16. Yoan Lopez, RHP

Age: 25 (1/2/93)

Highest Level: MLB

61.2 IP, 2.92 ERA, 2.85 FIP, 12.70 K/9, 3.79 BB/9, .170 AVG.- AA

9 IP, 3.00 ERA, 3.94 FIP, 11.0 K/9, 1.00 BB/9, .206- MLB

I try to avoid putting relievers on lists like this, but (after forgetting about him initially) I made some room for the high priced Cuban import. Lopez is more famous for things off the field than on them currently, but that will change soon. When former General Manager Dave Stewart signed Lopez out of Cuba for $8,000,000 the club had to pay a significant tax on that (whether he understood the rules or not) and were unable to sign any international free agent for over $300,000 for a couple years. So Lopez was annoying to Diamondback’s fans for that, which isn’t even his fault. Lopez has gone AWOL before also, and he almost stopped pitching entirely. He’s also had shoulder and blister concerns when he’s been on the field. When healthy and on the field, Lopez is a lanky fire-breather that flat out embarrasses people on the mound with his 97-mph heater and 80-grade, mid-80’s slider. He has some control issues, but he strikes out enough batters right now for it to be manageable, but his command appeared to get better in his nine-inning, MLB-September sample. He’s absolutely a future closer and it could happen as soon as 2019. ETA: 2018.

17. Buddy Kennedy, 3B

Age: 19 (10/5/98)

Highest Level: A

.327/.396/.465, 4 HR, .137 ISO, 123 wRC+, 10.2% BB, 13.3% K, 2 SB

Buddy Kennedy also calls Millville, New Jersey home, just like Mike Trout. They even work out together during the winter. (They must do the same neck workouts. Neither guy has one.) Kennedy has an average hit tool with strong plate skills and high line-drive rate. He uses all fields and has a very appealing batted-ball profile. The 2017 5th-rounder is on the verge of breaking out at the plate. On the defense side he’s a bit below average, but he has a strong arm and can play third at least during his prime years. ETA: 2022

18. Alvin Guzman, OF

Age: 16 (10/20/2001)

Highest Level: N/A

N/A

The Dominican teenager signed with the Diamondbacks for $1.85 million this past July. It’s rare for me to include prospects that haven’t played stateside on lists like these, but I just love the skills and projection here for Guzman. He’s got the arm and speed to play a strong centerfield, and has the wiry projection to be at least a 20-homer bat. Mechanically Guzman has a leg kick and smooth weight transfer and shouldn’t have an issue generating loft and hitting balls in the air. ETA: 2024

19. Kevin Cron, 3B/1B

Age: 25 (2/17/93)

Highest Level: AAA

.309/.368/.554, 22 HR, .245 ISO, 137 wRC+, 8.2% BB, 22.8% K, 1 SB

C.J.’s brother has been one of the more consistent power threats in the minors posting home run totals of 27, 26, 25 and 22 over the last four years. He’s especially adept at crushing left-handed pitching as he’s slugged .518 and .598 against southpaws the last two seasons. The 14th-round pick out of TCU in 2014 is a massive human. Cron is 6-foot-5, 245 pounds and is a physical presence in the batter’s box. He spent a majority of his time this year in Triple-A playing third base, but at the Major League level he can only survive at first base. Cron seems like a quad-A type, but I think there’s a bit more than that here because he doesn’t strike out a ton and uses the whole field. ETA: 2019

20. Taylor Clarke, RHP

Age: 25 (5/13/93)

Highest Level: AAA

152 IP, 4.03 ERA, 4.03 FIP, 7.40 K/9, 2.61 BB/9, .252 AVG.

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound righty was the Diamondbacks 3rd-round pick out of the College of Charleston. Clarke is a prototypical number four starter. He has four average offerings led by his low-90s fastball and average slider. He also throws an average curveball and a changeup, which is a little firm for me. The best attribute here will be his ability to suck up innings. Reno is a tough place to pitch, but Clarke still attacked hitters and threw strikes. He’s major league ready and could step up to fill the void when/if Patrick Corbin leaves in free agency. ETA: 2019

