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**Here’s the podcast edition of the Diamondbacks Risers and Shiners List for you Podcast lovers!**
**Right below is the Diamondbacks Risers and Shiners list simplified. Scroll further down for FULL Future Grades, Roles, ETA, and summaries on EACH PLAYER ranked on this list! Tons of Statistics on each player as well! Some player highlights, future outlooks and more enjoy!**
| Rank | Player | Position | How Acquired |
| 1 | Corbin Carroll | OF | 1st Round 2019 Draft – 16th Overall |
| 2 | Alek Thomas | OF | 2nd Round – 2018 draft |
| 3 | Blake Walston | LHP | 1st Round 2019 Draft – 26th Overall |
| 4 | Jordan Lawlar | SS | 1st Round 2021 Draft – 7th Overall |
| 5 | Ryne Nelson | RHP | 2nd Round – 2019 Draft |
| Risers | |||
| 1 | Bryce Jarvis | RHP | 1st Round 2020 Draft – 18th Overall |
| 2 | AJ Vulcovich | 3B | 4th Round – 2020 Draft |
| 3 | Deyvison De Los Santos | 3B | International Signing 2019 |
| 4 | Wilderd Patino | OF | International Signing 2017 |
| 5 | Brandon Pfaadt | RHP | 5th Round – 2020 Draft |
1. Corbin Carroll OF | Amarilllo SodPoodles (AA)
21-Years-Old | Bats: L |Throws: L | 5’10” | 165 lbs. | ETA: 2024
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 60 | 40 | 50 | 70 | 50 | 6 |
*Not enough Stats from 2021 to Post*
Scouting Report:
The Diamondbacks had a big blow last season when Carroll’s season was shut down after a shoulder injury. However, The Washington native started off his professional career on fire and looked like a phenom. Carroll won’t be much of a homerun threat, but he’s got a plus hit tool and has some of the best speed in the minors. He looks like a deer running around the bases, and should be one of the top stolen base threats in the big-leagues. There’s a lot to dream about with Carroll, and while two shoulder injuries to two of Arizona’s top prospects doesn’t look good at the moment, the level of athletes that Carroll and Lawlar are should give enough hope that they’ll come back healthy.
Written By: Austin Farmer (@AustinF0421)
2. Alek Thomas OF | Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB)
22-Years-Old | Bats: L | Throws: L | 5’11” | 175 lbs. | ETA: 2022
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 55 | 50 | 60 | 55 | 45 | 6 |
| AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | SB | CS | K% | BB% |
| .313 | .394 | .559 | .953 | 18 | 13 | 9 | 20.0% | 10.5% |
| ISO | wRC+ | SwStr% | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| .246 | 146 | 11.6% | 53.8% | 21.9% | 24.3% | 40.5% | 26.6% | 32.8% |
Scouting Report:
Thomas was taken in the second round by the Arizona Diamondbacks back in 2018. Even though he was taken out of high school, many viewed him as an advanced prospect already. He has always shown an excellent ability to control the strike zone and make contact on pitches. After finding success in the lower levels of the minors in 2018 and 2019, Thomas continued refining his game during the 2020 season. He began to attempt to tap into more of his power and hit a career high 18 homeruns across two levels in 2021. When you watch Thomas, you notice a leg kick that can generate massive power (90mph EV on average). Although this can often be a warning sign in prospects, Thomas couples that with an excellent ability to make contact and keep his whiff rates down. The only reason Thomas has not hit for more power is that his swing can be long at times and he tends to hit down on the ball. A GB% above 50% helps keep his power and homerun totals in check. His swing is more suited for gap to gap power than it is hitting the ball over the fence. Some adjustments to this could result in more homeruns, but Arizona should be careful to not ruin his contact ability.
Thomas has more speed than his stolen base totals would lead you to assume. Although his base stealing instincts have not been great through the minors, he possesses above average speed that should allow him to stick in CF. He also has the instincts needed to roam CF and the arm for it as well. It is likely that the Diamondbacks will promote Thomas to the bigs in 2022. I think it likely he will play everyday for them once they do with above average defense and a strong ability to get on base.
Written by: Matt Heckman (@Heckman_Matt115)
3. Blake Walston LHP | Amarillo Sod Poodles (AA)
20-Years-Old | Bats: L | Throws: L | 6’5″ | 175 lbs. | ETA: 2024
| FB | SL | CH | CB | Control | Role |
| 50 | 50 | 45 | 60 | 50 | 4 |
| IP | G | GS | ERA | WHIP | K% | BB% | HR/9 |
| 95.2 | 19 | 19 | 3.76 | 1.24 | 28.8 | 8.1 | 1.51 |
| Str% | xFIP | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| 14.5 | 4.39 | 39.8% | 17.5% | 42.7% | 43.5% | 26.3% | 30.2% |
Scouting Report:
Walston was taken out of high school by the Diamondbacks back in the 2019 draft. Standing at 6’5” Walston has the looks of a pitcher with a high leg kick and a delivery that slants toward first base. His imposing stature on the mound combined with his good extension led to a lot of projectability in what he could become. After pitching well during his professional debut in 2019, Walston struggled some in 2021. His fastball that had shown glimpses of sitting in the upper 90s dropped back down to the low to mid 90s. With little spin on the pitch, Walston relies on his extension to help make the pitch more effective. What Walston really struggled with last season was the long ball. He gave up 1.51 HR/9. Although the walks were not at a concerning level, it is clear that he needs to work on his command in order to help keep pitches out of the center of the zone. Along with his curveball, Walston has a solid slider giving him two breaking pitches to lean on. During the 2020 season, Walston worked to develop a changeup to give him a four pitch mix. While the pitch still has some work to do, its potential is reason for optimism.
