As we prepare for the season ahead, the Pitcher List staff will be creating profiles for every fantasy-relevant player for 2021. Players will be broken up by team and role through starting pitchers, bullpen, lineup, and prospects. You can access every article as it comes out in our Player Profiles 2021 hub here.
The Diamondbacks have one of the better systems in baseball, especially from a fantasy perspective. The top of the farm features a number of well-rounded potential stars and there is a good amount of depth that follows.
Here’s a look at their top 50 prospects, including when they are expected to debut and how you should value them in deep dynasty formats.
Note: These Top 50 lists are all done through a fantasy baseball-focused lens. Many players who are ranked higher or lower on other platforms will get a boost here. For example, players who profile as middle relievers or glove-first infielders likely won’t have much fantasy relevance, so they won’t be ranked as highly.
1. OF Kristian Robinson
Age: 20
Highest Level: A
Robinson is a star prospect. The outfielder has major power and speed and has been able to put both on display in his minor league career. In 126 career games, he’s belted 21 home runs and stolen 29 bases. Robinson scolds the ball, posting an average exit velocity of 92 mph and a max exit velocity of 109, both above-average marks, in 2019.
While it’s easy to dream on Robinson’s potential, he isn’t a flawless prospect. He did struggle in 25 Midwest League games in 2019, hitting just .217 and striking out 29.4% of the time. Robinson has posted high strikeout numbers at every level and it’s something that will need fine tuning as he advances through the minors.
It should be noted that Robinson was only 18 years old, which is extremely young for the level. And even with the strikeouts he still posted a 117 wRC+—and he had earned his way to full-season ball in the first place after absolutely tearing up short-season ball earlier that summer. Robinson has one of the highest ceilings in all of the minor leagues.
ETA: 2023
2. OF Corbin Carroll
Age: 20
Highest Level: A-
Carroll only has 42 professional games under his belt but he wasted no time showcasing why many believed he was one of the best high school bats in the class. In his 42 games between the Arizona League and the Northwest League, Carroll had a triple slash of .299/.409/487, seven home runs and 18 steals. There is no doubt that he was ready for a bump up in competition in 2020 before the minor league season was canceled.
Carroll’s hit tool is advanced and he should hit for a high average when he reaches the majors. Pair that with his elite speed and you have someone who could be atop the steals leaderboard for several years. Carroll’s power isn’t quite at the same level as his other tools, but it still projects as average or better and could play up given his ability to hit the ball hard. He did strike out more than 20% of the time at both levels, so that will be something to monitor as he moves through the minors, but overall Carroll has a sky-high ceiling, especially with steals becoming increasingly more difficult to come by.
ETA: 2023
3. OF Alek Thomas
Age: 20
Highest Level: A+
Like Robinson, Thomas has a standout offensive profile. He can hit, has some power and can really run. The lefty outfielder had no trouble with the Midwest League in 2019, finishing with a .312/.393/.479 triple slash with eight home runs and 11 steals in 91 games. The plate approach was encouraging, too, with Thomas walking 10.7% of the time and striking out 17.9%.
Also like Robinson, Thomas struggled at the next level after being promoted. His walk rate declined and his strikeout rate ballooned, but it was a small sample and he was young for the level. Between the hit tool and the speed, there is a lot to like in Thomas’ profile. Right now he has respectable pop, too, and if his hit tool allows that power to play up even, he could be one of the better all-around fantasy prospects to own.
ETA: 2023
4. SS Geraldo Perdomo
Age: 21
Highest Level: A+
Perdomo opened a lot of eyes in 2018, breezing through Rookie ball and finishing the year with a 149 wRC+ in a 30-game taste of Low-A. Perdomo backed up his 2018 with an impressive 2019, hitting for a 128 wRC+ at both A and High-A. Oh, and he stole 26 bags in 116 games. He’s succeeded at every level so far and a big reason why is his approach. The shortstop consistently posts double-digit walk rates and actually has more career walks than strikeouts.