21. Joel Payamps, RHP

Age: 24 (4/7/94)

Highest Level: AAA

116.1 IP, 3.87 ERA, 3.32 FIP, 9.44 K/9, 2.09 BB/9, .237 AVG.- AA/AAA

Joel Payamps is an intriguing arm. Everything I’ve seen and read about him entering 2018 was that he had a strong arm and threw in the low 90s with a slurvy breaking ball but above-average command. The reports of the changeup were that it would flash at times, but it wasn’t a pitch Payamps could rely on. Payamps creates a lot of bad swings and leaves hitters well out front. It could be due to more advanced sequencing, or the changeup could’ve taken a step forward. He ran into a bit of a rough patch when he hit Reno, but I’m willing to let the five homers allowed in 26 innings slide for now. It’s a tough place to pitch and it was at the end of the season. The most likely role for Payamps is a utility type pitcher similar to how Jesse Chavez has been used in his career. He’s a guy to watch in 2019. ETA: 2019

22. Eduardo Diaz, OF

Age: 21 (7/19/97)

Highest Level: A-

.225/.262/.350, 2 HR, .125 ISO, 72 wRC+, 2.3% BB, 31.3% K, 3 SB- A-

Eduardo Diaz’s first taste of full season ball did not go well. It’s hard to look past what he was able to do in the Pioneer League in 2017. Diaz hit .312/.357/.510 with 30 extra base hits (7 homers) and 11 stolen bases. He was also voted as the best defensive outfielder in the organization. He’s an aggressive hitter, and that aggressiveness led to a lot of strikeouts and very few walks. He has 55 game power, but will have trouble tapping into it if the approach doesn’t improve. Diaz should repeat Low-A Kane County next season after an aggressive jump over the AZL earlier in his career. ETA: 2022

23. Marcus Wilson, OF

Age: 22 (8/15/96)

Highest Level: A+

.235/.309/.369, 10 HR, .134 ISO, 84 wRC+, 8.8% BB, 28.1% K, 16 SB

Marcus Wilson was the 69th-overall pick in the 2014 draft. I’ve seen Wilson play quite a few times when he was in Kane County, and he’s an above-average athlete that can be an above-average big league centerfielder. His speed is his other above-average tool. Prior to this season he posted strong walk rates, but this season was a down year for Wilson. It was a down year across the board actually, and Wilson also hit the disabled list twice with two minor injuries. Wilson needs to add strength and also recapture the strides he made in the pitch recognition and plate discipline departments. He’s a nice bounce back candidate. ETA: 2021

24. Matt Tabor, RHP

Age: 20 (7/14/98)

Highest Level: A

60.2 IP, 3.26 ERA, 3.73 FIP, 6.82 K/9, 1.93 BB/9, .251 AVG.- A

The 20-year-old Massachusetts prep is an athletic arm with a projectable frame and advanced secondaries. Tabor has an average 91-93 mph heater with an above-average curveball and a potentially plus changeup. The combination of stuff and a high floor make Tabor an arm to track. He has the ceiling of a mid-rotation arm for the snakes. ETA: 2022.

25. Matt Mercer, RHP

Age: 22 (9/1/96)

Highest Level: A

29 IP, 3.10 ERA, 3.00 FIP, 11.79 K/9, 2.17 BB/9, .194 AVG.- A/ROK

The University of Oregon product was the 5th-round pick by the Diamondbacks in the 2018 draft. Mercer sits 91-94 with sink and run, and can touch 96 but it will straighten out at that velocity. His changeup flashes plus, and has a chance to remain at that level with more consistency. His breaking ball is fringy and might send him to the bullpen, but we’re a long way from that. Mercer has a little bit of deception in his motion and will add to it by varying his start and stops to throw off a hitters timing. Mercer has a frame that should be able to add about ten pounds or so of muscle which could increase his velocity. This is an arm to gamble on, because unlike the changeup, I think a breaking ball can be taught. ETA: 2021