Arizona Diamondbacks 2020 Midseason Top 30 Prospects Update
To see every team’s Top 30 prospects list, click here.
STATE OF THE SYSTEM
The state of Arizona’s system is strong. The outfield prospect trio of Kristian Robinson, Alek Thomas and Corbin Carroll is one of the best in the minors, and is complemented high-end pitching prospects like LHP Blake Walston, RHP Luis Frias and 2020 first-round pick RHP Bryce Jarvis. RHP Corbin Martin, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, offers both upside and proximity as well.
1. Daulton Varsho, C
One of the most athletic catching prospects in the game, Varsho has an exciting blend of offensive and defensive tools which should serve him well whether he sticks behind the plate or moves to the outfield.
2. Geraldo Perdomo, SS
A contact machine, Perdomo ascended to the top of Arizona’s shortstop depth chart once Jazz Chisholm was dealt to Miami. He has the potential to be an above-average hitter and the defensive chops to stick at shortstop.
3. Kristian Robinson, OF
Robinson is one of the most exciting young players in the game. He dominated at short-season Hillsboro in 2019 and easily earned the league’s No. 1 prospect mantle. All five of his tools have a chance to be average or better, led by his 70-grade power.
4. Alek Thomas, OF
Yet another in the D-backs’ array of toolsy outfield prospects, Thomas has baseball in his blood—his dad is the White Sox’s director of conditioning—and projects as a plus hitter who can easily stick in center field.
5. Corbin Carroll, OF
Arizona was so enthralled with Carroll in his first season as a pro—when he helped short-season Hillsboro win the Northwest League championship—that it invited him to be part of its 60-man player pool. He has elite speed, plus defensive skills in center field and physicality that belies his stature.
6. Blake Walston, LHP
The 26th overall pick in 2019, Walston already is the system’s top pitching prospect. He got his feet wet over the summer last year, including a stop in the college-heavy Northwest League. With four average or better pitches from the left side—including a plus fastball and curveball—Walston has a mid-rotation ceiling.
7. Corbin Martin, RHP
Martin was part of the four-player package the Astros used to acquire Zack Greinke at last year’s trade deadline. Martin had Tommy John surgery in the middle of the season and is slated to spend most of 2020 rehabbing.
8. Bryce Jarvis, RHP
Jarvis spent the summer between his sophomore and junior seasons at Duke working with Driveline to improve his repertoire. The work paid off, and he raised his stock enough in an abbreviated season to become a first-round pick. Jarvis, who the D-backs took 18th overall and signed for $2.65 million, sports a mid-90s fastball and a potentially plus-plus changeup and plus slider.
9. Luis Frias, RHP
The top pitching prospect in the short-season Northwest League last summer, Frias dominated with an upper-90s fastball and a hammer curveball. There are still questions about whether he’s a starter in the long run, but he could be a weapon in the late innings with just two pitches.
10. Levi Kelly, RHP
Arizona drafted Kelly with their eighth-round selection in 2018 and watched as he used a mid-90s fastball and a nasty slider to bully his way to low Class A in his first full season as a pro. Like many of Arizona’s other top prospects, Kelly was included among the team’s 60-man player pool.
11. J.B. Bukauskas, RHP
12. Jon Duplantier, RHP
13. Seth Beer, 1B
14. Josh Green, RHP
15. Slade Cecconi, RHP
16. Wilderd Patino, OF
17. Drey Jameson, RHP
18. Pavin Smith, 1B
19. Liam Norris, LHP
20. Blaze Alexander, 2B/SS
21. Andy Young, 2B
22. Matt Tabor, RHP
23. Dominic Fletcher, OF
24. Tommy Henry, LHP
25. Eduardo Diaz, OF
26. Kevin Ginkel, RHP|
27. Tristin English, 3B
28. AJ Vukovich, 3B
29. Ryne Nelson, RHP
30. Taylor Widener, RHP
SYSTEM STRENGTHS
Arizona’s group of outfielders is tremendous, and its drafts over the past two years have helped vault the system from 26th in 2018 to 10th before the 2020 season. The D-backs have upside and floor up and down the organization.
SYSTEM WEAKNESSES
Other than Daulton Varsho, the organization’s top prospect who could also wind up in the outfield, the team has no catching prospects among its Top 30.
PLAYER POOL TIDBITS
The D-backs included a great deal of their top prospects in their player pool. All but one the team’s top 15 prospects, including 2020 first-rounder Bryce Jarvis, made the cut. OF Kristian Robinson technically isn’t in the player pool, but he was allowed to work out with the rest of the group because he was never able to travel home to the Bahamas after the sport shut down in March.
HURTING
RHP Corbin Martin is recovering from Tommy John surgery.
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