Under is an evaluation of the prospects within the farm system of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Scouting reviews had been compiled with info offered by business sources in addition to my very own observations. That is the sixth yr we’re delineating between two anticipated reduction roles, the abbreviations for which you’ll see within the “place” column beneath: MIRP for multi-inning reduction pitchers, and SIRP for single-inning reduction pitchers. The ETAs listed typically correspond to the yr a participant needs to be added to the 40-man roster to keep away from being made eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Handbook changes are made the place they appear applicable, however we use that as a rule of thumb.
A fast overview of what FV (Future Worth) means will be discovered right here. A a lot deeper overview will be discovered right here.
All the ranked prospects beneath additionally seem on The Board, a useful resource the location presents that includes sortable scouting info for each group. It has extra particulars (and up to date TrackMan information from varied sources) than this text and integrates each group’s record so readers can examine prospects throughout farm techniques. It may be discovered right here.
Diamondbacks High Prospects
Different Prospects of Observe
Grouped by sort and listed so as of choice inside every class.
DSL Dudes
Mayki De La Rosa, OF
Victor Santana, 3B
Ronny Suarez, RF
Alfredo Benzan, OF
Eybert Sanchez, SS
Johan Calcano, RHP
Naimer Rosario, LHP
Luis Cepeda, LHP
De La Rosa is maybe probably the most fascinating identify right here. Certainly one of Arizona’s massive DSL signings previous to 2025, he’s a great athlete with projectable energy. His bat isn’t sluggish by any means, nevertheless it is probably not fast sufficient for the Acuña-like swing he’s deploying. We’ll see the way it performs within the ACL, and whether or not changes are required going ahead. Santana is a high-waisted, athletic child who made loads of contact in 2025. He’s a great candidate to seem on the primary part of the record subsequent season. Suarez signed for $550,000. He’s athletic in all places besides the field, the place he seems to be uncomfortable and didn’t present a lot really feel to hit within the DSL this previous summer time. Benzan has instruments and hit a lot better in his second DSL spin; he’s a long-shot, however let’s keep on the physicality for an additional yr. Sanchez is fast to the ball with standout bat management and an opportunity to play quick; his measurement and conservative swing recommend a utility profile. Calcano signed at 18 and has neither pitched a lot nor thrown strikes when he has, however the supply isn’t unhealthy, he touches 96 with massive carry, and there’s a projectable slider. We’ll see. Rosario and Cepeda have carried out within the DSL however will want crisper stuff to proceed doing so.
Relievers Who May Throw Strikes
Philip Abner, LHP
Luke Craig, LHP
Luke Dotson, LHP
Tayler Montiel, LHP
John West, RHP
Alfred Morillo, RHP
Roman Angelo, RHP
Abner’s stuff is fringy, however he’s a lefty and hits the field. I’ve stubbornly held out on him whilst he rocketed from Hillsboro to the massive leagues in 2025. Possibly this time subsequent yr I’ll must take an L right here, however he seems to be like a depth arm to me. Craig missed many of the 2025 season after present process Tommy John surgical procedure. Earlier than he acquired damage, he was producing plus tail on his two-seamer and flashing an above-average slider. Dotson is a traits guess. Drafted out of Mississippi State and signed for $500,000 this previous summer time, he’s a low-90s lefty reliever who threw his fastball 85% of the time in faculty. It has 20 inches of vertical break, and a few deception on high of that from extension and an over-the-top slot. His slider is fringy, so the fastball actually must play. Montiel was a slick discover within the twelfth spherical. He’s a sinker-slider southpaw touching 95 with motion that might give lefties suits. West is a gargantuan righty with nice physique management for his measurement. He’s miscast as a starter however might need two above-average choices airing it out in brief stints. Morillo has an above-average fastball-slider combo and hopefully can develop 40 management. He’ll be good 40-man depth in brief order. Angelo touches 97 with fringy stuff. He could possibly be an up-down man.
Relievers Who May Not Throw Strikes
Connor Foley, RHP
Carlos Rey, LHP
Ryan Bruno, LHP
Sam Knowlton, RHP
Ricardo Yan, RHP
Grayson Hitt, LHP
Foley signed for $1 million in 2024. He didn’t pitch till the spring of 2025, when he made a handful of begins earlier than a shoulder pressure knocked him out for the yr. When wholesome, his velo dipped down into the low 90s and he walked greater than a batter per inning. At his peak, he flashed a plus fastball-changeup combo, and there are causes to assume the strike-throwing might arrive late, however he’s an arrow-down man. Rey is a lefty with an above-average sinker-slider combine. An extended stroke and lack of stability have restricted his capacity to throw strikes. I believe it’s fixable, nevertheless it’s not a small adjustment. Bruno was drafted in 2023 however didn’t make his professional debut till Could of 2025. He touches 97 and has three above-average or higher pitches, however he’s additionally a slow-twitch man with out a lot physique management and he was very wild this yr. Nonetheless, this sort of lefty stuff doesn’t develop on timber; he’ll be on the primary part of the record subsequent yr if he can discover a technique to throw extra strikes. Knowlton throws actually onerous and has 20 management. Yan is a long-levered righty with fascinating stuff, however a shift to the bullpen did nothing to enhance his management, which could simply be a 20. On paper, Hitt has an opportunity for an above-average fastball-slider combine, however the mechanics are actually messy.
Starters? In This Economic system?