The only knock on Perdomo from a fantasy perspective is the lack of power. He has just eight career home runs in 236 games, but he was starting the hit the ball harder toward the end of 2019. If Perdomo adds some power to his game, he could be a fantasy star at premium position. If it never does, he still profiles as a high-average, high-OBP base-thief that should hit atop of the lineup.
ETA: 2023
5. LHP Blake Walston
Age: 19
Highest Level: A-
Despite pitching just 11 innings in 2019, Walston was entering 2020 with some hype before the minor league season was canceled. Waltson is a 6’5 lefty with a four-pitch mix, all of which project to be average or better. Although it was only 11 innings, Walston gave us a glimpse of his potential in 2019, allowing just three earned runs while striking out 17.
Like all teenage pitching prospects, Walston comes with inherent risk. He has several levels to go before he reaches the majors, only has 11 professional innings under his belt, and has never pitched more than two innings in an outing. But the starter’s body and pitch-mix indicate a high ceiling for this former first round pick. If Walston performs well out of the gate, he will skyrocket up lists even more.
ETA: 2024
6. OF Wilderd Patino
Age: 19
Highest Level: R
Patino is a toolsy outfielder with power and speed, but he has showcased the speed much more in his minor league career, swiping 20 bags in 76 games. It’s been mostly gap power to this point, but it’s only a matter of time before some of those doubles start turning into home runs.
Patino’s approach will require fine tuning as he climbs through the minors. Despite a 30-game campaign in the Arizona League where Patino registered a 134 wRC+, he struck out more than 25% of the time. Still, he was just 17 years old at the time and has several years to make those improvements. Like many of the top prospects in this system, Patino has the potential to be an all-categories fantasy contributor if everything clicks.
ETA: 2024
7. RHP Corbin Martin
Age: 25
Highest Level: MLB
The Astros selected Martin in the second round of the 2017 draft and flew through the minors, making it to the majors in 2019 before struggling and ultimately requiring Tommy John surgery that summer. Not long after, Martin was part of the trade to the Diamondbacks that netted Houston Zack Greinke.
Martin was back to throwing in 2020 but an oblique injury ultimately prevented him from making it back to game action. The hope is that the right-hander will be fully healthy by the start of the 2021 season.
Martin has a four-pitch mix that is average or better across the board. His four-seamer is his best pitch and he threw it a whopping 62% of the time during his 19.1 innings of MLB action in 2019. Martin still projects as a mid-rotation starter with the potential for more if his health fully returns.
ETA: 2021
8. RHP Bryce Jarvis
Age: 23
Highest Level: N/A
The Diamondbacks took Jarvis with the 18th overall pick in the 2020 draft. Jarvis performed well during freshman and sophomore seasons at Duke, but he seemed like a different pitcher in 2020 due to an increase in his velocity. In 27 innings, Jarvis put up a 0.67 ERA, struck out 40 and only walked two.
Coming into professional baseball, Jarvis profiles as a mid-rotation starter. He has a four-pitch mix with all pitches projected to be average or better. His fastball averages in the low-to-mid 90s, but it his changeup and his ability to locate that are his strengths. Jarvis should move fairly quickly through the minors.
ETA: 2022
9. RHP Matt Tabor
Age: 22
Highest Level: A
Tabor had a major breakout in the Midwest League in 2019, finishing with a 2.93 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 95.1 innings. His control was immaculate, too, walking hitters in just 4.2% of plate appearances. The 22.5% K-BB is well above average and the right-handers three-pitch mix gives him a starter’s look long term.
While Tabor’s pitches grade out as average or above right now, his upside is limited by the lack of a standout offering. His ability to limit walks gives him a high floor and he looks like a mid-rotation arm with the potential for more if he either gains velocity or further develops his secondary pitches.
ETA: 2023
10. RHP Luis Frias
Age: 22
Highest Level: A
Frias has an electric fastball that sits in the mid-to-upper 90s and flirts with the triple digits. It’s a major-league pitch and he mixes that in effectively with a plus curveball and a splitter to keep hitters off-balance.
