Arizona Diamondbacks
NL West
2024 record: 89-73 (3rd)
MiLB affiliates
Triple-A: Reno Aces
Double-A: Amarillo Sod Poodles
High-A: Hillsboro Hops
Single-A: Visalia Rawhide
Notable prospects graduated in 2024
OF Dominic Fletcher
RHP Justin Martinez
Prospects1500 writers who contributed to this column and rankings: Tony Bps (@tonybps1), Greg Bracken (@gregbracken07), Clint Fasse (@ProspectLarceny), Adam Greene (@aj_greene1015), Scott Greene (@Scotty_Ballgame), Shaun Kernahan (@ShaunKernahan), Jeremy Mahy (@JMahyfam), and J.W. Mulpas (@BBoxscore). The writer’s Twitter handle follows each player write-up or paragraph.
Prospects1500 Tiers:
Tier 1: Players with high expectations of both making the majors and playing at an All-Star level for a number of years
Tier 2: Players with an above-average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 3: Players with an average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 4: Players who have the potential to make the majors; possible sleeper candidates for sustained MLB success
Tier 5: Players of interest, worth keeping an eye on, who may make (or have made) the majors but provide minimal impact
Levels listed for each player are the highest levels player reached in 2024
Tier 1
1. Jordan Lawlar, SS, 22, Triple-A
2024 was not the year anyone had hoped for with Lawlar. He missed the beginning of the season recovering from thumb surgery then back-to-back hamstring injuries further stifled his return. A lost year is not ideal for his development but hopefully a healthy offseason and spring will get him back on track. I don’t think the former sixth overall pick will be a superstar, but the tools are there for a .260-.270 hitter with 15-20 homeruns and 30 stolen bases. (@JMahyfam)
Tier 2
2. Tommy Troy, SS, 23, High-A
Troy is another former first round pick that was slowed by injury to start the 2024 season. He was able to get on the field in June and the results were just okay. In 251 at-bats at High-A, he slashed .227/.319/.347 with 5 homeruns and 16 stolen bases. He had a 47% groundball rate and struggled with off-speed pitches but did post a 10% walk rate. It was a smaller sample size, and he was coming off injury, but it bears watching. (@JMahyfam)
Tier 3
3. Yilber Diaz, RHP, 24, MLB
Diaz has made steady progress in developing his pitching repertoire over the past few seasons, and that was fully showcased in 2024. Although he had almost identical strikeout numbers over the last two seasons, he has significantly improved his command and limited hard contact. With three plus pitches (fastball, curveball, slider), Diaz had two brief stints in MLB; he is almost certainly going to spend more time with the Major League team in 2025. (@aj_greene1015)
4. Jansel Luis, SS/2B, 19, Single-A
For a 19-year-old switch-hitter from the Dominican Republic, Luis has one of the more advanced hit-tools for any prospect his age. In 109 games with Single-A Visalia, he recorded 48 extra-base hits and still appears to have the potential to tap into more power. His defense at shortstop was solid enough that the organization can hold off on shifting him to second base full time. Having now been stateside for over a year and a half, Luis will need to prove his ability to consistently get on base and provide consistent offensive production at the higher levels of MiLB this year. (@aj_greene1015)
5. Slade Caldwell, OF, 18, High school
Caldwell will not be confused for a power player as the raw pop in the bat and the arm strength are both below average, but the rest of the tools jump off the page. He has a quick bat to the zone and a good eye allowing him to spray liners all over the field and takes a fair share of walks. Once on the bases his best tool, the speed, really plays as he is can steal plenty of bags and takes the extra base often with an aggressive approach. He also features plenty of range and quality reads in the outfield giving him plus potential as a defender in center. (@ShaunKernahan)
6. Demetrio Crisantes, 2B/3B, 20, Single-A
