Nick Piecoro

azcentral sports

A five-man panel of rival scouts breaks down the Diamondbacks’ players who appear most likely to secure spots on the Opening Day roster.

Pitchers

RHP Josh Collmenter

Vitals: 6-4, 235

Age: 30

2015: 3.79 ERA, 121 innings

Scout’s take: “What I’m seeing this spring is a little concerning. But hopefully it’s just one of those spring training things that players go through and he’ll be able to get the velocity up and have a little more action on the cutter. I’m not saying he can’t have success at 82 mph but he’s going to have to more action on it.”

RHP Zack Greinke

Vitals: 6-2, 195

Age: 32

2015: 1.66 ERA, 222 2/3 innings

Scout’s take: “He matches up with any Number 1 that you’re going to play against. He can be the stopper in that regard. His ability to be masterful, if you will, hopefully it rubs off on the younger core, to see what this guy does. It’s not all about strikeouts. It’s not all about lighting the radar gun up. It’s about pitching and being efficient.”

RHP Shelby Miller

Vitals: 6-3, 215

Age: 25

2015: 3.02 ERA 205 1/3 innings

Scout’s take: “He’s got tremendous stuff. He just needs to harness it a little better, become more efficient. He needs to make the pitch when he has to make it. Not overthink the process. I think Mike Butcher is going to do a tremendous job for him. But he’s got to trust a third pitching coach in three years. That’s always a big thing.”

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LHP Patrick Corbin

Vitals: 6-3, 210

Age: 26

2015: 3.60, 85 innings

Scout’s take: “He’s 92-94 mph with a slider that’s hard and biting and will go in on right-handed hitter’s back foot. It’s really good. It’s probably between a 60 or a 70 (on a 20-to-80 scouting scale). He’s thrown (his change-up) here in spring training and it’s really good. That’s three plus pitches. With Greinke, Shelby Miler and Corbin, they have a chance to be one of the best 1-2-3 combinations in the game. They can be really special.”

LHP Robbie Ray

Vitals: 6-2, 195

Age: 24

2015: 3.52 ERA, 127 2/3 innings

Scout’s take: “He sits 93-95 with his fastball. Last year, his slider was his best secondary, but his change-up so far this year has been really good. The thing with him is, can he command it? He has the stuff to be better than a back of the rotation guy.”

RHP Rubby De La Rosa

Vitals: 6-1, 225

Age: 27

2015: 4.67 ERA, 188 2/3 innings

Scout’s take: “He’s got lights-out stuff, but unfortunately he has lapses. He needs to be able to control those lapses. Everyone is going to have them, but if he can control them you’re looking at a guy who could be a legit mid-rotation type guy if not better. Right now he’s a Number 4 or 5 starter, but his stuff is good enough to be a Number 2 or 3 starter on a championship club.”

RHP Daniel Hudson

Vitals: 6-3, 235

Age: 29

2015: 3.86 ERA, 67 2/3 innings

Scout’s take: “My heart goes out to this guy for going through what he went through. He’s always had the stuff to be really special. He had a couple of hiccups last year coming back. But he’s got rhythm and tempo going now. His direction is solid. His stuff can really shut down an offense when he’s on.”

RHP Brad Ziegler

Vitals: 6-4, 220

Age: 36

2015: 1.85 ERA, 68 innings

Scout’s take: “You have to watch him night in and night out to appreciate who he is. We go into our meetings and they say they want a guy who is reliable, trustworthy, gets outs, works fast and throws strikes, but when Brad Ziegler’s name comes up, we forget that’s what he does night in and night out. That’s because he doesn’t do it sexy. It’s not 95 mph.”

RHP Tyler Clippard

Vitals: 6-3, 201

Age: 31

2015: 2.92 ERA, 71 innings

Scout’s take: “He hasn’t looked good this spring, but I don’t worry about him because the back of his bubble gum card is really good. He’s got a lot of weapons to get you out with. He’s got good stuff. He’s a really good setup guy. The issue there is if you use him as a closer; that hasn’t always turned out well. He has plus deception on the fastball and he changes speeds really well. He’s solid.”

RHP Randall Delgado

Vitals: 6-4, 220

Age: 26

2015: 3.25 ERA, 72 innings

Scout’s take: “I think he’s a nice swingman guy to have who can go multiple innings if your starter gets knocked out early. I wouldn’t really trust him late in the game and I wouldn’t want him to be a rotation-type starter. That role for him, I think, is where he belongs. He’s good in that role.”

RHP Jake Barrett

Vitals: 6-3, 220

Age: 24

2015: 4.58 ERA, 53 innings (minors)

Scout’s take: “You talk about a lights-out spring. I saw him last year and liked him a lot, had him as a future setup guy in the big leagues. I still see him as that type. He didn’t have a great year last year, but he still had good stuff last year. It just seems like he’s more confident and more aggressive.”

LHP Andrew Chafin

Vitals: 6-2, 225

Age: 25

2015: 2.76 ERA, 75 innings

Scout’s take: “I like him. He pitches with heart. He’s not afraid. He’ll go after the big boys. Anybody that lives out of a fifth-wheel must have some thick skin. He’s not afraid of the elements. He’s solid for me.”

Position players

C Welington Castillo

Vitals: 5-10, 210

Age: 28

2015: .243 AVG, .782 OPS

Scout’s take: “I like him. I like his bat. I like his catch/throw abilities. I like his low-rider, easygoing approach. It’s not just a one-dimensional player. He can do some real damage with the bat. He has the kind of power to hit 15 to 20 homers easily, especially at Chase Field. Was that his ceiling last year? Maybe. But if he comes down a little from that, that’s still pretty good.”