Frias was originally signed as a third baseman, so he’s still relatively new to pitching. That gives him more upside than most 22-year-olds as he’s still very much learning the art. The righty has had some control issues to start his career. Most recently, he posted a 10.5% walk rate in 26.2 innings in the Midwest League. On the flip side, he struck out 25.4% of hitters and has had high strikeout numbers at every level. There is some relief risk here, and if that is the case Frias could end up a top-tier reliever, but the Diamondbacks will continue to stretch him out as a starter unless the control becomes too problematics.
ETA: 2024
11. 2B/3B/SS Blaze Alexander
Age: 21
Highest Level: A
Alexander is a unique prospect. He has one of the best arms in the minors but doesn’t have a set defensive home, logging starts at second, third and short to start his career. His versatility could have major value from a fantasy perspective, but my guess is that he settles into third base or shortstop long term given how good his arm is.
From an offensive standpoint, he has some swing and miss concerns but solid power and speed. Despite stealing 14 bags in 97 games in 2019, the expectation is that he will lose a step as he matures, but that should mean more power is on the way. Alexander had a strong second half of the year in 2019, triple slashing .293/.377/.414 and posting a 131 wRC+ over the last two months of the season. The fact that he proved he could adjust is a big positive going forward. Alexander is only 21 years old, but it feels like he’s already been overhyped and now undervalued in his career.
ETA: 2024
12. OF Jefferson Espinal
Age: 18
Highest Level: R
Espinal had no trouble as a 17-year-old in the Dominican Summer League, triple slashing .358/.412/.460 in 47 games before making a brief appearance in the Arizona League. Between the two leagues he stole 23 bags in 56 games, though he was caught 10 times. He is one of the better athletes in the entire system and has easy plus speed and should be more efficient on the basepaths as he gets more repetitions.
Despite the strong showing in his professional debut, Espinal mostly hit the ball on the ground has some room for improvement with his bat. It’s possible that he will begin to hit for power as he starts to hit the ball in the air more consistently. Given his speed and athleticism, Espinal has the potential to be an above-average contributor across the board—it’s just several years down the line.
ETA: 2025
13. OF Stuart Fairchild
Age: 24
Highest Level: AA
Fairchild had a mini-breakout in 2019, finishing the year with an OPS right around .800 in 109 games between High-A and AA. His walk rate has been consistently improving at each level while his strikeout rate has been declining. Fairchild has above-average wheels but swiped just six bags in 2019 after stealing 23 the season before.
The outfielder projects as a plus defender in the field and if the gains he made in 2019 continue to stick he could see playing time in the Arizona outfield sooner rather than later. Fairchild was traded from the Reds to the Diamondbacks this past summer, and that change of scenery could be just what the outfielder needed to break into the majors. The Reds have had a crowded outfield the last few seasons while there could be more opportunities in Arizona. Given his plate approach and speed, Fairchild has the potential to be a 15-15 threat in a full-time role.
ETA: 2021
14. 1B/OF Seth Beer
Age: 24
Highest Level: AA
Beer was one of the prospects Arizona obtained from Houston in the Zack Greinke deal. At the time of the deal, Beer was absolutely tearing up AA with a 162 wRC+ and 16 home runs in 63 games. Following the trade he came back down to earth, posting a triple slash of .205/.297/.318 in 24 games.
The reality is that Beer is probably somewhere in between those two performances. He’s a big lefty with power that strikes out at a high but manageable clip. Both the Astros and Diamondbacks have given him some opportunities in the outfield, though he has played most of his games at first base. The upside here is a 30+ home run slugger who has first base and outfield eligibility, but it’s much more likely he ends up as a lefty platoon bat.
ETA: 2022
15. 2B/3B/SS/OF Andy Young
Age: 26
Highest Level: MLB
Young can hit and has done so at every level. He belted 29 home runs in 133 games between AA and AAA in 2019. He does have his fair share of strikeouts and isn’t going to swipe many bags, if any, but the power is real. He is a below-average defender and doesn’t have a defensive home, but that can be beneficial from a fantasy perspective if it leads to multiple-position eligibility.
