Arizona Diamondbacks 2011 Top 20 PRE-SEASON Prospects in Review
I am reviewing my PRE-SEASON list of Top 20 prospects for 2011 for each organization, continuing today with the Arizona Diamondbacks. This list was originally published November 18, 2010. On Monday we will review the Tampa Bay Rays, on Tuesday we will review the Chicago Cubs, and on Wednesday we will review the Texas Rangers.
This is a review of the 2011 Pre-Season Top 20 list. IT IS NOT A NEW LIST.
The 2012 list and new grades won't be ready until the season is over and I start writing the book.
1) Jarrod Parker, RHP, Grade B: 4.08 ERA, 77/44 K/BB in 86 innings for Double-A Mobile, 75 hits, 1.69 GO/AO. Has recovered his stuff post-Tommy John, but still working on refining his command. Has pitched very well in last 10 starts, 2.25 ERA, 1.93 GO/AO, 48/23 K/BB with zero homers in 48 innings.
2) Tyler Skaggs, LHP, Grade B: 3.22 ERA with 125/34 K/BB in 101 innings for High-A Visalia, 81 hits. Has given up 14 hits and eight runs in 10 Double-A innings, 12/4 K/BB. Just 20 years old, very impressive campaign overall.
3) Matt Davidson, 3B-1B, Grade B, borderline B-: .278/.351/.437 with 10 homers, 39 walks, 105 strikeouts in 378 at-bats for Visalia. Strikeout rate is excessive, defense at third remains rough, but will he hit enough for first base?
4) Chris Owings, SS, Grade B-: Hitting .254/.286/.398 with 11 walks, 90 strikeouts in 354 at-bats for Visalia, error-prone on defense. Pre-season worries about contact/strikeouts were legitimate, but young enough to improve.
5) Wade Miley, LHP, Grade B-: 4.78 ERA, 46/28 K/BB, 1.76 GO/AO in 75 innings for Mobile. Is 3-0, 3.43 in three Triple-A starts, 13/8 K/BB, 16 hits in 21 innings. 1.96 GO/AO on the year. Good sinker/slider combination, could sneak up on people next year with proper defensive support.
6) Bobby Borchering, 3B-1B, Grade B-: .267/.329/.475 with 18 homers, 34 walks, 112 strikeouts in 375 at-bats for Visalia. More power than Davidson this year, but also has serious strikeout issues and defensive doubts.
7) Marc Krauss, OF, Grade B-: .240/.341/.445 for Mobile, 12 homers, 47 walks, 95 strikeouts in 308 at-bats. Will draw walks and has left-side power, but scouts weren't sure how his bat would hold up against advanced pitching and his tools are mediocre.
8) Pat Corbin, LHP, Grade B-: 4.07 ERA, 104/23 K/BB in 113 innings for Mobile, 113 hits. Just turned 22. Love the K/BB ratio.
9) Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Grade B-: .302/.422/.618 with 28 homers, 70 walks, 88 strikeouts in 348 at-bats for Mobile. Batting average has tailed off in July but still an outstanding season, terrific power and improved contact.
10) Charlie Brewer, RHP, Grade B-: 3.0 ERA with 32/9 K/BB in 39 innings for Mobile, 37 hits. I ranked him much higher than most people and he was pitching very well until he broke his hand on June 2nd.
11) A.J. Pollock, OF, Grade B-: .310/.357/.447 with 31 walks, 74 strikeouts, 24 steals in 407 at-bats for Mobile. A very fine season coming back from 2010 elbow injury.
12) David Holmberg, LHP, Grade C+: 2.39 ERA with 81/13 K/BB in 83 innings for Low-A South Bend, 4.03 ERA with 22/9 K/BB in 22 innings for Visalia, 23 hits. A fine season.
13) J.R. Bradley, RHP, Grade C+: 5.02 ERA with 56/35 K/BB in 95 innings for South Bend, 118 hits. Projectable high school kid is having problems in first full season but is just 19.
14) Robbie Rowland, RHP, Grade C+: 7.31 ERA with 23/6 K/BB in 28 innings for Missoula in the Pioneer League, 46 hits, 2.80 GO/AO. Projectable high school arm, throwing strikes and getting grounders but struggling with consistency.
15) Colin Cowgill, OF, Grade C+: .356/.432/.558 with 29 steals, 50 walks, 58 strikeouts in 382 at-bats for Triple-A Reno. Outstanding season with speed, OBP, power, deserves major league chance soon.
16) Josh Collmenter, RHP, Grade C+: 2.65 ERA with 58/16 K/BB in 85 innings for the Diamondbacks, 64 hits. Outstanding rookie season in the majors from a pitcher that scouts usually dismissed. Didn't rank at all in Baseball America's top 30 list for Arizona.
17) Ryan Wheeler, 3B, Grade C+: .316/.373/.523 with 15 homers, 30 walks, 74 strikeouts in 348 at-bats for Mobile with adequate defense. A solid year.
18) Chase Anderson, RHP, Grade C+: Pitched 13 innings for Visalia with a 20/1 K/BB but went on DL in May with elbow problems. Pitchability guy like Collmenter and Brewer when healthy.
19) Michael Belfiore, LHP, Grade C+: 6.07 ERA with 52/38 K/BB in 56 innings for Visalia, 66 hits. Command problems the issue here, though he has been more effective since switch to bullpen.
20) Adam Eaton, OF, Grade C+: .332/.455/.492 with 24 steals in 65 games for Visalia, .329/.443/.534 in 18 games for Mobile. 51/56 BB/K in 317 at-bats combined. Similar to Cowgill: an undersized guy but has some tools and a lot of polish.
Interesting mixture of tools players from the high school ranks and skill players from college, with the more polished guys having better performance this year, lead by Collmenter. Feel free in the comments section to ask about guys who weren't on the Pre-Season Top 20 but who are doing well this year.
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