2001)
Position: Outfield
Current level: Foreign Rookie
Projected arrival: 2023+
One of the most talented players in the Arizona Diamondbacks 2018 international signing class, Guzman has incredible raw athleticism. His power/speed combination could be something that allows him to rocket up a list like this or appear much higher on others’ versions of the Diamondbacks list.
25. Pavin Smith
Age: 23 (2/6/1996)
Position: 1B/OF
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: 2020
After an excellent career at Virginia, the Arizona Diamondbacks made Pavin Smith the 7th overall selection of the 2017 draft. In a host of drafts that have added tremendous talent to the organization’s minor league system, Smith’s selection stands out as a significant potential misstep. While he still shows fringe-plus contact and zone recognition, he simply has never shown the power needed to work at first base or a corner outfield spot. His 2019 was a significant step forward with a .175 ISO and a .466 SLG, but that still didn’t lead to many balls over the fence, something Smith will need to show to be a major league asset.
26. Avery Short
Age: 18 (3/14/2001)
Position: Left-Handed Pitcher
Current level: Short-Season A
Projected arrival: 2023
Drafted in the 12th round out of high school in Indiana, the Arizona Diamondbacks convinced Short to forego his commitment to Louisville. The lefty has an impressive four-pitch mix that has a high floor (for a prep arm, anyway), but has not shown consistency in his velocity. With pro instruction and potential added velocity, Short could be a mid-rotation starter from the left side.
27. Justin Lewis
Age: 24 (8/10/1995)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: high-A
Projected arrival: 2021
Lewis has an impressive 6’7″ frame that really gets his fastball on hitters in a hurry, allowing it to play up from its raw 93-95 velocity. He’s really seen his secondary stuff and command tick up this year, giving hope that he could have a future as a starter. In the bullpen, his split-change and fastball could be a dominant combination. After a big year across the A-ball levels in 2019 in his first full season, Lewis could jump up in a hurry with a similar campaign in the upper minors in 2020.
28. Dominic Fletcher
Age: 22 (9/2/1997)
Position: Outfield
Current level: Low-A
Projected arrival: 2021
Not a sexy selection, Fletcher is not a big guy (5’9″, 185 pounds) and he doesn’t have any exceptional tools, but he’s a guy who has a high ceiling, having played three years in the SEC with success at Arkansas and a host of average-level tools that profile as a quick-moving prospect that may not project as an elite major leaguer, but a guy who is fairly likely to have a big-league career as at least a reserve outfielder. His high level of maturity allowed him plenty of success in his pro debut at Low-A in 2019.
29. Jake McCarthy
Age: 22 (7/30/1997)
Position: Outfield
Current level: High-A
Projected arrival: 2021
A mature hitter at Virginia, the Diamondbacks drafted McCarthy in the 2018 draft, expecting that he would move quick but likely not have a lot of ceiling. He’s been exactly that, showing well in high-A in his first full pro season, but injuries cut his season short, not really allowing him to flash anything to stand out as more than a low-level outfield starter in projection or a high-end 4th outfielder.
30. Dominic Canzone
Age: 22 (8/16/1997)
Position: Outfield
Current level: Short-Season A
Projected arrival: 2022
A consistent performer his first two years at Ohio State, Canzone had a significant bump in power in his junior season, and that led to some concern that he was a “one-year wonder”. The Diamondbacks certainly didn’t believe so, grabbing Canzone in the 8th round, and he’s shown well in his brief time so far with Missoula, projecting as a ‘tweener outfielder (low-level centerfielder, high-grade corner outfielder defensively) with an offensive profile of above-average power and speed.
31. Emilio Vargas
Age: 23 (8/12/1996)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: 2020
Signed back in 2013 out of the Dominican Republic, Vargas has been a slow mover in the Diamondbacks system, as the team has waited on him figuring out his impressive raw stuff over a starter’s workload. He did just that in 2018, becoming one of the minor league leaders in strikeouts as he climbed up to AA. Injuries hindered his 2019, and his delivery still could lead to a bullpen future, but there are certainly bright spots here to hope on.
32. Jackson Goddard
Age: 22 (12/12/1996)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: Low-A
Projected arrival: 2022
Goddard struggled through injury in his final year at Kansas, taking him from a potential first-day selection in the 2018 draft to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 3rd round. His mechanics can get off, and when they do, he struggles to utilize his slider and fill up the zone, but when he’s on mechanically, he has a plus fastball/plus change combination that works in his average slider very well and keeps balls on the ground.