Young played in 12 games at the MLB level in 2020 before undergoing surgery to remove his hamate bone. If the injury diminishes his power he doesn’t hold much value, but there have been recent examples of players being able to bounce back from this type of injury. Young should see some at-bats this coming season.
ETA: 2021
16. RHP Jon Duplantier
Age: 26
Highest Level: MLB
Duplantier looked like one of the better pitchers in the minors during the 2017 and 2018 seasons before he was hit by the injury bug. He split time between the majors and AAA in 2019 and struggled at both levels. He was primarily used as a reliever once he joined Arizona and posted an 11% walk rate in 36.2 innings.
Given that he was so dominant in the past and features two plus pitches – a fastball and a slider – along with a curve and a changeup that can be mixed it indicates that better days are ahead for Duplantier. The walks are worrisome, though, and even in his dominant stretches in the past, issuing walks was his biggest flaw, so it seems more likely he becomes a reliever at this point.
ETA: 2021
17. RHP Levi Kelly
Age: 21
Highest Level: A
Kelly has one of the better sliders among prospects and the pitch alone should good enough to carry Kelly through the minors. His other offerings aren’t quite as dominant, but the big righty also features a fastball and a changeup.
Kelly struck out 30.9% of hitters he faced in the Midwest League, showing just how good his stuff can be. There is some concern that he will have an issue with walks as he begins to face tougher competition and if that is the case, a move to the bullpen could be in his future. For now, though, the Diamondbacks will continue to try him out as a starter.
ETA: 2024
18. RHP Drey Jameson
Age: 23
Highest Level: A
Jameson had a dominant season for Ball State in 2019, striking out 146 hitters in 91.2 innings. He has electric stuff but there are questions on whether he can throw strikes consistently in a starter’s role. Unlike other pitchers that may be destined for the bullpen, though, Jameson offers a four-pitch mix, all of which grade out as above average. There aren’t many pitchers in the minors that can say that, so Jameson is one of the higher upside players outside of Arizona’s top 10.
The stuff here is too good for the Diamondbacks not to give him every chance as a starter. If he is able to limit walks, Jameson will shoot up this list.
ETA: 2023
19. RHP J.B. Bukauskas
Age: 24
Highest Level: AA
Just from a stuff perspective, the righty has some of the best in the system. Bukuaskas offers a fastball-slider-changeup mix, all of which are plus. The problem is that he often doesn’t command where its going.
Bukauskas came over from Houston in the Zack Greinke deal and he hasn’t pitched in a professional game setting since, logging just seven innings at AA. Overall in 2019, Bukauskas tossed 92.2 innings and finished with a 5.44 ERA. He did strike out 109, but he also walked 59. The walks will likely always be an issue and it’s probable that he’s a full-time reliever in the majors. That being said, he has the swing-and-miss offerings that could make him a high-leverage go-to arm.
ETA: 2021
20. RHP Slade Cecconi
Age: 24
Highest Level: N/A
The Diamondbacks took the right-handed Cecconi with the 33rd overall pick in the 2020 draft. Ceccoini posted a 4.09 ERA in 101.1 college innings with the Miami Hurricanes and struck out 110. He’s a 6’4″ with a big body that he uses to toss his fastball with upper mid-90s heat. That and his slider are both plus pitches that should help him quickly through the minors.
Cecconi is still developing his changeup and he will need it to come along to have a future as a starter. If it doesn’t, he should be an effective reliever with his 1-2 punch.
ETA: 2023
21. OF Dominic Fletcher
Age: 23
Highest Level: A
Fletcher is a left-handed outfielder who enjoyed a successful 55-game campaign in the Midwest League in 2019. In that season Fletcher posted a 147 wRC+ with a triple slash of .318/.389/.463. Fletcher is only 5’9 but is well built with solid power and decent speed, yet doesn’t project to be above average in either. He lacks the high ceiling that many of the other outfielders on this list but his floor is higher.
