Two 2022 draft picks by the Arizona Diamondbacks are going in opposite directions on the updated MLB Pipeline rankings of top prospects.
Druw Jones, who at the end of 2024 was viewed as the second-best player in the D-backs’ farm system, has fallen to No. 7.
Meanwhile, infielder Demetrio Crisantes has jumped from the No. 13 prospect all the way to second, behind top prospect Jordan Lawlar, who after another string of injuries will have the microscope on him in 2025.
Top 15 Diamondbacks prospects, according to MLB Pipeline
- INF Jordan Lawlar
- INF Demetrio Crisantes
- OF Slade Caldwell
- RHP Yilber Diaz
- C Adrian Del Castillo
- OF Ryan Waldschmidt
- OF Druw Jones
- INF Tommy Troy
- INF Jansel Luis
- INF Gino Groover
- LHP Yu-Min Lin
- INF JD Dix
- RHP Cristian Mena
- INF Cristofer Torin
- INF Yassel Soler
Crisantes rises to D-backs’ No. 2 prospect in MLB Pipeline rankings
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A seventh-round selection out of Nogales High School in 2022, Crisantes split last season in the Arizona Complex League and Single-A Visalia.
The 20-year-old flashed his offensive toolkit by slashing .333/.429/.478 at the latter stop, hitting 40 RBIs with 16 doubles in 63 games there. A 57-game on-base streak did a bit to boost his statistics by the end of the season.
Crisantes is now listed as the No. 9 second-base prospect in baseball.
From his MLB Pipeline scouting report:
Batting from the right side with only a slight leg lift in his load, Crisantes keeps a simple and relaxed operation in the box that helps his bat-to-ball skills. He boosts the hit tool further with good swing decisions and a solid understanding of situational need. Crisantes will crush mistakes that come over the plate with his average power, but he can push balls to the opposite field when required too.
He is the only Diamondback prospect in an MLB top-10 by position other than Lawlar, who is the second-rated shortstop behind the Tampa Bay Rays’ Carson Williams.
Buzz keeps building for ADC, Diaz
Two D-backs who made their major-league debuts last season are rising up the list.
Catcher Adrian Del Castillo was the 14th-ranked prospect just a few months back, according to MLB Pipeline, but he’s now No. 5 after making his MLB debut in 2024.
Though he showed plenty of room for growth behind the plate, he hit .313 with four homers and five doubles in 80 at-bats (25 games) with the Diamondbacks and otherwise was scorching Triple-A Reno with a 1.002 OPS.
From his MLB Pipeline scouting report:
Long considered a hit-over-glove backstop, Del Castillo has improved some with his framing over time, taking to the one-knee-down approach, but he was still notably below average with the skill in The Show. He struggled even more so with slow transfers on stolen-base attempts, and MLB runners went 27-for-29 against him once they realized they could run. Improving the defense is a major point in Del Castillo’s profile, but the bat is looking like it could play in any role.
Pitcher Yilber Diaz also got MLB run earlier than expected thanks to a bevy of midseason injuries to Arizona’s starting pitchers. The 24-year-old pitched 28.1 innings for the D-backs and posted a 3.81 ERA with 19 strikeouts and 12 walks.
Diaz, who jumped from sixth to fourth on the MLB Pipeline list of Arizona’s best prospects, made four starts and played in seven games total.
Expectations have fallen off for Jones
The start to Jones’ pro career hasn’t been as smooth sailing as most experts anticipated when he was picked second overall in 2022.
While the center fielder’s defense has met expectations, his offensive development has been a slow roll.
Spending all of 2024 with Visalia, Jones hit .275 with 65 RBIs, 15 doubles, eight triples and six home runs in 109 games. He struck out 132 times.
Per MLB Pipeline:
It’s been a process getting Jones going offensively. He didn’t chase as much in his second bite at the California League apple, but he also didn’t swing much either — only Juan Soto (36.9 percent) had a lower swing rate in the Majors than Jones’ at Single-A (38.0). When he did decide to hack, it was too often on the ground and to the opposite field, dulling the above-average raw power he exhibited as an amateur. D-backs coaches are working with Jones on improving the directionality of his swing while not sacrificing contact after he still whiffed on his share of sliders.
from Arizona Sports https://ift.tt/Qn18Px3
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