Crisantes has been one of the fastest risers in dynasty rankings this offseason, and appears to be one of the most added prospects in deep leagues. The 20-year-old, who was drafted in 2022 (7th round), is coming off an excellent season split between Rookie/Single-A where he slashed .341/.429/.492 with 23 doubles, 6 triples, 7 home runs, 60 RBI and 30 SB. The versatile infielder can play 2B, 3B and 1B. It will be interesting to see if Arizona keeps him in Visalia to start 2025, or challenges him a bit more at High-A Hillsboro. (@Scotty_Ballgame)
7. Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, 22, Single-A
There is an unfortunate long list of injuries in Waldschmidt’s history that saw him play as much DH as anything else in high school and college. The defensive position leaves some questions although he does have solid range in the outfield, there is still some rawness in his routes and the arm isn’t great. At the plate he is incredibly polished though and he regularly puts up big exit velos. The Arizona organization has a ton of depth with young, quality defensive outfielders, so there is a small chance he ends up at first long term. (@ShaunKernahan)
8. Gino Groover, 3B/2B, 22, Double-A
Groover had a strong showing in his first full season in the minors last year. His best asset is his bat; hitting .281 with 10 home runs across three levels. What stands out is his elite plate discipline – an 11.4% walk rate and a 13.6% strikeout rate. He carried this momentum into the Arizona Fall League, hitting an impressive .339 with a .413 OBP over 18 games. The only question mark offensively is his home run output. With improved power, Groover could become a valuable four-category fantasy contributor (excluding stolen bases). Defensively, he remains a work in progress, and although defense isn’t a factor in fantasy, it could affect his playing time and positioning in the majors. His hitting appears close to MLB-ready, but his glove work will determine his ETA. (@BBoxscore)
9. Adrian Del Castillo, C, 25, MLB
Somewhat of a fantasy/dynasty surprise in 2024, Del Castillo was a solid contributor with his 25 games, 80 at bats, and a .313 AVG, .525 SLG and .893 OPS in his MLB debut. He’s still prospect-eligible in many leagues that use the 130 AB threshold. With Gabriel Moreno returning to be the likely starting backstop in Arizona, Del Castillo probably goes back to Triple-A Reno to begin this season, but with Jose Herrera the only other catcher ahead of him, it shouldn’t be long before we see him back in the Majors and contributing to fantasy rosters again. (@Scotty_Ballgame)
10. Druw Jones, OF, 21, Single-A
Jones remains an intriguing dynasty prospect, although he carries significant, well-documented risk. The son of MLB legend Andruw Jones, he possesses elite tools, boasting 70-grade speed and defense according to MLB.com. His 2024 Single-A performance (.275 AVG, 21 SB, .813 OPS) offered a glimpse of his potential. However, concerns linger regarding his injury history and questionable batting mechanics. At just 21 years old, Jones is still a prospect dynasty owners should continue to stash, hoping he develops into an everyday major league contributor, but patience is key. He’s still a work in progress. (@BBoxscore)
Tier 4
11. Cristofer Torin, SS, 19, Single-A
12. Cristian Mena, RHP, 22, MLB
13. Yu-Min Lin, LHP, 21, Triple-A
14. JD Dix, SS, 19, High school
15. Yassel Soler, 3B, 19, Single-A
16. Adriel Radney, OF, 17, Rookie (DSL)
17. Ivan Melendez, 3B/1B, 25, Double-A
18. Jorge Barrosa, OF, 23, MLB
19. Dylan Ray, RHP, 23, Double-A
20. Spencer Giesting, LHP, 23, Double-A
Torin is a solid contact hitter who can get on base but has little power. Mena struggled last season but still has the potential to be a solid starter in the majors. Lin has the potential to be a mid-rotation starter as he develops. He could potentially see time in the majors later this season. Dix is a good hit, average power middle infielder. Soler has a good approach at the plate with some developing power. Melendez has great power and if he can improve his contact a little bit more, he could be a solid major leaguer. Barrosa looks like a backup outfielder with some pop. (@tonybps1)
Tier 5
21. Jack Hurley, OF, 22, High-A
22. Gavin Conticello, OF, 21, Double-A
23. Abdias de la Cruz, OF, 20, Rookie (ACL)
24. Kristian Robinson, OF, 24, Double-A
