2015 Season - Down On The Farm (April-May)

A deluge of prospects hit the desert this offseason with so many MLB regulars packing their bags and heading elsewhere. The biggest changes occurred with the hitters acquired, perhaps the future of the franchise will arise between Jesse Winker, Austin Meadows, and Michael Taylor. Will Jake Lamb regress or become the next Paul Goldschmidt? Can Braden Shipley, Aaron Blair, and Touki Toussaint form a three headed monster on the mound? Nobody knows for sure, but it's going to be fun finding out.

A few minor changes, no pun intended, happened toward the end of 2014 as minor league affiliate contracts expired and found new parent organizations. Luckily for the Diamondbacks only one of the lower affiliates moved on to other organizations.

Triple-A : Reno Aces (Pacific Coast League) - Unchanged
Double-A : Mobile BayBears (Southern League) - Unchanged
Class-A Advanced : Visalia Rawhide (California League) - Unchanged
Class-A : Kane County Cougars (Midwest League) - Replaces South Bend
Class-A Short : Hillsboro Hops (Northwest League) - Unchanged
Rookie : Missoula Osprey (Pioneer League) - Unchanged
Rookie : AZL Diamondbacks (Arizona League) - Unchanged

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

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

The 21-year old outfielder hit .317/.426/.580 in 53 games the California League, but struggled to a .208/.326/.351 slash line in an injury shortened stint in Double-A. Winker rebounded from his wrist injury during the Arizona Fall League (.338/.440/.559) and looks promising heading into 2015. Winker doesn't display more than average power, but his outstanding plate discipline and feel for hitting should help him produce going forward. Hopeful comparison is a Joey Votto type career, but he's still young so it could go either way.


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

One of Arizona's best new prospects hit .322/.388/.486 in 146 at-bats in Class-A Short during 2014. Was slowed by nagging injuries during the first part of the season, so most observers expect a much better 2015. Meadows displays strong on-base skills, hits for average, and shows the potential for at least moderate power. Defensively he needs some work, but he has the tools to play center. A healthy 2015 could see his stock rise, but at 19 he is probably still far away from the majors.

OF, Michael Taylor (Grade : B+, Triple-A Reno)

The centerpiece of the Matt Adams trade with Seattle, toolsy outfielder hit .313/.396/.539 in Double-A with 34 steals, plays excellent defense from center field. Physical tools have always been there and he’s taken several steps forward over the past few seasons. Probably won't hit .300+ down the road, but his power-speed-defense combo has too much potential to worry about batting average right now. Arizona coaches are hoping they have a potential 20-30 upside guy who will be around for quite some time, still just 23.

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

Let the Shipley-Blair debate begin! Shipley had a good 2014 season with a 3.86 ERA and 127/42 K/BB in 126 innings through three levels. Still projects as a #3 starter, similar stuff to Blair with low/mid-90s heat, good changeup, good curve. Shows better command and athleticism than Blair, still has time to improve his stock at 22 years old.


RHP, Aaron Blair (Grade : B+, Double-A Mobile)

Basically the same age as Shipley, posted similar numbers (3.56 ERA, 171/51 K/B in 154 innings) through three levels. Flashes superior dominance numbers, which is why some have him over Shipley. Curveball has progressed to compliment his already excellent fastball/change combination. Also profiles as a future #3 starter, and like Shipley still has time to improve at 22 years-old.


OF, Billy McKinney (Grade : B, Class-A Advanced Visalia)

McKinney bounced around a little in 2014, going from Oakland to Seattle to Toronto to Chicago before landing in Arizona during the offseason. He is likely the least heralded of Arizona's incoming OF class, but at age 20 he hit .301/.390/.432 in the more difficult Florida State League after a slow start to the year for Oakland. Doesn’t have the tools of the guys ranked ahead of him but his instincts draw consistent praise. He also has a long track record of impressing scouts and coaches with his approach, so he does have a decent shot of outperforming his projections.