When taken out of high school there was some belief that Walston would turn into a front line starter. For this to happen, Walston would need to work to develop his fastball. A fastball without spin or velocity often times spells trouble for big league starters. He has the breaking pitches to get him to the majors, but I think it is more likely than not his ceiling is a backend starter. Still only 20 years old though, there is time for him to continue developing into what the Diamondbacks drafted him to be.
Written by: Matt Heckman (@Heckman_Matt115)
4. Jordan Lawlar SS | Visalia Rawhide (A) |
19-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’2″ | 190 lbs. | ETA: 2025
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 60 | 50 | 55 | 60 | 55 | 6 |
*Not Enough 2021 Stats to Post*
Scouting Report:
Lawlar falling to the Diamondbacks seemed a bit of a shock, as it looked like his hometown Rangers would take him with the second overall pick. However, Arizona got lucky and didn’t hesitate to snag him. Lawlar’s professional debut ended prematurely after a shoulder injury shut him down just two games into his career. Lawlar is still an extremely projectable player who has incredible athleticism and has a strong chance to stick at short. At the plate, Lawlar has a projectable bat, and while he won’t hit more than 20-24 bombs a season, he will be one of the better bats in any lineup he’s in. A healthy 2022 could be detrimental to his development.
Written By: Austin Farmer (@AustinF0421)
5. Ryne Nelson RHP | Reno Aces (AAA)
24-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’3″ | 184 lbs. | ETA: 2023
| FB | CB | SPL | SL | Control | Role |
| 70 | 55 | 45 | 55 | 40 | 5 |
| IP | G | GS | ERA | WHIP | K% | BB% | HR/9 |
| 135.0 | 32 | 29 | 3.13 | 1.13 | 34.6% | 9.1% | 1.13 |
| SwStr% | xFIP | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| 15.2% | 3.61 | 37.6% | 19.8% | 42.6% | 41.1% | 26.5% | 32.5% |
Scouting Report:
Nelson features an electric four-seam fastball 94-97 mph that features great movement and entices swings and misses. He also uses his high ¾ arm slot to throw a curveball with good spin, downward movement and follow-through. Not to mention a slider that is especially difficult for right-handed batters to lay off, which starts out over the plate, but then features both a late and sharp tilt that fades outside the strike zone. These two pitches should be above-average secondary pitches for Nelson to use as he advances through the minor leagues. The splitter is not as effective, but the pitch could have room for growth once he begins to throw the pitch more often, and with more trust and confidence, there could be improvement. A con for Nelson that will determine his future role is his long delivery can make it difficult for him to have good control and command of his pitches, but when he is able to locate all his pitches, he looks enticing for opponents on the mound. Nelson could have a future in a starting rotation, with a quality bullpen piece as a good backup option.
Written By: Patrick Joyce (@PJoyce29)
Risers:
1. Bryce Jarvis RHP | Amarillo Sod Poodles (AA)
24-Years-Old | Bats: L | Throws: R | 6’2″ | 195 lbs | ETA: 2023
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Control | Role |
| 60 | 50 | 50 | 60 | 50 | 5 |
| IP | G | GS | ERA | WHIP | K% | BB% | HR/9 |
| 75.1 | 16 | 16 | 4.42 | 1.23 | 28.3% | 9.5% | 1.43 |
| SwStr% | xFIP | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| 13.9% | 4.21 | 39.2% | 24.2% | 36.6% | 36.8% | 29.0% | 34.2% |
Scouting Report:
Bryce Jarvis is a workhorse type pitcher who works quickly on the mound. He’s got a mid-90s fastball that plays up a tick due the life and spin on the pitch. While his breaking stuff is only average, what separates Jarvis is his changeup, which is another plus offering, as it just dies once it reaches the plate. With his ability to throw hitters off-balance, he’s going to generate a lot of weak contact and could put up close to 200 strikeouts or more every season.
