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MLB Hot Stove: Arizona Diamondbacks preview

By Nathaniel Reeves

Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt hits a first inning single against the Arizona State Sun Devils during a spring training baseball game at Salt River Fields. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt hits a first inning single against the Arizona State Sun Devils during a spring training baseball game at Salt River Fields. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 12, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder A.J. Pollock (11) is congratulated by catcher Welington Castillo after scoring in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Offense

With some nice young pieces at most positions around the diamond, Arizona’s position player group looks fairly set for the near future.

Goldschmidt cemented his position as one of the best hitters in the Majors, posting a career-best 164 wRC+ per FanGraphs.com. The 28-year-old will again be among the MVP favorites entering the spring and should be the franchise cornerstone for years to come.

Pollock was nearly as valuable due to his all-around ability, totaling 6.6 WAR to rank fourth in the NL according to FanGraphs. Rather than adding much to the position player core, extending Pollock should be one of Arizona’s top priorities this winter.

It was the performance of a few young players beyond those two that helped Arizona inch closer to .500. David Peralta, Ender Inciarte and Jake Lamb all exceeded expectations and should be solid regular players in 2016 and beyond.

Catcher looked like the biggest weakness for Arizona entering the season, but the team got a great performance from Welington Castillo behind the plate after acquiring him the Seattle Mariners in June. Castillo may not be able to sustain his offensive performance, but the position doesn’t look like nearly the black hole it did one year ago.

The most disappointing player for the Diamondbacks last season was Yasmany Tomas, who posted just a 88 wRC+ in his rookie season per FanGraphs after signing for nearly $70 million. Tomas still has huge upside at the plate and could be a valuable piece sharing time with Peralta or Inciarte in the corner outfield.

Arizona could think about an upgrade at second base, as both Chris Owings and Aaron Hill are coming off poor seasons at the plate, but it’s far from the most pressing need. Owings still has some upside offensively and could bounce back, while dumping Hill’s $12 million contract would be a good move for the team this winter.

The bench is largely set as well, with Phil Gosselin as the utility infielder. Adding a backup catcher would help, as Oscar Hernandez and Tuffy Gosewisch were below replacement level in 2015.

Next: Pitching

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