ETA: 2023
22. 1B/OF Pavin Smith
Age: 24
Highest Level: MLB
Smith got a brief taste of the majors in 2020, appearing in 12 games and hitting .270/.341/.405. It’s a small sample, but that’s the type of a decent baseline of what to expect from Smith moving forward. He has good contact ability, knows how to take a walk, but lacks the power that is needed for a full-time role at first base. The Diamondbacks have been trying him out in the outfield, though, which make him more playable in fantasy.
ETA: 2020
23. OF Jorge Barrosa
Age: 19
Highest Level: A-
Barrosa is a switch-hitting outfielder with good speed. The bat projects to be his best attribute and although he put up a modest .251/.335/.336 triple slash in 57 games in the Northwest League, he was only 18 years old and playing above the Rookie level. His approach is encouraging (8.3% walk rate, 12.7% strikeout rate) and although he may never grow into power his hit/speed combination gives him some upside.
ETA: 2024
24. RHP Justin Martinez
Age: 19
Martinez’s strikeout ability was so good in 2019 that he made appearances in the Dominican Summer League, the Pioneer League and the Arizona League. His fastball touched the upper-90s as an 18-year-old in and in each league in 2019 he posted a strikeout rate above 30%. He is erratic at this point though, consistently posting high walk rates, and his secondary offerings are still in development. The Diamondbacks will likely continue to try him out as a starter but there is a good amount of relief risk here.
ETA: 2025
25. 3B Tristin English
Age: 23
Highest Level: A-
English is a former two-way player that is now solely focused on playing third base. He performed well at Low-A in 2019, finishing with a 138 wRC+ and seven home runs in 50 games in 2019. Now that he isn’t bouncing between the rubber and the batter’s box, English has more untapped potential than most players in the system. The power is English’s best attribute at the plate and he could experience a breakout if he becomes less aggressive at the plate (6.0% walk rate in 2019).
ETA: 2023
26. 2B/3B Buddy Kennedy
Age: 22
Highest Level: A
Kennedy’s carrying tool is his bat. He’s been an above-average hitter in each of his three seasons, though his raw power is yet to translate into games. He walks at a double-digit clip and keep his strikeouts in check, though, so if the power does come, he could be an above-average hitter across the board. Kennedy is a stocky infielder and his defensive home is still being figured out.
ETA: 2023
27. OF Jake McCarthy
Age: 23
Highest Level: A+
McCarthy doesn’t have much power but he has easy plus speed and knows how to use it on the basepaths. The outfielder has swiped 39 bags in 111 minor league games to this point, though he has been caught 10 times. McCarthy has battled injuries in the past and there is a chance we still haven’t seen him at his best yet. The lack of power caps his upside.
ETA: 2023
28. RHP Humberto Mejia
Age: 23
Highest Level: MLB
The Diamondbacks received Mejia in the Starling Marte trade. Mejia struggled in 10 innings at the MLB level with Miami, posting a 5.40 ERA and a 6.99 FIP. He’s had success at the lower levels of the minors with his four-pitch mix but there is a good chance he is a reliever long-term.
ETA: 2021
29. LHP Tommy Henry
Age: 23
Highest Level: A-
Henry only has three innings of professional experience under his belt, but he had a big season at Michigan in 2019 before the Diamondbacks took him 75th overall in the draft. Henry features a fastball/slider/changeup mix and has the ability to locate. He should move fairly quickly through the minors and projects as a mid-to-backend starter. If the strikeout gains he made in his final season at Michigan translate to the pros he has the potential for more.
ETA: 2023
30. RHP Ryne Nelson
Age: 22
Highest Level: A-
Nelson has a killer fastball/slider combination and split time between the bullpen and the rotation in 18.2 innings at Low-A in 2019. His strikeout ability was on full display, punching out 33.8% of hitters. He did have a double-digit walk rate and his other offerings aren’t nearly as good as his fastball and slider, so there is a good chance that he ends up as reliever.
