Arizona Diamondbacks Organization Discussion

by John Sickels on Oct 30, 2025 3:00 PM EDT

I am now working on the Texas Rangers, with the San Francisco Giants next on deck. The next team on the list is the Arizona Diamondbacks. Use this thread to discuss the Arizona farm system.

Jarrod Parker is the big name here, coming back from Tommy John surgery. You had a set of interesting bats at Visalia this year....Goldschmidt, Krauss, Wheeler...with Borchering and Davidson moving up in '11. Who do you like as sleepers in this system that might get overlooked?

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I'll be interested to see where Tyler Skaggs places on the list

by MonkeyEpoxy on Oct 30, 2025 4:31 PM EDT reply actions

Skaggs

I am a big fan of Skaggs. I probably like him more than most. Ceiling as a solid #2 SP. Will be a nice 1-2 punch with Parker in Arizona.

by JDizzidy on Oct 30, 2025 9:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Yep, wish the Angels didnt have to trade him

If you didn't know by now, my screen name is sarcastic

by mathisrocks5 on Oct 31, 2025 1:16 AM EDT up reply actions

Easy #2 to me

Very good looking southpaw arm with the command, pitches, and projection to be a front-liner. Borchering and Davidson have interesting bats, but both iffy at best to stay at 3B; Krauss is another poor fielder that has to fight the Cali league stigma; Owings has major plate discipline work to do, etc.

by goldenblack on Oct 31, 2025 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions

agree

Im rooting for him even though he is in a rivals organization because he was the ace for my school’s rival team. Damn, he was nasty…

by lakersdodgersyankees4life on Oct 31, 2025 7:47 PM EDT up reply actions

I would say right after Jarrod Parker

starter types don’t grow on trees. Neither do lefties who have hit the mid-90’s with a plus curveball. Davidson is awesome, but the third base question lingers and his bat, while awesome and certainly everyday playable, isn’t elite at first.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU_9zTD9B98&feature;=related
Apparently there's an epilepsy warning on this video. But it's so incredibly cool.

by IHateSouthBend on Nov 1, 2025 8:09 AM EDT up reply actions

Auto-editing is horrible...

No. 2 starter types is what I meant…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU_9zTD9B98&feature;=related
Apparently there's an epilepsy warning on this video. But it's so incredibly cool.

by IHateSouthBend on Nov 1, 2025 8:10 AM EDT up reply actions

nick

I have a semi-strong positive feeling of intuition on David Nick. Numbers weren’t all that impressive this year, but solid plate discipline and tools with a move back to California next year would bode well for him.

by mrkupe on Oct 30, 2025 5:08 PM EDT reply actions

A lot of interesting guys in that draft

Owings is my favorite of the bunch.

http://bullpenbanter.com/

by jar75 on Oct 30, 2025 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions

owings is decent

Always nice to see a young middle infielder showing legitimate gap power. I think I might slightly prefer Nick, but it’s close.

by mrkupe on Oct 30, 2025 7:33 PM EDT up reply actions

What solid plate discipline are you referring to?

Nick didn’t do anything particularly well this year. He drew a few walks, but it’s hard to say that someone has good plate discipline with the number of times he K’d. Do his numbers really warrant a promotion to start 2011? I see him back in the MWL with Broxton.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU_9zTD9B98&feature;=related
Apparently there's an epilepsy warning on this video. But it's so incredibly cool.

by IHateSouthBend on Nov 1, 2025 8:12 AM EDT up reply actions

he didn't strike out that much

He struck out 97 times in ~535 PA, that’s solid. Note I didn’t say “good”. It’s something you can build on, though.

I think it’d be silly not to promote him. Seeing as he’s a Cali kid, the sooner he gets back there, the better. If he has to repeat a level before heading to AA, I’d rather see him have to repeat in A+.

by mrkupe on Nov 1, 2025 6:31 PM EDT up reply actions

StatCorner had his wOBA+ at 99

You don’t promote a kid who is below league-average just because you want him to be at home. Rushing him will do nothing good. Sure, the CL is friendly to hitters, but it’s not as if everybody is instantly successful in the Cal.

Also, your above comment on preferring Nick to Owings shocks me. Owings was two years younger, seemingly has a better chance to stick at short now than he did a year ago, and posted a wOBA+ 5 points higher. Sure, he got hurt, and he can’t take a walk at the moment (not that it really got in the way of his overall production), but would you let a fastball go by you if you could square it up like Owings can? Owings’ll definitely be in the CL next year (the org is obsessed about him), and the only thing Nick really has going for him over Owings is walks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU_9zTD9B98&feature;=related
Apparently there's an epilepsy warning on this video. But it's so incredibly cool.

by IHateSouthBend on Nov 1, 2025 7:12 PM EDT up reply actions

fine, be shocked

Nick was a tick below league-average, it’s really not that big a deal. There are plenty of other kids from warm weather states who weren’t great in the Midwest League only to break out after a move to warmer climates. Unless you’re worried about Nick having to “dominate” a league (and you shouldn’t), you keep him moving up.

