2015 Season - Down On The Farm (June-July)

The previous deluge of prospects has recently been topped off with a smaller deluge of highly ranked prospects. The biggest name on the list was Jon Gray, a former #3 overall pick, and fans of the Reno Aces will enjoy having him. The MLB Draft has also added some names, most notably first round pick Dansby Swanson, but they will need time to establish themselves.

With the MLB roster slowly turning into warm bodies and expiring contracts, it looks like the future of the franchise is waiting in the minors.

Position, Player Name (Sickels Grade, Current MiLB Level) 

RHP Jon Gray (Grade : A-, Triple-A Reno)

Gray is a unanimous Top 25 prospect, but he hasn't performed like one so far. He was awful to start 2014 in Double-A, but rebounded for a strong finish. He has had similar issue this season, now in Triple-A, but he has started to turn things around. The notoriously hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League isn't helping, but a good showing might see him promoted for a cup of coffee this year or perhaps a more permanent move in 2016.

OF, Jesse Winker (Grade : A-, Double-A Mobile)

Winker's second shot at Double-A ball isn't panning out as well as his 2014. He has had a painfully slow start after hitting 15HR in 2014. Hitting .266 with 5HR so far this season has left the Diamondbacks hoping for a serious rebound, if Winker is the future he needs to show more or the Diamondbacks might look to move on.

OF, Austin Meadows (Grade : B+, Class-A Advanced Visalia)

Meadows continues to confound scouts by just being a really good baseball player. Not that it's bad, but the expectations are that he will be great. He rakes, he shows excellent plate discipline, he defends well, but at 6'-3" 200 he should be hitting for more power. The 9th overall pick in the 2013 has everyone waiting to see if he ascends to the next level, at the very least he looks to be an MLB regular in the making.

OF, Michael Taylor (Grade : B+, MLB)

Currently moving back and forth between Reno and Phoenix, but it looks like Taylor is up for good. Has already exceeded rookie limits, so next season (and later this year) he won't find himself on this list. The 24-year old is currently hitting .241 with 6HR, 29RBI, and 8SB in 69 major league games.

RHP, Braden Shipley (Grade : B+, Double-A Mobile)

The Shipley-Blair debate may come to a close soon as Shipley struggles through his second go at Double-A. He hasn't looked sharp in 2015, and a bloated ERA/WHIP is proof. There might be something wrong, or he might just be working through some issues. His problems seem to stem from a dramatically lower K rate (6.2 compared to 8.1 in 2014) and a spike in hits. Low walk and HR rates are a good sign, but he needs to put it all together.


RHP, Aaron Blair (Grade : B+, Triple-A Reno)

Promoted to Triple-A after ripping through Double-A and leaving Shipley in the dust. Hasn't looked as dominant in Reno, but the Pacific Coast League is notoriously hitter friendly. His hit, walk, and HR rates have jumped but his K rate has done the same. Will have to see if Blair can right the ship and complete a season that started off well, has the opportunity to snag "Best Pitching Prospect" title if Shipley and Gray fail to rebound.

OF, Raimel Tapia (Grade : B, Class-A Advanced Visalia)

Tapia, a Top 50 prospect before the season, came over in a trade with the Mariners. The Diamondbacks have been trying to land him for some time, and they finally got him in exchange for a massive salary dump and Matt Cain. Tapia was signed by the Rockies out of the Dominican Republic at 17, and since then he has shown some considerable promise. The speedy OF has spent the entire season in Class-A Advanced hitting 8HR, 51RBI, with 19SB and a solid .331BA. There could be some power upside as he continues to develop, but his hit tool and base running ability are enough to get by right now.

OF, Billy McKinney (Grade : B, Double-A Mobile)

Started the year in Class-A Advanced and quickly moved to Double-A, still just 20 years old he could be a real sleeper waiting to break out. McKinney has played well defensively, especially out of RF where he boasts a 1.000 fielding percentage in 56 games, and hit well enough to impress the Diamondbacks. He struggled to hit in 2014 in Visalia, hitting .264, but hit .340 there to start 2015 which helped land his promotion. He won't be a star at the plate, but his approach continues to impress scouts and at 20 he can always get better.

RHP, Jeff Hoffman (Grade : B, Class-A Advanced Visalia)

Hoffman, a Top 100 prospect who came over in the Soria trade, is one of those high-upside risky moves that makes you look like a genius if it pans out and an idiot if it fails. Hoffman had Tommy John surgery prior to the 2014 draft, but that didn't seem to stop the Blue Jays from taking him 9th overall. He's opened his professional career in Class-A Advanced after a year off, and things aren't looking good. The exciting stuff, a fastball with life that cut in on righties, has lost it's excitement. Perhaps he's in a period of recovery, but if he can't regain his previous approach it will be difficult for him to stay on this list.