33. Andy Young
Age: 25 (5/10/1994)
Position: Infield
Current level: AAA
Projected arrival: 2020
Part of the trade that sent away Paul Goldschmidt, a number of people were pumping up Young based on his Fall League performance, and while he’s typically performed well along the way, the 37th round pick showed more swing and miss and less contact, though his raw numbers look much better due to the AAA ball. He’ll have to work for a backup role, but there’s still enough bat to be an asset off the bench.
34. Josh Green
Age: 24 (8/31/1995)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: 2021
Green’s pitch mix will remind Arizona Diamondbacks fans of former Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb with a very heavy sinker/slider focus in his pitching. He moved to the rotation in his senior year of college in 2018 but pitched exclusively out of the bullpen in his pro debut with the Diamondbacks. He’s handled skipping levels up to high-A very well, and he profiles very similarly to a guy like Derek Lowe with the potential to work well at the back of the bullpen or as an inning-eater starter. Green blew away High-A and still was successful in AA with that combination.
35. Andy Yerzy
Age: 21 (7/5/1998)
Position: C/1B
Current level: Low-A
Projected arrival: 2022
Yerzy was a prep catcher the Diamondbacks drafted in 2016 in the 2nd round. He’s shown very well with both the bat and behind the plate his first two years, but when he was assigned to full-season ball in the Midwest League, his bat completely flopped, and he went back to extended spring. He continued to struggle after joining Hillsboro to repeat in the Northwest League, showing power, but still hitting .220 after hitting .298 and .297 in 2017 and 2018. He played only first base defensively with Hillsboro, and if that’s his future, his bat will need to be much better to make that position change!
36. Tristin English
Age: 22 (5/14/1997)
Position: 1B/3B/OF
Current level: Short-Season A
Projected arrival: 2022
Serving as a key cog in Georgia Tech’s lineup and as the team’s closer, English had legit draft options at the plate and on the mound, but he’s hitting only with the Diamondbacks, though his future position is still to be determined. As he focuses full-time on hitting, he could move quickly through the system with his power potential.
37. Matt Peacock
Age: 25 (2/27/1994)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: 2020
Peacock missed a season in college due to injury, which made him an older draftee in 2017 when the Diamondbacks grabbed him in the 23rd round. Peacock has served as a swingman, but he focused as a starter this season with his heavy sinker limiting hard contact, but not ringing up a ton of strikeouts. He may be best suited for a multi-inning relief role down the road.
38. Tommy Henry
Age: 22 (7/29/1997)
Position: Left-Handed Pitcher
Current level: Short-Season A-Ball
Projected arrival: 2022
After leading Michigan to a surprise appearance in the NCAA College World Series finals, Tommy Henry has not yet pitched for the Diamondbacks after being a 2nd round pick this June. He’s a lefty with a good mix of pitches and durability that has a mid-rotation projection and a high feel for pitching.
39. Domingo Leyba
Age: 24 (9/11/1995)
Position: Infield
Current level: MLB
Projected arrival: Already Arrived
Leyba was acquired along with Robbie Ray in the three-team trade that led to Didi Gregorius heading to the New York Yankees. He’s been solid, albeit not spectacular throughout his minor league time, showing the ability to handle 2B/3B/SS, with second his best position and a bat with above-average contact rates, but below-average power to go with fringe-average raw speed. He could work as a bat-first bench piece in the big leagues.
40. Shumpei Yoshikawa
Age: 24 (1/24/1995)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: High-A
Projected arrival: 2021
The Diamondbacks pulled one over on both NPB and other MLB teams as they grabbed Yoshikawa from the Japanese minor leagues. Undrafted out of high school, Yoshikawa filled into his 6’2″ frame and developed into a potential early selection in the NPB draft before the Diamondbacks signed him away. He’s shown his 3-pitch arsenal to be quite adequate in high-A this year, with a 28.3% strikeout rate and a 5.1% walk rate.
41. Buddy Kennedy
Age: 20 (10/5/1998)
Position: Third Base
Current level: Low-A
Projected arrival: 2022
A cold-weather guy that the Arizona Diamondbacks convinced to sign after drafting him in the 5th round out of high school in New Jersey in 2017, Kennedy is a solid third baseman due to his hands, though he may be better suited for second base long-term. He’s not got a standout tool offensively, but his contact, power, and speed tools are all average to above-average, and his eye at the plate is plus.
42. Glenallen Hill, Jr.
Age: 18 (9/30/2000)
Position: Second Base
Current level: Rookie
Projected arrival: 2023+
Hill is tremendously raw, but there is plenty of upside for the small-stature son of a former big leaguer. He’s very toolsy, with good range, tremendous raw speed and potential for power. Most did not believe he would sign after being selected in the 4th round, so this could be a coup for the D-backs.