Owings is decent, but I’m not just going off of last year, I liked Nick before last season as well. And I wasn’t very high on Owings before last season.

by mrkupe on Nov 1, 2025 8:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Mmk, I will be. :)

Of course he doesn’t have to dominate the league, but he needs to demonstrate that he’s not overwhelmed by it, and I’m not convinced he did that. And I’d just like to see a tool that really stands out.

As a student in that city, I’ll also mention that by the time baseball season rolls around, particularly near the middle part of the season, South Bend really isn’t that cold. While his monthly splits show a good July, they also show a miserable June, so to say that the cold weather was sapping his abilities is a bit and/or a move to a warm-weather environment would restore his abilities is a bit questionable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU_9zTD9B98&feature;=related
Apparently there's an epilepsy warning on this video. But it's so incredibly cool.

by IHateSouthBend on Nov 1, 2025 8:54 PM EDT up reply actions

So..

Not to criticize, but basically you’re saying that you preferred Nick to Owings before last season, and you’ve basically ignored their 2010 production and stuck with that assessment? Right?

Baseball is my preferred sport. It should be yours, too.
I'm an editor for Beyond the Box Score, an SB Nation blog.

by Satchel Price on Nov 3, 2025 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions

that's not what I said at all

I thought that was obvious from saying “Owings is decent, but I’m not just going off of last year, I liked Nick before last season as well. And I wasn’t very high on Owings before last season.” (emphasis added to reflect that I was thinking of 2010). I definitely don’t know how you got the impression that I was ignoring anything . . .and if I was ignoring something, do you think I’d be so flippant about it? :)

What I said in comparing Nick to Owings was: “I think I might slightly prefer Nick, but it’s close.”

Again, that’s not even a conclusive statement by me. It shows that I’m thinking about the comparison. And it doesn’t necessarily mean that I would take Nick to Owings, only that I can see the case.

Frankly, I’m a little surprised at the reaction here over what I didn’t think were especially controversial statements . . .

by mrkupe on Nov 3, 2025 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Culberson

I’ll be especially interested in what grade he gets. He was fading off the radar before the season but was better than ever in the Cal League and is now tearing up the AFL. Law said Culberson was a much better hitter than anticipated, though noted some potential defensive concerns.

Maybe C plus or B minus and I’d lean towards the latter.

by rdf8585 on Oct 30, 2025 7:23 PM EDT reply actions

Charlie Culberson...

is a prospect of the Giants, not the D’Backs

by dbreer23 on Oct 30, 2025 10:58 PM EDT up reply actions

yes

I know. I just saw Giants mentioned in the blog post and wasn’t paying much attention.

by rdf8585 on Oct 30, 2025 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions

OPEN NOTE TO: JOHN SICKELS

John

I was thinking of purchasing your 2011 “book.” As a Jay’s fan I’m understandably quite excited about the new prospects they’ve accumulated . SO - I purchased your 2010 “pdf” book just to see what I thought.

Absolutely wonderful. Very well done, exhaustive, intensive, quality, an enlightening piece of work. Bravo. I’ll be buying your 2011 book - and, hopefully many ones after that as well. I’ve read your blog on and off for quite some time but the material in your book is truly a tour de force.

by Mylegacy on Oct 31, 2025 12:37 AM EDT reply actions

thank you

Thank you for the very kind words. This kind of thing keeps me going during the book crunch.

by John Sickels on Nov 1, 2025 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Position players who

played a minimum of 100 games, had an OPS of over .800, and were under 30 yrs old; the list is:
Goldschmidt .990, Brandon Allen .933, marc Krauss .880, Doug Deeds .880, Konrad Schmidt .880, Matt Davidson .829, Collin Cowgill .825, Josh Ford .812, and Chris Rahl .810.

I’m sure there are other players who for various reasons didn’t meet one of the criteria who should be on the top prospect list but these should get some consideration.

by dbacks watcher on Oct 31, 2025 12:46 AM EDT reply actions

Under 30 years old is a strange, strange qualification...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU_9zTD9B98&feature;=related
Apparently there's an epilepsy warning on this video. But it's so incredibly cool.

by IHateSouthBend on Nov 1, 2025 8:13 AM EDT up reply actions

Just an arbitrary number

if I go to 25 then only six players (Deeds, Ford, and Rahl fall off) are on the list and Konrad Schmidt is right on the edge since he is 25.
Tony Abreu is 25 , John Hester is 26. Pick the number. Deeds is 29, Ford 27, Rahl 26. At least Deeds and Rahl put their numbers together at AAA.

by dbacks watcher on Nov 2, 2025 1:00 AM EDT up reply actions

Parker

John, do you think that Parker still projects as an #1, or do you think the TJ might zap his control to the point where he can’t get it back?

