2016 Down On The Farm (Mid-Season)

The Diamondbacks have finally managed to sink below the middle of the league, but that may change in the next few years as the farm looks to be brimming with talent. The Diamondbacks are shallow on pitching, but their offense won't have issues filling positions.

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

SS Dansby Swanson (Grade : A, Double-A Mobile)

 
Started out the season in Advanced-A Visalia and earned a promotion to Double-A after hitting .333 with a .441 OBP. Added some pop to his game with 7HR so far, batting average suffered a bit in Mobile at .262 but he has plenty of time to improve. Still a question of sticking at SS, but aside from that everything has been as expected.

RHP Jon Gray (Grade : A-, MLB)

Gray logged 8.2 innings at Advanced-A Visalia before making a move to the majors and staying there for the remainder of the first half. He's blown past his rookie limits so Arizona won't be able to tout him as a prospect anymore, but based on his time in the majors they won't want him wasting away on the farm. He has pitched very well despite posting 4.12ERA, his 111 strike outs over 102.2 IP and 1.16WHIP point to his potential. Pitching in Chase Field doesn't help, but he could be an ace in waiting if he continues to improve.

OF Austin Meadows (Grade : A-, Triple-A Reno)

Power hasn't really developed just yet, but to his credit he has already set a career high in HR already. Meadows doesn't strike out much, but he also doesn't walk much, all of which is alright when you hit close to or over .300. Aside from the power "surge" he's on pace for pretty much the same season he's put up over the past few years. Promotion to Triple-A is a good sign, at only 21-years old he's still young and a step away from the majors.

RHP Aaron Blair (Grade : B+, MLB)

Just barely crossed rookie limits lately, so he won't be around this list much longer. He will probably be around the farm a little longer after getting blasted in 11 major league starts. Struggled across the board, but to be fair he didn't have the best numbers in Triple-A prior to being called up. Still has time to right the ship.

RHP Jeff Hoffman (Grade : B+, Triple-A Reno)

Another good arm who looks to add to Arizona's bumper crop of rookie pitchers. Started the season in Reno and has looked pretty good for the Pacific Coast League with nearly a strike out per inning pitched. His K rate saw a solid jump this season, but like most PCL pitchers he's doing a bunch of things you don't like to see. A rise in hits per nine (8.2 across three leagues in 2015 to 9.1), HR per nine, and walks per nine all feed into the boosted ERA. Hoffman is still coming off a 2014 Tommy John surgery, so it's likely he could continue to improve. He was taken 9th in the 2014 MLB Draft even after having surgery, so the Diamondbacks are prepared to see if they managed to find a gem.

3B Ryan McMahon (Grade : B+, Double-A Mobile)

The 21-year old slugger has seen a dip in production since being promoted from Advanced-A at the beginning of the season. The substantial drop in batting average, from .300 to .232, has the organization worried, but like most guys on this list he is young enough to turn things around. McMahon is clearly struggling with advanced pitching as he looks to set a new career record for strikeouts in a season, which was fine when he hit .300, so the Diamondbacks are hoping he shows some improved plate discipline.

OF Alex Verdugo (Grade : B+, Double-A Mobile)

Verdugo has really impressed evaluators and looks to have made a real leap in production. With 11HR and 53RBI and improved plate discipline, he looks like a major steal for Arizona. If he can finish this season strong he could move much higher on this list, not to mention prospect lists across the country.

OF Jesse Winker (Grade : B+, Triple-A Reno)

Perhaps it's prospect fatigue, but Winker has been losing his shine after the past few seasons. A wrist injury has been blamed for his power outage, which looks to continue through to next season, but everything else looks good. His 1:1 BB:SO ratio is promising, and his .307BA is right in line with his career numbers. He's only 22, so he has time to find his power again, but Arizona might not be able to wait for him to find it in Triple-A.

RHP Luke Weaver (Grade : B, Double-A Mobile)

The trade for Weaver looked bad at the time, costing Arizona SS Isan Diaz, but since then it has looked like a solid deal. Weaver has ripped apart Double-A hitters with a minuscule 1.31ERA and 71 strikeouts over 62.0 IP. He is still a few years away, but he should be moving up on this list in 2017.

3B Matt Chapman (Grade : B, Double-A Mobile)

Chapman looks to be a classic three-true-outcomes guy. He has lit up Double-A pitcher while simultaneously getting destroyed at the plate. He already has 22HR, one shy of his total in 2015, and 61RBI, but he's also hitting .225 with a whopping 130SO. Another year in Mobile or a stint in Triple-A will sort things out, but with Lamb having a career altering season and a few more sluggers ahead of him it will be difficult to find his place in the majors.