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**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! Some player highlights, future outlooks and more enjoy!**
| Rank | Player | Position | How Acquired |
| 1 | Jordan Lawlar | SS | 2021 Draft: 1st Round – 6th Overall |
| 2 | Tommy Troy | 2B | 2023 Draft: 1st Round – 12th Overall |
| 3 | Druw Jones | OF | 2022 Draft: 1st Round – 2nd Overall |
| 4 | Yu-Min Lin | LHP | International Signing 2021 |
| 5 | Ivan Melendez | 1B | 2nd Round – 2022 Draft |
| 6 | Gino Groover | 3B | 2nd Round – 2023 Draft |
| 7 | Cristofer Torin | SS | International Signing 2022 |
| 8 | Dylan Ray | RHP | 4th Round – 2022 Draft |
| 9 | Jack Hurley | OF | 3rd Round – 2023 Draft |
| 10 | AJ Vukovich | 3B | 4th Round – 2020 Draft |
| Risers | |||
| 1 | Cristian Cerda | C | Trade With Rays |
| 2 | Jansel Luis | 2B | International Signing 2022 |
| 3 | Ruben Santana | 3B | International Signing 2023 |
| 4 | Kevin Sim | 3B | 5th Round – 2023 Draft |
| 5 | Grayson Hitt | LHP | 4th Round – 2023 Draft |
1. Jordan Lawlar SS | Reno Aces (AAA)
21-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’1″ | 190 lbs. | ETA: 2024
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 60 | 55 | 55 | 60 | 55 | 6 |
Lawlar made his big league debut in 2023 and struggled on both sides of the ball. He whiffed over 32% of the time in his debut and had some defensive mishaps as well. He’s still got a high ceiling that should see him hit for a good average while showing decent power, and should keep up at short as he adjusts to big-league competition.
2. Tommy Troy 2B | Hillsboro Hops (A+)
21-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 5’10” | 197 lbs. | ETA: 2026
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 6 |
Troy has looked good so far for the Diamondbacks and there’s much less risk with him than Druw Jones. Plus, when you factor in the exceptional raw power in Troy’s bat, his bat should translate easier once he starts maturing more and advancing higher and higher in the Diamondbacks system. The possible future up the middle combo is showcased in our first two spots of this top ten and these two have the potential of being a fun double play combo for 2024 and beyond.
3. Druw Jones OF | Visalia Rawhide (A)
19-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’4″ | 180 lbs. | ETA: 2027
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 50 | 55 | 70 | 70 | 60 | 6 |
Jones spent a lot of the 2023 season hurt and struggled adjusting to pro pitching in his pro debut. He showed chase tendencies before he got hurt, but hit the ball hard when he did connect. Defensively, Jones looked like he lived up to the hype in center making amazing grabs and showing excellent reads. It looks like there’s a lot of risk with his bat right now, so it could take some extra for him to figure it out.
4. Yu-Min Lin LHP | Amarillo Sod Poodles (AA)
20-Years-Old | Bats: L | Throws: L | 5’11” | 160 lbs. | ETA: 2025
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Control | Role |
| 45 | 55 | 60 | 60 | 55 | 6 |
Lin has burst onto the scene after being signed in 2021 and now the 20-Year-Old has advanced as far as Double-A. While his fastball velocity is underwhelming (88-91) the part of Min’s game to love is the deceptiveness in his delivery and his secondaries. His sweeper is arguable his best pitch and is one that’ll get plenty of swings-and-misses as he advances throughout the minors. In the end, he looks like the real deal. He’s showing good swing-and-miss numbers while also being a big time rising pitcher in the dbacks system.
5. Ivan Melendez 1B | Amarillo Sod Poodles (AA)
23-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’3″ | 225 lbs. | ETA: 2025
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 45 | 60 | 50 | 40 | 50 | 5 |
Melendez showed incredible raw power at Texas that earned him the nickname The Hispanic Titanic. It appears as though it’s starting to transfer over into the pro side of development, but it’s still a power first bat. Defensively, he’s nothing special so his power will be what carries him.
6. Gino Groover 3B | Hillsboro Hops (A+)
21-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’2″ | 210 lbs. | ETA: 2026
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 60 | 45 | 55 | 40 | 50 | 5 |
Gino Groover had a track record of success at North Carolina State that helped get him picked by the Diamondbacks in the second round of the 2023 draft. He’s got a promising hit tool that helped him reach High-A after signing. If all goes right, Groover could start the 2024 season in High-A and get promoted to Double-A at some point.
7. Cristofer Torin SS | Visalia Rawhide (A)
18-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 5’10” | 155 lbs. | ETA: 2027
| Hit | PWR | FLD | Arm | SPD | Role |
| 55 | 45 | 50 | 55 | 55 | 5 |
Torin is one of the more exciting players on this list. He was talked about in a previous article written on Prospects Worldwide called “2023 Top 20 Arizona Complex League Hitters“. Love the combination of hit and speed, and in the end, he could end up being not only a top five prospect in the Diamondbacks system but also a top 100 prospect in all of baseball.
8. Dylan Ray RHP | Amarillo Sod Poodles (AA)
22-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’3″ | 230 lbs. | ETA: 2025
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Control | Role |
| 50 | 45 | 50 | 55 | 50 | 6 |
Ray was the Diamondbacks 4th round pick, and he’s been an underrated arm for the Diamondbacks since being drafted. Ray possesses a fastball that sits low-to-mid 90’s and a changeup that’s around 6-10 MPH slower than his fastball. It also possesses the same arm side run as his fastball. His only below-average is his curveball, that is loopy and is left up in the zone regularly. If he can get his command in check, he could hit his ceiling as a back of the rotation arm. In the end, Dylan Ray could end up finding himself in the same spot as Brandon Pfaadt. A pitching prospect with pretty good stuff who ends up rising into a legitimate starting pitcher for the Diamondbacks.
9. Jack Hurley OF | Hillsboro Hops (A+)
20-Years-Old | Bats: R | 5’11” | 185 lbs. | ETA: 2026
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 50 | 55 | 50 | 55 | 55 | 5 |
Hurley looks like a solid addition to this Diamondbacks system, he’s displayed a good ability to hit for power and provide speed while playing a good outfield so far. He’s advanced quickly after being selected in the 3rd round in 2023. This is one name that could storm through this system and cement himself as a solid player with the tools he posses.
10. A.J. Vukovich 3B | Amarillo Sod Poodles (AA)
22-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’2″ | 210 lbs. | ETA: 2024
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 50 | 55 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 5 |
Vukovich has been one of the more consistent bats at each level of the minors for the Diamondbacks. He finds the barrel consistently and hits the ball hard showing some impressive power potential. Overall, he will be a free-swinging prospect and won’t make an impact with a high on-base percentage, but the mixture of power and some speed is certainly intriguing.
Here’s the full video below!
Risers:
1. Christian Cerda C | Hillsboro Hops (A+)
21-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’0″ | 190 lbs.
2. Jansel Luis 2B | Visalia Rawhide (A)
19-Years-Old | Bats: S | Throws: R | 6’0″ | 170 lbs.
3. Ruben Santana 3B | ACL D-Backs Red (ROK)
18-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’0″ | 190 lbs.
4. Kevin Sim 3B | Visalia Rawhide (A)
21-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’2″ | 210 lbs.
5. Grayson Hitt LHP | ACL D-Backs Black (ROK)
22-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: L | 6’3″ | 210 lbs.
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