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

2014 1st round pick, posted 8.48 ERA with 32/18 K/BB in first 29 pro innings. Like Shipley shows amazing athleticism with mid-90s heat. Stand out trait is having of the best curveballs to come out of the high school ranks since Bert Blyleven. Still raw, newer to baseball after playing soccer since youth, but he could develop into anything from an Ace to a Double-A burnout. Has potential to be the best pitcher in Arizona's system.


2B, Eddie Rosario (Grade : B-, Triple-A Reno)

Rosario finally joined the Diamondbacks organization after a close call in 2014, but he's almost as talented as he is risky. Tools are not as robust as other top prospects, but up until 2014 he’s always hit very, very well. He has shown impressive instincts and on-field effort which helps all of his tools play up, but a drug suspension in 2014 hurt his stock with observers. Rosario also struggled to adjust to Double-A pitching after two very good seasons in 2012 and 2013 from Rookie to Class-A Advanced. Perhaps a second stint in Double-A will earn him a trip to Reno or a late September call up.

3B, Jake Lamb (Grade : B-, Triple-A Reno)

Lamb is an interesting player who may need to improve quickly before coaches change their minds. Annihilated minor league pitching (.321/.406/.553 in his career) and defends well from the hot corner. He was rushed to the majors after a hot start to 2014 and struggled, hitting .230/.263/.373 in 126 at-bats. Showed good control of the strike zone in the minors, but it got away from him in the majors, experienced pitchers were able to exploit his aggression and find holes in his swing. Will probably be given a chance to stick in the majors, but if he flounders the organization may move on from him and give other prospects a shot. 2015 will be a big year for him, for better or for worse.

RHP, Alex Colome (Grade : B-, Triple-A Reno)

Now 26 and starting to suffer from prospect fatigue, but it's looking like this could be his last shot at a rotation spot. His stuff has always been good, but his command and durability have always been questioned. Could be headed to the bullpen if he doesn't put it together soon.

RHP, Matt Barnes (Grade : B-, Triple-A Reno)

Barnes, an organizational favorite for some time, is starting to lose his shine. At age 24 he posted a 3.95 ERA with 103/46 K/BB in 128 innings in Triple-A. He struggled with shoulder trouble early in the season but got over it. Coaches are becoming split on if he will be more of a reliever than a starter. Still shows a good fastball and change-up, but his breaking stuff remains erratic. Barnes will probably get a shot at some point this season, but he is approaching the risk of becoming a Quadruple-A guy since he doesn't have much left to prove in the minors.

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

The 25-year old came over in the Arrieta trade with San Francisco, and could be closer to the majors than most think. He hit .295/.363/.507 with 20 homers, 56 walks, 110 strikeouts in 519 at-bats between High-A and Double-A. The former Rutgers football player has improved his baseball skills rapidly, but here are still questions about defense and ability to maintain OBP/BA against quality pitching. Will start the year in Double-A with a solid chance of seeing some time at Triple-A Reno.

RHP, Michael Lorenzen (Grade : B-, Triple-A Reno)

Lorenzen came over in the Jake Arrieta trade with San Francisco after posting a 3.13 ERA with 84/44 K/BB in 121 innings in 2014. Features a hard sinker and promising slider, but his change-up needs work to elevate himself beyond mid-rotation potential. Potential to be more dominant in relief.

LHP, Cody Reed (Grade : B-, Rookie Missoula)

2014 2nd round pick better known for his size, had excellent pro debut (2.20 ERA with 40/12 K/BB in 33 innings) and shows signs of improvement. Three pitch mix, fastball, slider, change, velocity varies but he was excellent overall in his debut. Also projects as a #3 starter, but will need to work on his physique in the long run.