Kyle Ayers, RHP
Adonys Perez, LHP
Jaitoine Kelly, RHP
Ayers relieved at TCU and has pitched sparingly as a professional, however he’s going to get an opportunity to begin and has a shot to develop a plus curve and an above-average change. He’s a sleeper if he can keep wholesome. A low-slot lefty, Perez spins a great slider and retains his weight loss program of in any other case fringy choices principally out of hassle spots. He initiatives as up-down depth. Kelly is a long-term venture, a fringy athlete with a giant physique, a great arm, and never a lot of a breaking ball but. He’ll be in Visalia’s rotation.
Some Bats, for a Change
Nathan Corridor, OF
Angel Ortiz, UTIL
Enyervert Perez, 1B
Kenny Castillo, C
Ruben Santana, 1B
Jack Hurley, OF
Jakey Josepha, OF
Abdias De La Cruz, OF
Corridor, the D-backs’ fifth-round decide in 2025, has massive league measurement. He has pop but in addition some size within the swing, and his odd lack of in-game energy provides me sufficient pause to depart him down right here for now. Ortiz is a three-corner man who can hit just a little bit, however in all probability doesn’t have sufficient energy for greater than a reserve ceiling. Perez has above-average energy however few secondary expertise and instruments, to not point out scary swing-and-miss numbers within the low minors. He has a platoon 1B/DH ceiling. Castillo could possibly be a plus defender sometime, which ought to not less than get him to the higher ranges regardless of what seems to be like a 30 bat. Santana might have plus energy, however he’ll must make much more contact to achieve it. He’s younger sufficient to carry out hope, however he would have benefited from short-season ball. Hurley’s velocity and uncooked energy are conserving him on the record, however he acquired slaughtered by Double-A pitching in 2025, and the visible analysis of his hit instrument isn’t promising. Josepha has stayed rail-thin into his early 20s, dimming his possibilities of rising into the type of plus energy his twitchy and athletic body suggests is feasible. He’s a flawed hitter, however the mix of efficiency and projection nonetheless warrants a observe. De La Cruz is an intriguing athlete with projectable energy, however he didn’t hit in any respect in Low-A. He’s one other man who might have used short-season league seasoning.
A Few Extra Higher-Degree Guys
A.J. Vukovich, UTIL
Ivan Melendez, 1B
Zane Russell, RHP
Vukovich’s gaudy floor numbers belie big swing and miss points and a scarcity of defensive capacity. Melendez’s power-over-hit bat has lengthy appeared like a greater match for the Asian professional leagues, all of the extra so now that it looks like his uncooked energy has topped out nearer to being above common than particular. Russell touches 96 with a comparatively platoon-neutral mixture of common stuff.
System Overview
Earlier than we look at Arizona’s system, a word for readers: That is my first full solo record right here at FanGraphs. I’ve carried out and can proceed to do my finest to venture and rank gamers in step with what you’ve come to count on from Eric and his varied collaborators over time. However all people has their very own biases, and I’d as properly be up entrance about mine. Within the upside/proximity debate, I lean towards the previous; if I believe a man can actually play, I’d as properly push him up the queue. The best way that groups are strongly prioritizing bats can also be mirrored right here. As a tenet (however not a rule), inside a price tier, the hitters are likely to go first. Lastly, the best way good groups have valued elite relievers vis-a-vis backend and even no. 3 or 4 starter varieties at latest deadlines has in some locations pushed high-octane arms with variance forward of men prone to derive most of their worth from consuming innings.
Now the Diamondbacks. The standout attribute in Arizona is the org’s capacity to assemble depth. Greater than 120 names had been thought-about for this record, and whereas there’s not as a lot top-end expertise as with the Dodgers and Brewers, there is perhaps extra future massive leaguers right here than in both of these techniques. The seemingly countless parade of men towards the underside of this record speaks to a wholesome knack for locating expertise in all pockets. After all it’s the D-backs who conjured a LOOGY like Tayler Montiel within the twelfth spherical of this yr’s draft. And located a 19-year-old pitchability man like Samuel Gonzalez within the worldwide market’s discount bin. And recognized an outlier slot like Kyle Amendt’s. It’s tidy work. Most of those guys will play small main league roles at finest, however odds are that a few them exceed their projections and layer much more depth onto the group in a manner loads of orgs aren’t capable of do.
The identical sample is motive for optimism with respect to all of the rotation candidates within the higher minors. There are a number of fourth or fifth starter varieties prepared or almost able to contribute: Cristian Mena, Kohl Drake, and Mitch Bratt are those closest to point out time, with Daniel Eagen, Ashton Izzi, and David Hagaman not far behind. You possibly can add Yu-Min Lin, Spencer Giesting, and Dylan Ray to those sweepstakes as properly if you happen to’re so inclined. No considered one of them is prone to exceed expectations like, say, the newly re-signed Merrill Kelly did, however with this many darts to throw on the board, the D-backs give themselves loads of possibilities to discover a breakout or popup man.
The cherry on high is conspicuous in its absence. It’s odd to have so many related guys and not using a 55+-FV prospect (Ryan Waldschmidt was shut) a lot much less a 60. Maybe the highest of the draft presents a clue as to why. Aside from Corbin Carroll, the membership’s first-round picks since Dansby Swanson have largely was position gamers. The jury’s nonetheless out on Jordan Lawlar, in addition to a number of others on this record, however you’d prefer to see extra potential stars from that group.