43. Eduardo Diaz
Age: 22 (7/19/1997)
Position: Outfield
Current level: High-A
Projected arrival: 2021
A “late” signing out of Venezuela that made his pro debut at 18 struggled in 2018 in his first attempt at full-season ball, but he showed well this season, earning a promotion to high-A. Diaz has above-average raw power and speed along with a big arm in the outfield that leads to a high ceiling in his profile.
44. Jeff Bain
Age: 23 (3/3/1996)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: AA
Projected arrival: 2020
Bain is a guy who was taken in the 16th round in 2017 by the Diamondbacks and has shown to be an innings-eater at the least, but this season he also found himself among the minor league strikeout leaders, punching out 162 on the season in 135 2/3 innings between High-A and AA. He did allow 25 home runs, and his fastball working right around 90 will mean that his secondaries will have to be on point for him to have success, but he flashed fringe-plus on his change and his curve in 2019, and if he could be consistent with a plus change and curve, he could work as a backend starter.
45. Jorge Barrosa
Age: 18 (2/17/2001)
Position: Outfield
Current level: Short-Season A-Ball
Projected arrival: 2023
After showing tremendously well in the Dominican Summer League in 2018, the Diamondbacks bumped Barrosa past the Arizona Rookie League and Pioneer League. He’s not been phased, showing his same skills, posting an excellent OBP and flashing elite speed on the bases. His 5’9″, 165-pound frame doesn’t produce much impact on the ball, and that will need to change as he advances up the system to have a chance at a big-league career.
46. Spencer Brickhouse
Age: 21
Position: First Base
Current level: Advanced Rookie
Projected arrival: 2022
After hitting 34 home runs across 3 seasons with East Carolina, Brickhouse was a 7th round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks this June. He’s shown so far to be very advanced at the plate, and though he hasn’t hit a ton of balls out of the park, he’s impacting the ball and making consistent contact, which could lead to a quick path to the majors if he can check what turned into a high strikeout rate in his first full season in 2020.
47. Adrian Del Moral
Age: 20 (2/17/1999)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: Low-A
Projected arrival: 2022
The Diamondbacks signed Del Moral out of Mexico around a ban on such signings by MLB. He’s posted impressive command in his two seasons. He will likely pitch his way across A-ball levels in 2020 with a chance to impress in the upper levels in 2021-2022.
48. Riley Smith
Age: 24 (1/15/1995)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: AAA
Projected arrival: 2020
An injured arm from Louisiana State, the Arizona Diamondbacks potentially struck gold with Riley Smith in the 24th round in 2016. He initially worked out of the bullpen in his draft season but began moving to the rotation in his first full season. He’s moved quickly through the Diamondbacks system without much resistance as his velocity is back beyond where it was in college, and the command of his secondaries is significantly improved. He did run into a wall in AAA last season, but many pitchers struggled to adjust to the new ball in AAA in 2019, so that could be something that Smith could bounce back from over the offseason.
49. Conor Grammes
Age: 22 (7/13/1997)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: Unassigned
Projected arrival: 2022
The Arizona Diamondbacks took a chance on Xavier fireballer Grammes in the 5th round in June’s draft. He has been a tremendous two-way player for Xavier, which has left his pitching quite raw, but his fastball velocity has been bumping triple digits with a sharp slider that works in the low-80s. If the Diamondbacks choose to have Grammes work as a reliever, he could move very quickly. As a starter, he will need to work on his third pitch. In either role, he has some work to do to clean up his mechanics, which could lead to him working at the complex until fall instructs and making his pro debut in 2020.
50. Ryan Weiss
Age: 22 (12/10/1996)
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Current level: High-A
Projected arrival: 2022
The Arizona Diamondbacks 4th round pick from Wright State in 2018 is built well to be an innings eater at the back of the rotation, but he’s still working to develop a change to go with his fastball/slider/curve combo of average pitches. He pounds the zone currently, which leads to a high hit rate, but if he can get his change to tick up or work one of his breaking pitches to a plus pitch, he could jump forward in a hurry.
Player to watch: Jeferson Espinal
Age: 17
Position: Outfield
Current level: Foreign Rookie
Projected arrival: 2023+
Espinal wasn’t even in the top 5 of signing bonuses in the Arizona Diamondbacks 2018 signing class, but he very well could end up one of the most impactful of the group. Espinal is a true 70 runner, even flashing 80 speed, and he uses his speed well on the bases. He’s got a good frame to project future average power at least, and his contact skills are strong. He’s definitely one to keep an eye on!
Benjamin Chase
After 6 years of writing for FanSided on various sites and offering contributions to various other websites, family changes have encouraged me to start this site. I spend a ton of time watching baseball at all levels, but I love watching minor league baseball on milb.tv as I'm hours away from the closest minor league team. This is an effort of all those games I enjoy on a daily basis!
