Breaking down D-backs' new Top 30 prospects

August 12th, 2023

This story was excerpted from Steve Gilbert’s D-backs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

When you look around the diamond for the D-backs these days, you can see the fruits of their farm system -- from outfielders Corbin Carroll, Alek Thomas and Jake McCarthy, to shortstop Geraldo Perdomo and pitchers such as Tommy Henry, Ryne Nelson, Slade Cecconi and Brandon Pfaadt.

A wave of talent has hit the big league shore over the past few years, helping the D-backs turn from a 110-loss team in 2021 to one contending for a Wild Card spot in 2023.

The system might not be as loaded as it has been as a result of all the graduations, but there is still plenty of talent. On Thursday, MLB Pipeline re-ranked each team’s Top 30 prospects list and updated its Top 100 rankings.

The D-backs were well-represented in the rankings, having three players in the Top 100. Let’s take a look at how everything else shook out following the midseason rankings.

Here’s a look at the D-backs top prospects:

1. Jordan Lawlar, SS (No. 10)
2. Druw Jones, OF (No. 35)
3. Brandon Pfaadt, RHP (No. 51)
4. Tommy Troy, SS
5. Yu-Min Lin, LHP

Biggest fall

Blake Walston, LHP (Preseason: No. 8 | Midseason: No. 28) Walston fell in the rankings, but he is still very well regarded within the D-backs organization. Walston is still young for Triple-A and still possesses multiple swing-and-miss offerings.

New to the list

Here are the players added to the Top 30 from outside the organization:

No. 4 Tommy Troy, SS (Draft)
No. 7 Gino Groover, 3B (Draft)
No. 8 Jack Hurley, OF (Draft)
No. 18 Grayson Hitt, LHP (Draft)
No. 23 Caden Grice, LHP (Draft)
No. 29 Kevin Sim, 1B/OF (Draft)

Impact callup

Bryce Jarvis, RHP (No. 30)

The D-backs recently moved Jarvis to the bullpen, in part because he might be someone who can contribute in that role in the big leagues down the stretch. Long term, the D-backs still see him as a starter, but as they contend for an NL Wild Card spot, strengthening their bullpen would be a plus. Jarvis, with a fastball that he can run up to 98 mph, might be able to help in that regard.

Best tools

Players are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale for future tools -- 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average. Players in parentheses have the same grade.

Hit: 60 -- Groover
Power: 65 -- Deyvison De Los Santos
Run: 70 -- Jones Arm: 70 -- Blaze Alexander
Defense: 70 -- Jones
Fastball: 65 -- Yilber Diaz
Curveball: 55 -- Lin (Diaz)
Slider: 60 -- Landon Sims (Cecconi, Dylan Ray)
Changeup: 60 -- Lin (Jarvis)
Control: 55 -- Cecconi (Lin)