ETA: 2024
31. RHP Josh Green
Age: 25
Highest Level: AA
Green has a four-pitch mix with all offerings graded as average across the board. He’s a sinkerballer with a low strikeout rate, but he doesn’t walk many hitters, either. As a result he’s a high-floor, low-ceiling type from a fantasy perspective, and a prospect that is better in real life than he is in fantasy.
ETA: 2021
32. RHP Taylor Widener
Age: 26
Highest Level: MLB
Widener is a former top-100 prospect that has been hit around at the upper levels. He made it to the majors in 2020, tossing 20 innings of relief and finishing with a 4.50 ERA. Widener has shown the ability to strikeout batters at every level, but following a disastrous 2019 season where he has an 8.10 ERA in AAA as a starter, his days as a starter are likely behind him.
ETA: 2021
33. 2B/SS Domingo Leyba
Age: 25
Highest Level: MLB
Leyba has good contact ability and has been an above-average bat at every stop in his minor league career. His power payed up big time with the juiced ball in 2019, but it’s unclear how much his power will actually play in games at the MLB level. He doesn’t add much on the basepaths, either, but he should hit for a high average. The Diamondbacks outrighted Leyba to Triple-A Reno in November.
ETA: 2021
34. LHP Liam Norris
Age: 19
Highest Level: N/A
The Diamondbacks took Norris with the 90th pick in the 2020 draft. Norris is a tall, hard-throwing lefty. His fastball touches the mid-90s and he also has a curveball, slider, and changeup in his arsenal. His breaking pitches are effective and from a stuff perspective, Norris has great upside. He struggled with walks in his high school career and that’s not going to be an easy fix as he begins to face professional competition.
ETA: 2026
35. 3B A.J. Vukovich
Age: 19
Highest Level: N/A
Vukovich was selected in the fourth round of the 2020 draft. Vukovich is a towering third baseman with serious power. There are questions about his hit tool and how much contact he will be able to make at the professional level. Additionally, there are some questions on if he can stay at third long-term or if he will need to shift to first base down the line.
ETA: 2025
36. 3B Drew Ellis
Age: 25
Highest Level: AA
Ellis has good thump in his bat and knows how to take a walk but is likely to never hit for a high average. His strikeout rate also crept up to 24.2% in AA, raising some concerns that he might not be able to make enough contact as he continues to face tougher pitching.
ETA: 2022
37. 2B Glenallen Hill, Jr.
Age: 20
Highest Level: R
Hill, Jr. is a burner as evidenced by his 19 steals in 42 games in the American League in 2019. He has power too, so he is a legitimate power/speed combination, but there are major concerns about how often he will be able to put the ball in play. Hill, Jr. struck out 34.8% of the time in 2019 and he will need to drastically improve that number in order to move through the minors.
ETA: 2025
38. 1B/3B/OF Neyfy Castillo
Age: 19
Highest Level: R
Castillo has big power, even if it hasn’t materialized into many in-game home runs quite yet. He doesn’t have a defensive home yet, either, as he bounced around several positions in 2019. Given his size, he will likely end up either a corner infielder or outfielder. If the home runs start to come, he will shoot up this list.
ETA: 2025
39. OF Alvin Guzman
Age: 19
Highest Level: R
Like Hill, Jr., Guzman can really run and has some pop, but the hit tool has a lot of catching up to do. He was only 17 years old at the time, but Guzman hit just .226/.279/.310 in 57 Dominican Summer League games in 2019. He was obviously young and has several years of developmental time ahead of him, but Guzman has a long way to go with the bat.
ETA: 2025
40. OF Eduardo Diaz
Age: 23
Highest Level: A+
Diaz has power and speed but his aggressive approach has led to inconsistent results in the minors. He’s consistently posted low walk rates and it’s prevented him from getting the most out of his tools. He still has the potential to develop into a power/speed threat but it’s likely to come with a low batting average and low on-base percentage.