RHP, Touki Toussaint (Grade : B, Class-A Kane County)

Only an idiot would trade Toussaint for anything less than a King's ransom at this point. That being said, he's in a heated internal battle with fellow 2014 draft pick Cody Reed for the Diamondbacks most promising draft pick. At least for now, he's looking like a solid pick, despite the poor reports on his command, hopefully his curveball continues to be his best pitch with a future 70 grade. A 4-3 record so far with decent numbers isn't wowing anyone, but at 19 he has a lot of time to get better.

OF, Eddie Rosario (Grade : B-, MLB)

Rosario is in the same boat as Taylor as he passes rookie limits. He is having a similar season too, hitting .264 with 4HR, 20RBI, and 6SB from the outfield. Unless something changes, he looks to be an outfielder from now on.

3B, Jake Lamb (Grade : B-, MLB)

The 24-year old 3B has looked lost, injured, and exciting during the season. With Yasmany Tomas clearly unfit to hand the hot corner, it looks like the job is now Lamb's to lose. He has exceeded rookie limits while hitting .302 and showing very little power (2HR in 35 games). Hopefully a return from injury and the All-Star break will help him turn things around.

RHP, Alex Colome (Grade : B-, MLB)

 Colome is at a crossroads this season, and for the most part it looks like he's being run over. Colome has started 13 games, and overall it hasn't been pretty. a 3-4 record with a 4.85ERA isn't encouraging. If Colome doesn't turn things around the 26-year old might find himself being used out of the pen or back in Reno.

RHP, Matt Barnes (Grade : B-, MLB)

The 25-year old has moved between Reno and Phoenix, and he is approaching rookie limits. He probably wishes he was back in Reno as MLB hitters are getting to him regularly. The Diamondbacks have used him exclusively from the pen, but a 5.24ERA and 1.84WHIP might see him sent back to Reno. Still just 25, so room for growth, but he's starting to lose his luster.

3B, Patrick Kivlehan (Grade : B-, Triple-A Reno)

Kivlehan is another Diamondbacks infielder who could be slated for a permanent move to the outfield. He's also hitting well if you only look at HR (15) and RBI (46), but his plate discipline is awful right now. After looking good in a season across Class-A Advanced and Double-A in 2014 he's been unimpressive in the hitter friendly PCL. Hitting .237 with 20BB to 72 strikeouts is a little disturbing.

RHP, Michael Lorenzen (Grade : B-, MLB)

 

 The big surprise from this list who has now exceeded rookie limits. Lorenzen was brought up and given the chance to start, going 3-4 with a 3.53ERA in 12 games. Don't let the ERA fool you, his 1.47WHIP points to his 5.71FIP so expect some regression. The 47K in 71.1IP isn't exciting, and the 39BB are alarming. Lorenzen might finish out the year in the majors, hopefully he takes a step forward in 2016. Still just 23.

LHP, Cody Reed (Grade : B-, Class-A Short Hillsboro)

Cody Reed is not going to be in Hillsboro much longer if he keeps things up. The 2014 2nd rounder is looking like the better pick compared to Toissaint, and he's tearing up Class-A Short. In six starts he's struck out 40 in 34.1IP with an eye watering 1.31ERA and 0.76WHIP. His K rate isn't all that special, but he's been striking out more lately. There is a chance he could be moved up to Kane County soon, and will certainly have more scouts drooling over him.

RHP, Nick Travieso (Grade : B-, Class-A Advanced Visalia)

The 14th overall pick in the 2012 Draft is having a decent season, though he's getting hit more than expected. He has improved a career trend in ER, HR/9, BB/9, and K/9, but his H/9 has jumped up back to it's 2012-2013 level. If he can do something about those hits he should finish close to his 2014 season in Class-A.

OF, Justin Williams (Grade : B-, Class-A Kane County)

Williams' second go at Class-A is showing some mixed results. After hitting .351 across Class-A and Rookie ball in 2014 he's only hitting .289. He has hit more HR in a comparable number of plate appearances (7HR vs. 4HR in 2014), but he's also forgotten how to take a walk while still striking out at the same rate. It's hard to know what's going on, and he is still 19 and young for Class-A.

SS, Luis Sardinas (Grade : C+, Triple-A Reno)

Sardinas has bounced between the majors and minors this year, and will no longer be on this list going forward. Sardinas has exceeded rookie limits while hitting rather poorly, his defense continues to win him starts but he bat will probably keep him from a starting position. He is still 22, exceedingly young for Triple-A, so there is still room for improvement.

C, Peter O'Brien (Grade : C+, Triple-A Reno)

The hope that O'Brien stays behind the plate is starting to fade as he logs more games in the outfield. O'Brien has played 61 games in the outfield and 11 as catcher, but it hasn't slowed up his bat. With 15HR and 62RBI in the hitter friendly PCL he could easily make it to a 30-100 season, all while hitting .271 and showing little interest in taking a walk. O'Brien is less interesting as an outfielder, especially with the depth the Diamondbacks have at that position, but he could be a very valuable bat if he works on his plate discipline.