Diamondbacks in the Second Week of the Arizona Fall League

In two weeks in the Fall League, Lawlar backed up his No. 2 rank in the organization and No. 12 prospect overall according to MLB Pipeline. He's currently hitting .333/.500/.667 with four extra base hits, two home runs, and three stolen bases in eight games. His line drive approach at the plate has been successful, as he's spraying line drives into the outfield for hits. Only one of the six hits he got this week, was not crisply hit. I still have questions about his skill level on defense, although I don't think it's that much of a concern. While he doesn't have a howitzer for an arm at short like O'Neill Cruz or a lightning-quick transfer like Nick Ahmed, he has enough tools to stick at shortstop. 

Lawlar is the type of prospect that is must-watch for D-backs fans, as it only costs $10 for a Fall League ticket. 

Deyvison De Los Santos

4 G, 2-10, 2B, 2 BB, 6 SO

De Los Santos has been disappointing in the Fall League so far, as teams have exploited his approach. One thing I've noticed is opposing pitchers have attacked him with a steady diet of breaking balls along with fastballs he can't really drive. That has messed up his approach, leading to some ugly swings and weak contact. He'll need to make his own adjustments to counter to how the league is attacking him at the plate, as this information will trickle into the minor leagues next season.

On his start on Tuesday, De Los Santos got plenty of reps at third but had an inconsistent day overall. I still project him to more likely end up as a first baseman or designated hitter in Arizona, but the final position won't likely matter if he has exploitable holes in his swing and approach. He'll need to capitalize on the one or two hittable pitches he gets in an at-bat, as that's also been an issue in the fall league so far.

Cooper Hummel

2 G, 2-2, 2B, BB, SB

Hummel has gotten a pair of starts, but has only gotten three plate appearances. To no surprise, he's putting up solid numbers in the fall league given it's a step down in competition to what he was facing in Triple-A and the big leagues. He has consistently been getting the barrel on the ball, with exit velocities north of 100 MPH, but isn't exactly driving the ball into the gaps for extra base hits either.

His defense behind the plate has been a mixed bag, which has been the main reason to get him back in the fall league. He moves well behind the plate, but can get lazy with his blocks. 

Justin Martinez

2 G, 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 BB, 3 SO

Martinez was recently added to the Salt River roster this week and the first thing that jumps out is the velocity. His fastball sits 97-100 MPH, with a high spin rate and a vertical movement profile. That allows him to generate some whiffs at the top of the strike zone, where he can overpower the hitter.

In his outing at Chase Field, where the pitch tracking is much more detailed, here is how his fastball looked.

With an overpowering fastball, he doesn't need great secondary stuff to be effective but just need to avoid the hittable parts of the strike zone to have success with them. He got a swing and miss on an 82 MPH slider way out of the zone due to being able to throw upper 90s in the strike zone. 

With the need to improve the bullpen, especially when it comes to both velocity and strikeouts, Martinez seems like a solid internal candidate for the future. He's not quite ready to be given important innings, but should be an early season call-up candidate if he pitches well in Amarillo or Reno. 

Kyle Backhus

2 G, 2.2 IP, 1 BB, 4 SO

Backhus came on strong this week, pitching a pair of scoreless outings for the Rafters. He did allow one inherited runner to score in his outing on Wednesday, in which he pitched 1.2 innings without allowing a hit or a walk. On Saturday at Chase Field, Backhus completed a scoreless seventh inning with a walk and two strikeouts for a save. 

His sinker sat in the upper 80s and topped out at 92 MPH with a slider in the mid 70s. Combine that with a near-sidearm angle, it's a tough mix to pick up. Backhus could be a potential matchup lefty in the D-backs bullpen. 

Chad Patrick

1 GS, 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 2 HBP, 1 K

Patrick made his second start on Thursday and took a no-decision when the Rafters rallied from down 6-0 to win 7-6. His 4-seamer was 91-94 and his main secondary is a mid 80s slider. His overall repertoire isn't overpowering, so having pinpoint command will be necessary for him to stick as a starter. He has a solid track record of throwing enough strikes between Visalia and Hillsboro in 2022, so he should still be on the starter track in 2023.

Patrick is the type of pitcher who may be a reliever conversion candidate down the road. Any jump in velocity on both the fastball and slider could make him an intriguing middle inning bullpen arm. Given that he missed three months in the 2022 season, that path seems likely.

Jackson Goddard

2 G, 2.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 3 K

Goddard has had a very tough time pitching in the fall league, as he's been scored on in all four of his outings. While he's done a better job of limiting the damage in the second week, it's still a discouraging sign for a pitcher who might be fighting to stay in the organization. 

Goddard was 92-94 with the 4-Seam Fastball, with a curveball and a changeup. The velocity isn't particularly strong, which has gotten him lit up when throwing the ball over the heart of the plate. His best shot of making it to Arizona is by being a successful reliever between Amarillo and Reno with the stuff that he has.