RHP, Nick Travieso (Grade : B-, Class-A Advanced Visalia)
Another member of the Arrieta trade, just recently turned 21. Posted 3.03 ERA with 14-5 record, 114/44 K/BB in 143 innings in Low-A after repeating the league. Velocity has recovered after dropping in 2013, a disappointing season for him. Has shown some progression with his slider and change-up. Like his trade partner Lorenzen he shows mid-rotation possibility with a chance at being more dominant if used in relief role.

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

Williams hit .351/.403/.467 between Pioneer and Midwest Leagues in 2014 at the age of 18. Was supposed to be very raw when drafted in second round from a Louisiana high school in ’13 but has shown better-than-expected hitting skills to go with excellent raw power. Defense is steadily improving, but an impatient approach is slowing his development. If he can make the necessary adjustments as he moves up he could develop into a high upside player.


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

Sardinas has dropped a little on the grading scale after starting 2014 at B-, but this is probably due to his hitting turning out as expected. Mostly seen as a defense-first contact hitter he batted .261/.303/.313 in 115 at-bats in his major league debut during the 2014 season. He has Aaron Hill blocking him for a regular spot, but if he continues to develop as a hitter he could be a regular by 2016. Diamondbacks coaching staff is also hoping he can return to stealing 30+ bases, as he did in Class-A Advanced and Double-A in 2012 and 2013, he bounced between Triple-A and the majors last season so his 2014 SB total is probably not an indication of his potential.

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

O'Brien takes a hit due to the uncertainty behind his final position. Has the tools to catch, but lacks polish and needs to improve if he's going to stay behind the plate. Flashed some serious power in 2014, hit .271/.316/.594 with 34 homers, 21 walks, 111 strikeouts in 399 at-bats between Yankees and Diamondbacks systems. He currently has an aggressive approach that could cut into OBP/batting average against better pitching. Very dangerous when he gets something hittable, but as he moves closer to the majors he won't see as many hittable balls. If he can stick at Catcher, could be extremely valuable, but a move to 1B would have him stuck behind Paul Goldschmidt. Not good.

2015 Season Report (25 Games)

PHOENIX -The 2015 season is well under way, the best teams look like potential champions and the bad teams look... bad. The Diamondbacks season hasn't started as expected, mostly due to a massive wave of injuries, but somehow they aren't the worst team in baseball. Currently 17th in the majors and 10th in the National League, it's probably because Paul Goldschmidt is just that good.

At the plate the Diamondbacks are basically Goldschmidt and some guys with Chris Owings, David Peralta, and Ender Inciarte being the only other contributors of note. Goldschmidt is right on pace for his MVP campaign with 5HR, 19RBI, 4SB, and a healthy .315 average. Owings and Peralta have bounced around a little defensively, and their numbers look good, but both are hitting well below .250 and that is killing their output. Inciarte has been solid defensively and at the plate, but he has only stolen two bases so far which is below expectations.

Goldschmidt may have to do it all himself.

The coaching staff has left fans irate after how Michael Taylor, one of their better prospects, was sent down in favor of Yasmany Tomas. Taylor starter the season hitting .271 with 2HR, 8RBI, and 2SB before he was swapped for Tomas who has done almost nothing. Tomas has struggled at 3B, giving way to Jake Lamb (who is now injured) and the warm-body of Blake DeWitt. Injuries to Oscar Hernadez, Lamb, and J.J. Hardy have left this team grasping for people to fill in. It's going to be a long season.

It's actually pretty sad, but the offense is by far the best feature of this Diamondbacks team. The pitching staff is just flat out terrible, and everyone is either injured or about the be DFA'd. The best pitcher is... yes, you guessed it, Joakim Soria! Soria has reclaimed his 'Mexicutioner' title and is having one heck of a season. He has racked up 8SV and a win to go along with his 1.86ERA. It's probably not a good thing when your closer is your best pitcher. It's really going to be a long season.

2015 NL West Preview

The NL West Champion is pretty clear with 162 games to go, it would take an act of God for the Giants to drop the division this year. Despite all of that, they still play the games, so anything can happen.