ETA: 2023
41. OF Franyel Baez
Age: 17
Highest Level: N/A
We don’t have any professional looks at Baez yet but he was Arizona’s top international signee in 2019. Three of the top six names on this list are former international signees, so there is a recent history here of Arizona developing these types of players. Baez is a tall switch hitter with good speed, but he is forever away and mostly an unknown.
ETA: 2026
42. SS Luis Rubio
Age: 19
Highest Level: R
Rubio was a 2018 international signee and enjoyed a successful professional debut in 2019, posting a 123 wRC+ with seven steals in 59 Dominican Summer League games. Encouragingly, Rubio walked 14.6% of the time. Right now, the power is minimal, but he could grow into more as he matures. How he performs stateside will dictate how he moves on this list.
ETA: 2025
43. RHP Conor Grammes
Age: 23
Highest Level: A-
Grammes was a two-way player in college but the Diamondbacks have been running him out as a pitcher. His heater can touch the triple digits and also has a devastating slider. Right now though, it’s anybody’s guess where the pitches will end up. Grammes is a relief-only prospect even if everything comes together and maybe it will as he gets more repetitions under his belt.
ETA: 2024
44. RHP Bobby Ay
Age: 23
Highest Level: R
After struggling in his for three years for Cal Poly, Ay broke out in a big way in 2019. In his senior season, he posted a 3.27 ERA and struck out 74 in 85.1 innings. He then struck out 14 in 11 innings in the Pioneer League after the Diamondbacks took him in the ninth round. He has some injury history, so this is a lottery ticket banking on his senior year breakout.
ETA: 2023
45. RHP Shumpei Yoshikawa
Age: 25
Highest Level: A+
Yoshikawa performed well in 103.1 innings at High-A in 2019, posting a 3.75 ERA and 3.73 FIP. He also struck out 28.3% of hitters he faces and walked just 5.1%. He was a bit old for the league at 24 and he never made it as a pro in Japan, but he’s under the radar for someone putting up those numbers in a starting role.
ETA: 2023
46. LHP Avery Short
Age: 19
Highest Level: A-
Short only has eight innings of professional ball under his belt so there are still a lot of unknowns here. Short has a fastball in the low 90s and was headed to play at Louisville before the Diamondbacks took him in the 12th round in 2019. He made most of his appearances as a reliever but he should get an opportunity as a starter.
ETA: 2025
47. RHP Matt Mercer
Age: 24
Highest Level: A+
Mercer has a four-pitch mix, highlighted by his fastball and change. He struggled with a promotion to High-A in 2019, finishing with a 5.56 ERA in 45.1 innings. He did punch out 27.9% of the hitters he faces, so there is real strikeout potential here, but he issued walks on 13.5% of at-bats.
ETA: 2023
48. 3B/RHP Eduardo Herrera
Age: 21
Highest Level: R
Herrera is a two-way player, but it appears the Diamondbacks are transitioning him full-time to pitching. The results weren’t great in a small sample in 2019, but he should see improvement now that he is focusing on one craft full-time. His fastball is in the mid-to-upper 90s and is his best offering.
ETA: 2025
49. RHP West Tunnell
Age: 27
Highest Level: AA
Tunnell is a relief-only prospect but he been dominant in the minors. The righty has a career 2.45 ERA and has struck out 110 hitters in 88 innings. He’s an older prospect but should be with the parent club sometime soon.
ETA: 2021
50. RHP Brandon Pfaadt
Age: 22
Highest Level: N/A
Pfaadt was taken 149th overall by Arizona in the 2020 draft. He pitched for Division II Bellarmine where he posted a 4.09 ERA. It’s unclear if Pfaadt will get a chance to start or be used as a reliever when he begins his minor league career.
ETA: 2024
Photo by Juan DeLeon/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Redler (@reldernitsuj on Twitter)
What’s the issue with ay why is he so injury prone