Written By: Austin Farmer (@AustinF0421)
2. AJ Vukovich 3B | Hillsboro Hops (A+)
20-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’5″ | 210 lbs. | ETA: 2024
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 40 | 50 | 50 | 40 | 55 | 4 |
| AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | SB | CS | K% | BB% |
| .272 | .320 | .446 | .776 | 13 | 16 | 4 | 26.3% | 5.5% |
| ISO | wRC+ | SwStr% | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| .174 | 99 | 13.4% | 45.0% | 25.2% | 29.8% | 45.3% | 22.1% | 32.6% |
Scouting Report:
He is capable of becoming an average fielder at third base thanks to his arm strength, footwork, and quick transfer skill sets. Although, it is the bat that will determine his future role with the Diamondbacks, and the organization should be excited about the power potential he possesses. The only cons that are preventing Vukovich from unlocking his true potential as a hitter is the low number of walks, high strikeout totals, and a high ground ball percentage versus a low flyball percentage. So, in order for Vukovich to unlock his potential, he will need to work on his over-aggressiveness at the plate, which is resulting in him not reaching base enough. Also, he will need to make some changes to his swing to hit the ball in the air more, where his power potential will become more evident. There is still time for Vukovich to make the necessary adjustments to succeed, and he looks like a player that could provide some future offensive value at hitter-friendly Chase Field.
Written By: Patrick Joyce (@PJoyce29)
3. Deyvison De Los Santos 3B | Visalia Rawhide (A)
18-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’1″ | 185 lbs. | ETA: 2025
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 45 | 60 | 50 | 35 | 50 | 55 |
| AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | SB | CS | K% | BB% |
| .295 | .370 | .489 | .859 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 26.3% | 10.2% |
| ISO | wRC+ | SwStr% | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| .194 | 124 | 20.5% | 56.7% | 13.3% | 30.0% | 35.8% | 26.4% | 37.7% |
Scouting Report:
De Los Santos signed for $200,000 out of Dominican Republic in 2019. You want to talk about a raw prospect with loads of potential De Los Santos should be in the conversation. De Los Santos started his career on a good note having a .370 OBP and eight home runs in 255 plate appearances. He has a high leg kick for a load and a quick compact swing that’ll help his raw power develops quicker going forward. I think that De Los Santos will have a below average hit tool but his ability to hit for power to all fields will make him have plus power potential going forward. The ball jumps off his bat and he makes consistently hard contact. De Los Santos is one of the more interesting prospects in this system, his raw but loud tools speaking volume of him as a prospect and Diamondbacks should get familiar with this solid young infielder.
Written By: Drake Mann (@drakemann4)
4. Wilderd Patino OF | Visalia Rawhide (A)
20-Years Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’1″ | 175 lbs. | ETA: 2025
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 55 | 50 | 55 | 60 | 50 | 5 |
| AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | SB | CS | K% | BB% |
| .218 | .386 | .306 | .592 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 35.8% | 3.1% |
| ISO | wRC+ | SwStr% | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| .088 | 61 | 21.7% | 42.2% | 18.1% | 39.8% | 50.0% | 25.6% | 24.4% |
Scouting Report:
Patino is somewhat of a forgotten prospect in this Diamondbacks system. He’s always been a highly touted prospect but injuries have limited his game time. Overall, when healthy Patino is one of the most fun players to watch in the Diamondbacks system. He’s plus speed, an above-average contact tool, and some raw power in the tank. I have made a claim that Patino has a shot at being one of the best outfielders in this system and to this day I fully believe he can evolve into one of the top players in this system and make some noise in 2022 and beyond.
Written By: Drake Mann (@drakemann4)
5. Brandon Pfaadt RHP | Amarillo Sod Poodles (AA) |
23 Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’4″ | 220 lbs. | ETA: 2023
| FB | CB | CH | SL | Control | Role |
| 60 | 50 | 45 | 60 | 55 | 5 |
| IP | G | GS | ERA | WHIP | K% | BB% | HR/9 |
| 131.2 | 22 | 22 | 3.21 | 1.01 | 30.2% | 5.3% | 1.50 |
| SwStr% | xFIP | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| 15.7% | 3.99 | 38.3% | 18.2% | 43.5% | 39.1% | 29.0% | 31.9% |
Scouting Report:
Pfaadt was the Diamondbacks 5th round pick in the 2020 draft. The Diamondbacks might’ve gotten a steal after signing Pfaadt for only $100,000. He proved he has the ability to be among the fastest rising prospects in the system as he advanced three levels and debuted in Double-A. The 23-year-old had an amazing 2021 season as he displayed a 3.21 ERA and a 30.2% strikeout rate. Pfaadt throws from a high three-quarters arm slot and has a fastball that sits 94-95 mph, touching 97 mph, with massive arm side run. His best secondary is a slider in the mid-80’s with good vertical bite and will get plenty of swing and miss. His high-70’s curveball has good late bite and pairs well with his fastball due to it’s lower velocity. His changeup has some fade and has average potential but isn’t as promising as his other secondary offerings. All in all, Pfaadt will need to limit the home run ball as he gave up 22 home runs in 131.2 innings and while he has good control he lacks consistent command and his secondary pitches have a slight tendency to hang. However, if he’s able to sure up his command on his pitches, he’s going to be a solid get for the Diamondbacks in the future.
Written By: Drake Mann (@drakemann4)
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