Only the Giants made the playoffs in 2014, with Arizona missing out after losing Goldschmidt for the end of the season. That won't be an issue this year with Arizona, Los Angeles, Colorado, and San Diego setting their sights on the future. Non-San Francisco NL West fans should hit up Baseball America or ESPN and bone up on the 2016 draft class, they are going to be drafting early.

NL West Projected Finish

#1 San Francisco Giants (100-62) : The Giants are simply loaded, again, and barring any injuries will be a favorite to win the World Series for a second time. The Giants wheeled and dealed this offseason to unload some contracts and got younger on offense. Chris Davis and Robinson Cano are gone in favor of Jason Kipnis, Rusney Castillo, and J.D. Martinez. They also added Felix Hernandez, who can replace David Price after he left for free agency. They have one of the most solid offenses in baseball and the deepest rotation, it looks like only the Cubs have the firepower to stop them from repeating as World Champions. They headed into free agency with $14.6 million to spend, but instead of spending on free agents they made some moves and brought in Miguel Cabrera.

Bumgarner could unseat Clayton Kershaw as the NL Cy Young winner. 

#2 Arizona Diamondbacks (76-84) : Faint praise, but the Diamondbacks might be the second best team in this division again. The gap in wins between #1 and #2 is going to be significantly wider than #2 and #5, and to be honest anybody from 2-5 could easily finish last in the division. The only thing holding this team up is having some high-upside hitting and starting pitchers. Paul Goldschmidt has MVP potential, and Yasmany Tomas could be a real surprise. An entire season of David Peralta and Chris Owings might just be enough to boost this team from worst to almost-worst. Gio Gonzalez should have a bounce back season, and Patrick Corbin might help after the All Star break, but beyond them this rotation is a real launching pad.

Will Goldschmidt finally lift the MVP Award?

#3 Los Angeles Dodgers (72-90) : This is where projecting the standings gets hard, but the Dodgers get a small edge for having a slightly more complete roster. They still have a big name in Prince Fielder, but beyond that they are lacking in high end talent. Fielder will have to return from a lost 2014 season if the Dodgers are going to avoid a 100 loss season. The rotation is full, unlike San Diego, but it's mostly just warm bodies and bloated contracts. This team is very expensive, doesn't have a very high ceiling, and swap a bunch of talent for impact prospects.

Can Fielder return to All-Star form?

#4 Colorado Rockies (72-90) : The Rockies look like they are stuck somewhere between the Dodgers and Padres as far as roster construction goes. They have depth on offense and some decent pitching options, but they will need good seasons from guys like Ryan Howard to pass Los Angeles. Troy Tulowitzki is one of the best players in baseball, and will probably be in Colorado for quite some time, but he's alone in terms of high impact bats. James Loney, Will Middlebrooks, and Josh Reddick are decent players but hardly All-Star talent. Colorado has more pitchers than San Diego, but they don't really have a very good starting rotation at the moment. Their pitching strength comes from the bullpen with Eric O'Flaherty and Santiago Casilla holding down the setup-closer one-two punch, but that isn't going to help them break .500 this year.

It could be a long season for the Rockies' stars... again.

#5 San Diego Padres (70-92) : The Padres are extremely one-sided this season, and they will be desperate for pitching from game 1 to game 162. Their offense is actually pretty decent for a team projected to lose close to 100 games. Joe Mauer, Asdrubal Cabrera, Erick Aybar, Michael Bourn, and Curtis Grandserson give this team some pop. The bench is deep, but it's also full of guys about to come of the books. San Diego is in a race with Arizona to have the most money come off their salary after the 2015 season, and with over $60 million set to come off they are dominating the race. Their ace at the moment is Johan Santana, so they will basically be looking for their entire rotation to come from their MiLB system. It's going to be a long season in San Diego, but their farm system is stacked and looks to be a Top 10 system going forward.

Not even PetCo Park can save this pitching staff.

