Life On The Farm: Arizona Diamondbacks (# 26)

A bad season in the majors, did it translate through the minors?


Graduated To Majors: Gerardo Parra (OF, # 2), Trent Oeltjen (OF, UR), Rusty Ryal (2B, UR), Josh Whitesell (1B, # 19), Billy Buckner (SP, # 8), Esmerling Vasquez (RP, UR), Leo Rosales (RP, UR), Daniel Schelereth (RP, # 3), Clay Zavada (RP, # 23)


The Rest Of The Top 10 (with quick commentary)
Hitters: BA-OBP-SLG, AB, HR-RBI, BB-K, SB-CS
Pitchers: G-GS, W-L, ERA, IP-H-HR-BB-K


1 - Jarrod Parker: SP
Hi A: 4-4, 1-0, 0.95, 19-12-0-4-21
AA: 16-16, 4-6, 3.68, 78.1-82-2-34-74
Quick Take: Did nothing to diminish his star, but it may be diminishing anyways. He was shut down with elbow soreness in August, never a good sign.


4 - Mark Hallberg: SS
AA: .255-.323.-.321, 455, 2-42, 39-43, 14-4
Quick Take: Ouch. For a guy who most don't think will stay at SS and whose only plus tool is his bat, he is in desparate need of a bounce back season.


5 - Wade Miley: SP
Lo A: 21-21, 5-9, 4.12, 113.2-127-8-29-91
Hi A: 3-3, 1-1, 4.80, 15-18-0-4-11
Quick Take: Solid, unspectacular debut to full season ball. Solid numbers for a left hander and will likely be at Hi A next season.


6 - Kevin Eichhorn: SP
R: 10-0, 0-2, 3.38, 16-13-1-9-25
Quick Take: Young high school draftee from last season put up some solid numbers at rookie ball and looks to debut in full season next year.


7 - Cesar Valdez: SP
AAA: 19-18, 7-6, 4.78, 96-103-16-30-60
Quick Take: Lack of strikeouts really hurts in the PCL and looks to be someone who should be auditioning for a job with the big club. Lack of strikeouts a concern.


9 - Collin Cowgill: LF
Hi A: .277-.373-.445, 220, 6-36, 29-49, 11-4
Quick Take: Decent season, but lack of a real plus tool offensively looks like a 4th OF.


10 - Reynaldo Navarro: SS
Lo A: .262-.308-.339, 451, 0-46, 27-85, 12-4
Quick Take: Lack of plate discipline and power are a huge question mark for this 19 year old, though he is just that, 19.

AAA: Reno Aces (PCL)
Breakout Hitter: John Hester (UL): .329-.376-.537, 9-66, 22-64, 13-3
Disappointing Hitter: None (Reno had pretty good offensive season)
Breakout Pitcher: Leo Rosales (UR): 17-0, 2-1, 1.40, 19.1-12-1-8-12
Disappointing Pitcher: Hector Ambriz (UR): 23-22, 9-9, 5.57, 127.2-164-12-40-103
Quick Take: Hester came out of nowhere to put up that season and make his big league debut. Rosales appeared to take steps towards being a reliable middle reliever, while Ambriz struggled amongst a former who's who of D'Back prospects who had some difficulty at Reno.

AA: Mobile BayBears (SL)
Breakout Hitter: Gerardo Parra (# 2); .361-.469-.491, 108, 3-12, 22-13, 7-4
Disappointing Hitter: James Skelton (# 27): .182-.341-.238, 214, 0-16, 52-40, 9-3
Breakout Pitcher: Bryan Augenstein (UL): 9-9, 5-0, 0.99, 45.2-27-0-8-36
Disappointing Pitcher: Matt Torra (UR): 28-28, 10-13, 4.00, 180-193-24-28-116
Quick Take: Parra and Augenstein translated strong opening months into a big league appearance. Skelton cost the team Brooks Brown (# 28) and proceeded to walk and not hit. Torra, a former 1st round pick, showed good raw numbers, but his peripherals are not indicative of major league success.

Hi A: Visalia Rawhide (Seriously, Rawhide?) (CL)
Breakout Hitter: Konrad Schmidt (UL): .304-.359-.443, 411, 9-50, 30-75, 0-3
Disappointing Hitter: Ed Easley (# 29): .225-.322-.302, 378, 3-38, 48-86, 0-1
Breakout Pitcher: Leyson Septimo (# 26): 26-0, 2-1, 3.52, 38.1-29-1-26-44
Disappointing Pitcher: Trevor Harden (# 13): 17-17, 2-9, 4.43, 91.1-114-11-23-63
Quick Take: Schmidt is a 24 year old catcher, so don't read too much into his performance. Easley has disappointed since being a supplemental 1st rounder. Septimo worked a strong first half into a Futures Game appearance and a promotion to AA, where he was hammered. Harden didn't pitch like a future major leaguer.

Lo A: South Bend Silver Hawks (ML)
Breakout Hitter: Brendan Duffy (UL): .308-.414-.393, 201, 0-15, 25-42, 17-8
Disappointing Hitter: Isaias Asencio (# 24): .211-.266-.340, 332, 5-32, 17-101, 6-3
Breakout Pitcher: Ryan Cook (UL): 25-25, 11-11, 3.66, 142.2-140-5-44-103
Disappointing Pitcher: Brett Moorhouse (UR): 25-25, 5-14, 4.52, 131.1-148-9-42-84
Quick Take: Duffy parlayed his work into a 2nd half promotion to Hi A, where he was solid. Asencio looked like a raw OF getting his first experience in full season ball. Cook was solid and this was the best pitching performance. Moorhouse struggled to generate swings and misses.

TK's Early 2010 Top 10 Prospects:
1) Jarrod Parker: SP
The only real beacon of hope for an impact player right now, one of the better prospects in baseball, if the arm checks out.
2) Robert Borchering: 3B
One of the top prep hitters available, the 1st round pick struggled a little in his debut (.241 at R)
3) A.J. Pollock: CF
The other 1st rounder hit .271-.319-.376 in 255 at bats at Low A.
4) Barry Enright: SP
Ranked 11th a year ago, one of the few that didn't hit many snags (10-9, 3.98 in 27 starts at AA)
5) Wade Miley: SP
Still left handed and the numbers were solid.
6) Kevin Eichhorn: SP
Strong numbers at rookie ball, can he continue those strikeout numbers?
7) Mike Belfiore: SP
Lefty supplemental pick struck out 55 in 58 innings at Rookie ball.
8) Marc Krauss: LF
2nd rounder hit .304-.377-.478 in 115 at bats at Lo A.
9) Pedro Ciriaco: SS
Hit .296-.319-367 in AA with 38 stolen bases in 469 at bats.
10) Ollie Linton: CF
Hit .295-.394-.399 at Hi A in 491 at bats with 28 steals and 104 strikeouts (but 65 walks). Can he work past his 5-8 size?

Dropped From Top 10: Hallberg (# 4), Valdez (# 7), Cowgill (# 9)

Final Overview: Wow. Once known as one of the best systems in baseball, a rash of defections has led to a watered down version featuring one true high upside player in Parker minus the 2009 draftees. Having 5 1st rounders (2 1st, 3 supplemental) has allowed them to attempt to restock the system. However, the fact so many have now qualified in the D'Backs Top 10 I have put together is a bad sign. I believe this is currently the worst farm system in the majors.