Diamondbacks spring training: 3 players that have impressed

OF Corbin Carroll

Shocker right?  Corbin Carroll has looked like a 10-year veteran through 7 spring training games.  In 18 at-bats, he has 3 singles, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 2 RBIs, and 7 walks.  I think it is safe to say that Carroll has been stuffing the stat sheet…  

Corbin Carroll was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.  In 32 games with the D-backs in his debut season (2022), Carroll hit 9 doubles, 4 HRs, 14 RBIs, and recorded an OPS of .830.  He also recorded an OAA of 5.  This kid is going to be special, and he is starting to show that he is not only a good hitter but a guy that also possesses a keen eye at the plate.  A rare gift of young ball players…

OF Alek Thomas

The power of the youth.  This young Diamondbacks outfield is special.  In 19 at-bats this spring, Thomas has 3 singles, 2 doubles, 1 triple, and 8 RBIs.  We always knew the ability to get on base was there for Alek, but now he is beginning to show his ability to drive in runs and hit the ball with power…

Thomas was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.  Alek’s debut season was in 2022; In 113 games last season for the D-backs, he hit 17 doubles, 8 HRs, 39 RBIs, and scored 39 times.  He also recorded an OAA of 7 in 2022.  He had a great defensive season last year, but offensively he struggled.  Let’s see if his hot spring bat can carry over into the regular season…

SP Brandon Pfaadt

Granted it has only been 5 innings, but Pfaadt has looked really good.  Through 5 innings Pfaadt has struck out 6, walked 2, and he has given up zero earned runs.  In the 5th round of the 2020 MLB draft, the Diamondbacks selected SP Brandon Pfaadt. In 51 career minor league starts, Pfaadt is 19-14 with a 3.56 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP.  Pfaadt’s best asset is his fastball, sitting around 93-94 he is able to locate it well.  Pfaadt also had the lowest walk rate (4.8 percent) among D-backs full-season qualifiers showing that he has good command of all his pitches.  When you watch Brandon’s delivery, it reminds you a lot of Phillies phenom Aaron Nola…