2015 Cactus League Evaluation

SCOTTSDALE - Nestled between McCormick Ranch Golf Club and the Talking Stick Resort sits Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, the spring home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. While standing between a golf course and a resort hotel it's not a stretch to think Tony LaRussa managed to sign Yasmany Tomas and Yoan Lopez by showing them where they would be staying for spring training, but let's say they were more interested in actually playing baseball.

Another spring of Cactus League baseball and we have our 2015 Arizona Diamondbacks. The departure of Aaron Hill made a $6.8 million hole in the roster, but warm-body types like Blake DeWitt are happy to fill in. The long term infield solution might look completely different, with Yasmany Tomas looking like he will either start at 3B or get sent to the minors. Ultimately he may be sent to the outfield and Jake Lamb will be given an opportunity to grab the hot corner. Luis Sardinas is also looking like someone who could be an MLB mainstay at 2B with Chris Owings holding down SS, but for this season he's starting off in Reno.

The real problem for 2015 is behind the plate, the team's only options are John Baker and Rule 5 draft selection Oscar Hernandez, who broke a hamate bone recently. Unless Arizona rushes drool-inducing catching prospect Pete O'Brien, there is going to be an offensive black hole behind the plate. While all of these issues look bad, it's fairly obvious the Diamondbacks are not in a position to compete for anything this year and won't be making any drastic moves to change that fact.

Arizona Diamondbacks Depth Chart - 2015

• Catcher
• J. Baker

• First Base
• P. Goldschmidt
• L. Overbay

• Second Base
• O. Infante
• C. Owings

• Third Base
• J. Lamb
• B. DeWitt

• Shortstop
• C. Owings
• J.J. Hardy

• Left Field
• M. Krauss

• Center Field
• E. Inciarte
• T. Gwynn Jr.

• Right Field
• D. Peralta

• Starting Pitcher
• G. Gonzalez
• M. Cain
• M. Bolsinger
• T. Cahill
• J. Johnson

• Relief Pitcher
• A. Torres
• M. Reynolds
• K. Slowey
• E. De La Rosa
• C. Thielbar
• F. Cordero

• Closer
• J. Soria
• J. Johnson

• Designated Hitter
• J.J. Hardy

• Disabled List
• P. Corbin
• O. Hernandez
• T. Campana

With the depth chart in place and the season set to begin there are only a few subjects that will dominate team coverage this year. Conversation will probably be dominated by Paul Goldschmidt's run at NL MVP, but you can only talk about how good one player is for so long until things start to get stale.

Patrick Corbin (Again) - Attention turns back to Patrick Corbin, but this time it's going to be about his recovery from Tommy John surgery. With just about everyone from the 2014 rotation gone and Gio Gonzalez firmly seated in the Ace position, it's up to Corbin to show that he can get back to his 2013 form. There won't be much for the Diamondbacks faithful to worry about this season, the team could be one of the worst in the NL if not all of baseball, so Corbin is going to be the center of attention when he is scheduled to come back around mid-season. Sources say management dangled Corbin during the winter meetings, but few offers rolled in that interested ownership. If Corbin can't make a comeback, they will have lost out on any potential returns.

 Can Corbin make an impact in 2015?

Yasmany Tomas - The Cuban slugger has been compared to Jose Abreu and Red Sox signing Rusney Castillo, but in reality nobody really knows what Tomas is going to do in his first major league season. Modest projections have him as a 25HR slugger with some work to do in terms of his plate discipline, and his defense is a real question mark. He played 3B and LF during spring training, with the team settling on 3B to start the season, but most are just hoping he is league average as a defender. It's going to take the entire season for Arizona to see if they have the next Yasiel Puig, or if they are stuck with a dud for the next six years. As of right now the 24-year old slugger is the Diamondbacks' best 'prospect' to speak of, but he needs to be more than a prospect if the team starts him out in the majors.

 Tomas will likely start the season in Reno.