25. Caden Grice, LHP, 22, Single-A
26. Roman Angelo, RHP, 24, High-A
27. A.J. Vukovich, OF, 23, Triple-A
28. Alberto Barriga, C, 20, Single-A
29. Christian Cerda, C, 22, Double-A
30. Daniel Eagen, RHP, 22, College
31. Ruben Santana, 3B, 19, Single-A
32. Kyle Amendt, RHP, 24, Triple-A
33. Yordin Chalas, RHP, 20, High-A
34. Pedro Catuy, OF, 18, Rookie (DSL)
35. Connor Foley, RHP, 21, College
36. Luke Albright, RHP, 25, Double-A
37. Belfi Rivera, OF, 18, Rookie (DSL)
38. Ivan Luciano, C, 19, High school
39. Blake Walston, LHP, 23, MLB
40. Joe Elbis, RHP, 22, Double-A
41. Grayson Hitt, LHP, 23, Rookie (ACL)
42. Tytus Cissell, SS, 18, High school
43. Jose Cabrera, RHP, 22, High-A
44. Gian Zapata, OF, 19, Rookie (ACL)
45. Ricardo Yan, RHP, 22, High-A
46. Landon Sims, RHP, 24, High-A
47. Kenny Castillo, C, 20, Single-A
48. Will Mabrey, LHP, 24, Double-A
49. J.J. D’Orazio, C, 23, Double-A
50. Jose Fernandez, 3B, 21, Double-A
Giesting put up good numbers last season and should be a solid starter or an effective reliever in the majors. Conticello has good power and some surprising speed for a big man. Barriga has the tools to be a solid catcher in the majors as he matures. Cerda has the makings of a backup catcher in the majors. Eagen was the team’s 3rd round draft pick last summer and could be a serviceable starter in the majors. Walston has been inconsistent on the mound but could still develop into an MLB starter. (@tonybps1)
Adam Greene is a student UMass Amherst's Isenberg School of Management. He currently writes for the Cape Cod Baseball League and UMass Athletics. From Longmeadow, MA, Adam is a huge Red Sox fan and has been following the team his whole life and he's spent the last few years covering their farm system. Follow him on Twitter at @aj_greene1015 and Instagram at the same handle.
President of Prospects1500. Founder of Diamond Duos dynasty fantasy baseball leagues and the MLB Fantasy Playoffs Parlay. Participant and champion in several dynasty/fantasy baseball and football leagues. Sales Manager for Reminder Publishing by day. Huge Bruce Springsteen and pro wrestling fan. Along with his wife and two boys, lives in Longmeadow, MA. Follow on Twitter at @Scotty_Ballgame.
Shaun Kernahan is the MLB Draft correspondent for Prospects1500. When not at a game, chances are the TV and/or tablet has a game on and he has a notepad out taking notes. When not scouting draft prospects, he is the Director of Baseball Operations for the Mile High Collegiate Baseball League, a collegiate wood bat league in Colorado. Shaun can be found on Twitter at @ShaunKernahan.
J.W. resides in Northeast Ohio and is a lifelong Cleveland sports fan. His favorite baseball player of all-time is 2018 Hall of Fame inductee, Jim Thome. He enjoys playing Fantasy Baseball, especially dynasty leagues. He has been a contributor to Prospects1500 since January 2025. You can follow J.W. on X at @BBoxscore.
Jeremy covers the St Louis organization and contributes on Prospects of the Week for Prospects1500. Born and raised in the Midwest, he is a lifelong fan of the Birds on the Bat. You can follow him on Twitter @JMahyfam for more baseball content.
"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too." -Yogi Berra
Tony Bps Spina is a lifelong baseball fan hailing from the City of Brotherly Love - Philadelphia! Tony has loved baseball since 1980 and has followed the Phillies through good and bad times. Tony is married with 3 kids and works for a financial institution but has enough free time to play in 20 fantasy baseball leagues with 75% of them being Dynasty Leagues. He lives a few blocks away from Citizens Bank Park and attends many Phillies games per year in addition to their minor league teams in Lehigh Valley and Reading. He can be reached on Twitter at @TonyBps1.
Greg covers the Toronto Blue Jays organization for Prospects1500. Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, a long-suffering fan of both the Blue Jays and the Toronto Maple Leafs. For more than 15 years now a participant/commish in many dynasty baseball leagues, all with extremely deep minor league rosters. Follow on X @gregbracken07.
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