C Tuffy Gosewisch

Vitals: 5-11, 200

Age: 32

2015: .211 AVG, .542 OPS

Scout’s take: “The bat is always going to be the question with him. He’s more of a catch-and-throw backup type for me. And a good one. You want that in a backup catcher – somebody who can really catch and really throw, handles the pitching staff, the pitchers get along with him, that type of stuff.”

C Chris Herrmann

Vitals: 6-0, 200

Age: 28

2015: .146 AVG, .486 OPS

Scout’s take: “He’s a nice National League piece. He gives you that third-catcher ability, can play some outfield and hit right-handed pitching. He gives you options in far as how you can use him, probably more of a middle-of-the-game pinch hitter, like in the fifth or sixth inning. Nice piece off the bench in terms of his versatility.”

1B Paul Goldschmidt

Vitals: 6-3, 225

Age: 28

2015: .321 AVG, 1.005 OPS

Scout’s take: “I think he’s one of the most underrated players in baseball. I think he’s one of the best players in the game in all facets. He doesn’t have top scale speed but he’s a top scale baserunner. He hits for average, hits for power, he plays plus defense. Playing out west, the games are so late on the East Coast, not everyone gets to see him. He’s tremendous.”

SS/2B Jean Segura

Vitals: 5-10, 205

Age: 26

2015: .257 AVG, .616 OPS

Scout’s take: “He’s always had the ability to hit and now he has to trust the process and get back to how he was when he first came up. He’ll give you some power, certainly gap power and extra bases potentially, and I think he’s a good baserunner. I think he could benefit form a change of scenery.”

3B Jake Lamb

Vitals: 6-3, 205

Age: 25

2015: .263 AVG, .716 OPS

Scout’s take: “I like him. I think he’s a solid-average big-leaguer. From what I’ve seen, he’s feeling the pressure of Brandon Drury a little bit. It’s all about worrying about what’s in front of you and not what’s behind you, in a sense. I just think Lamb has just got to not be too quick to get to the game itself, let the game come to him.”

LF Yasmany Tomas

Vitals: 6-2, 255

Age: 25

2015: .273 AVG, .707 OPS

Scout’s take: “I’m not a fan. What’s weird about him is I thought he’d have more power production. He hit better than I thought he would, but the power wasn’t there. I think he has big raw power, I’ll tell you that, but I want to see him make more adjustments. I still think he’s in the same shape; I don’t think he’s lost any weight. He’s still got huge legs. In left field I think he’s a liability. ”

SS/2B Chris Owings

Vitals: 5-10, 190

Age: 24

2015: .227 AVG, .587 OPS

Scout’s take: “I like Owings. I know he had a down year offensively, maybe it was the shoulder, but I think he still has upside. I think he’ll have a better offensive year this year. He looks better at the plate. I know it’s spring, but he’s showing better plate discipline than he showed last year.”

SS Nick Ahmed

Vitals: 6-2, 195

Age: 26

2015: .226 AVG, .634 OPS

Scout’s take: “Obviously, he can pick it. I think out of all the infielders, he’s the superior, true shortstop. Segura is pretty good, too, but I’d take Ahmed defensively over Segura. The bat was always a question, but he’s been swinging it a little better than I’ve seen in the past. A little more line drive, some more authority. He’s been a little more aggressive.”

IF/OF Phil Gosselin

Vitals: 6-1, 200

Age: 27

2015: .311 AVG, .873 OPS

Scout’s take: “He’s a nice bench player. Can play second, third, left field. He gives them some options to be able to rest guys. But he’s going to be probably a solid guy off the bench later in the ballgame, put together good at-bats. He’s hit more than I expected. It’s not the cleanest swing. But he’s got some feel to be able to barrel the baseball up and it comes off a little better than you’d think. He’s got some sneaky pop.”

OF Socrates Brito

Vitals: 6-1, 200

Age: 23

2015: .303 AVG, .778 OPS

Scout’s take: “The sky’s the limit for this kid. People have made Garret Anderson comparisons a little bit and that’s not a bad call. He’s a good player. In my limited looks, he does a little of everything well. He looks like he belongs. He sort of looks like he’s been around a while.”

RF David Peralta

Vitals: 6-1, 215

Age: 28

2015: .312 AVG, .893 OPS

Scout’s take: “He’s a special player. This guy gives you 100 percent of whatever he’s got in the tank. He’s very efficient in the outfield. He’s become a very good base runner, very good at the plate. It even seems like he’s making some adjustments against left-handed pitching.”

CF A.J. Pollock

Vitals: 6-1, 195

Age: 28

2015: .315 AVG, .865 OPS

Scout’s take: “The fact that the elbow is a reoccurring thing is a little concerning. Is he finally going to have to get shut down? But he’s an All-Star caliber player when he’s on the field. The year he had last year and the changes he’s made with his swing, he made a believer out of me by the end of the year. He’s a different guy.”

2B/3B Brandon Drury

Vitals: 6-1, 215

Age: 23

2015: .214 AVG, .629 OPS

Scout’s take: “He brings some power. He’s ready and prepared for games. He prepares himself well. He can play multiple positions, but I think his best position is third base. He does not throw at-bats away. He takes every at-bat serious regardless of what the score is.”

LF Rickie Weeks Jr.

Vitals: 5-10, 220

Age: 33

2015: .167 AVG, .513 OPS

Scout’s take: “He’s having a really good spring. He brings a veteran presence. He did that role in Milwaukee for years. He did it in Seattle last year and didn’t do so well. He doesn’t really have much infield left in him, so he’s an outfielder/pinch-hitter. I think he’d help the team if they kept him and you always have the younger guys you can go to if he can’t do it.”