Prospects, Prospects, Prospects - Fans of minor league baseball in Reno and Mobile are probably more excited than Diamondback fans at the moment, and they might just have better teams to cheer on. The mass exodus of MLB starters filled up the Arizona affiliates with potential future stars, but at the moment all they are is potential. Guys like Jesse Winker and Austin Meadows are sure to draw fans and scouts alike, but they are not going to be called up to The Show anytime soon. A terrible season in the majors might bring more talent through the draft, like RHP Touki Toussaint, but they don't hang banners for high draft picks.

 The Diamondbacks' new marque prospect.

Cahill Returning To Arizona

SCOTTSDALE - With pitchers and catchers already in camp, it looks like the Diamondbacks will be adding one more. Well, technically they aren't adding one, they are just keeping one that might have left. Trevor Cahill, who went through the worst year of his professional career in 2014, has agreed to a new two-year deal with the Diamondbacks. The deal has been reported at $2.6 million per year, a decent raise but still manageable for the organization.

Cahill is entering his seventh year as a major league pitcher, but he's still just 26 which seems amazing since most would think he was much older. He's entered a prime age for players, and most his age would be lucky to have one or two years of major league experience.

Arizona ownership seemed comfortable with letting him walk after the disaster of 2014, but with Corbin a bit of a question mark and his relative youth it looks like the team was willing to reinvest. If things don't work out there may be trade avenues available as a number of other teams expressed interest during the bidding process.

Hill Traded, Campana Injured

SCOTTSDALE - Pitchers and catchers haven't even officially reported yet, but things are already heading south for the Diamondbacks. A trade and an injury have shaken up the roster before a single D-Bat has hit the fryer.

The infield logjam became a little clearer earlier this week as Aaron Hill was traded to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for two prospects. The prospects, 2B Willi Castro and LHP Luis Lugo, are both former IFA that are quite a ways off. Castro is just 17, having signed for $825,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2013. Lugo is a little closer to the majors at 20, but the Venezuelan hurler still has some work to do to break into the big leagues. Considering how bad the Diamondbacks figure to be, the departure of Hill mostly represents a contract walking out the door. Getting anything for him was a real win for management.


The real downer came earlier this week as Tony Campana, slated to start in LF, came down with a torn ACL during a workout session. While not much of a hitter, Campana figured to be a decent defensive option with the upside of stealing bases. His departure, likely for the season, forces Marc Krauss into a starting position. The lack of OF depth may force manager Chip Hale to abandon the Yasmany Tomas Experiment at 3B as playing Jake Lamb at 3B might be a better option than Krauss in the outfield.

Losing Campana makes the outfield a mess for 2015.

While Campana's injury is hardly the difference between finishing last and making the playoffs, it brings a dark cloud over a team that suffered numerous season ending injuries in 2014.

Diamondbacks Bring Back J.J. Hardy

SCOTTSDALE - With Spring Training just around the corner and Arizona's coaches already populating their facility at Salt River Fields things are starting to come together for the 2015 Diamondbacks. It isn't really clear why, perhaps it's lingering concerns over Chris Owings' shoulder, but Arizona announced the re-signing of J.J. Hardy today.

Hardy was targeted as someone expendable, especially with a $7.5 million a year salary, but it seems that ownership had a change of heart. The Dodgers, Yankees, and Brewers were in on some low level bidding as fellow shortstops Elvis Andrus and Hanley Ramirez landed big contracts. Despite the interest, Hardy returned to Arizona for less money on a two-year $9.8 million deal.

The Diamondbacks infield is fairly uncertain heading into the spring. The only player locked in is Paul Goldschmidt at first base with some combination of Aaron Hill, Chris Owings, Yasmany Tomas, Omar Infante, Blake DeWitt, and possibly Jake Lamb filling out the remaining spots. Hardy has the best chance of anyone to man shortstop with Owings being preferred at second, but who knows how things will shake out at this point.