I know we won’t know anything until he plays live action, but what does your gut tell you?

by apoxonbothyourhouses on Oct 31, 2025 4:43 AM EDT reply actions

I dont know

Not sure about his talent, but his twitter is fun.

by ADLC on Oct 31, 2025 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions

the recovery from TJS is so good

now that there is a chance he regains everything within a year and a half…

by lakersdodgersyankees4life on Oct 31, 2025 10:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Kevin Munson

I know how some feel about RP prospects..but he is pretty good and everyteam can use good pen arms. I see him moving pretty quickly ..maybe helping late 2011 or at least by midesason 2012

by NYSOX on Oct 31, 2025 6:41 AM EDT reply actions

He should definitely make the list

Haven’t gone through this system yet, but I cannot imagine there being 40 better prospects.

http://bullpenbanter.com/

by jar75 on Oct 31, 2025 10:29 AM EDT up reply actions

Kyler Newby

He’s a little on the old side now, but other than last year, he’s been very good at every level as a reliever, and had a very nice season this year especially after being converted to a starter.

by auclairkeithbc on Oct 31, 2025 1:36 PM EDT reply actions

Seems like their position players are the type the new regimen wants to get rid of

Clunky corners guys who strike out a ton.

by Daniel Berlyn on Oct 31, 2025 4:05 PM EDT reply actions

I love Scottie Allen.

Nice fastball, adding velocity he fills out, good change-up despite just learning it, and enough other breaking stuff to start. K’d a batter per inning as an 18/19-year-old this year (79:22 K:BB in 78 IP), will start in the Cal next year. Biggest concerns are fly-ball tendencies and staying healthy, but if he can overcome those, he could be yet another awesome, young (and thus cheap) rotation arm for the D-backs.

I’m a particularly big fan of Wade Miley. I’m just praying that his velocity sticks. He could be deadly as a two plus-pitch lefty in the back-end of the rotation.

I’m also interested to see where John puts the duo of Wagner Mateo and Ty Linton. Both have serious tools and ceilings and were given a good share of cash, but we have almost no sample size for either of them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU_9zTD9B98&feature;=related
Apparently there's an epilepsy warning on this video. But it's so incredibly cool.

by IHateSouthBend on Nov 1, 2025 8:27 AM EDT reply actions

One more name:

Zach Walters. Could be Ryan Wheeler 2.0 (college NWL mirage), but at least Walters doesn’t have to keep hitting like a corner infielder like Wheeler needed to in order to be a good prospect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU_9zTD9B98&feature;=related
Apparently there's an epilepsy warning on this video. But it's so incredibly cool.

by IHateSouthBend on Nov 1, 2025 8:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Collmenter

Any way he makes the list? I don’t see him being a star, but he could be a serviceable back end of the rotation guy in my opinion.

by mattp31 on Nov 1, 2025 9:44 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

The fact that he's basically a two-pitch pitcher

Is concerning. Needs to tighten his breaking ball. If he can’t, though, he’d still profile nicely as a potentially dominant fastball/change-up reliever, so he’s got a strong case for making the list.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU_9zTD9B98&feature;=related
Apparently there's an epilepsy warning on this video. But it's so incredibly cool.

by IHateSouthBend on Nov 1, 2025 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions

Interested to see what grade Charles Brewer gets

Good stat for his first full season. Could be a serviceable back end rotation guy.

by Taipeiwalker on Nov 2, 2025 10:53 AM EDT reply actions

I'd say a C+

No blowaway stuff, doing it at the levels he should be doing it at, hasn’t yet passed the Double-A test. But, as you said, the numbers are very promising.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU_9zTD9B98&feature;=related
Apparently there's an epilepsy warning on this video. But it's so incredibly cool.

by IHateSouthBend on Nov 2, 2025 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions

Matt Torra

Another No.5 candidate. Can be more effective than Barry Enright?

by Taipeiwalker on Nov 2, 2025 11:33 PM EDT reply actions

I think the better question is, "Can Barry Enright be more effective than Barry Enright?"

Because if Enright comes back as the same pitcher next season (i.e. very few strikeouts and grounders), he’s going to get smacked around.

Baseball is my preferred sport. It should be yours, too.
I'm an editor for Beyond the Box Score, an SB Nation blog.

by Satchel Price on Nov 3, 2025 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Heck, even as effective is a huge quesiton.

He might be I s’pose, but I’d wager that it would be after his move to the ’pen…

Torra could definitely get a shot next year, but he’d have to walk, like, nobody if he is going to have any big-league success.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU_9zTD9B98&feature;=related
Apparently there's an epilepsy warning on this video. But it's so incredibly cool.

by IHateSouthBend on Nov 3, 2025 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions

A. J. Pollock

What’s the story with A. J. Pollock? I don’t see any stats for him in 2010. Was he injured all year? I see he will be playing in the rising stars game (AFL) this saturday. He was rated a B- by John in the 2010 prospects book.

by Bear4499 on Nov 4, 2025 6:17 AM EDT reply actions

Pollock

was hurt in Spring Training (a pretty severe wrist injury) and missed the entire year. The AFL is his first time back playing and he is passing the test so far. The Diamondbacks have a decision to make on where to start him next year. Going right to AA is a big jump after a year off and not having played High A. Part of the decision will be based on the other dominos in front of him and where they start out the year.

by dbacks watcher on Nov 4, 2025 12:41 PM EDT reply actions