Five Diamondbacks prospects crack Baseball America’s top 100 list

RENO, Nev. – Baseball America unveiled their annual Top 100 MLB Prospects list today, and five come from the Arizona Diamondbacks’ farm system. Corbin Carroll, Daulton Varsho, Geraldo Perdomo and Kristian Robinson all made the list, and could appear at Greater Nevada Field in 2021.

Corbin Carroll, centerfielder (Baseball America #42)

Carroll enters the Arizona farm system after being drafted 16th overall in the 2019 MLB Draft from Lakeside School in Seattle, Washington. In 2019, the centerfielder slashed .326/.408/.581 in 11 games with the Hillsboro Hops. Showing plenty of speed, Carroll stole two bases and finished with four triples. Of his 14 hits with the Hops, half went for extra bases (three doubles, four triples).

“Carroll is strong, wiry and tremendously athletic. He has a fluid lefthanded swing he uses to spray hard line drives to all fields,” his scouting report adds. “His approach is mature beyond his years with an innate understanding of the strike zone, an ability to recognize spin and a knack for swinging at pitches on which he can do damage.”

In 31 games in the Arizona League, Carroll hit .288 and stole 16 bases – only getting caught once while making it on base via walk 24 times. The speedster on the bases hit six doubles and three triples.

Daulton Varsho, catcher (Baseball America #67)

Varsho makes it onto the list as the only Diamondbacks prospect with big league experience. The catcher appeared in 37 games during the 60-game 2020 season, batting just .188 but hitting three homers in the process. While in Arizona, Varsho logged time in the outfield and DH in addition to catcher.

“He got more comfortable as the season progressed and began showing the decisive, compact swing that has long yielded predictions of an above-average hitter with average power,” listed his scouting report. “Varsho is a natural catcher, but his above-average speed and surprising athleticism convinced the D-backs to try him out in center field.”

In 2019, Varsho had a breakout season with the Double-A Jackson Generals, the Southern League champs. Finishing as the championship series MVP, Varsho hit .301/.378/.520 during the season. The native of Wisconsin showed a combination of power and speed, hitting 18 homers and stealing 21 bases in 108 games.

Geraldo Perdomo, shortstop/second baseman (Baseball America #75)

Perdomo comes to the organization from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. The middle infielder has been playing professionally since he was 17, making his debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2017.

“The switch-hitter controls the strike zone, has good bat speed from both sides of the plate and has posted solid results against both lefties and righties,” his scouting report said. “Mostly a singles and doubles hitter, Perdomo said he added 17 pounds of muscle to his athletic frame after the 2019 season and could still add more.”

In the years since, Perdomo has spent time at six different levels – hitting a career .278 in 236 games. Like Varsho and Carroll, Perdomo brings speed and is a threat once he reaches base with 66 career stolen bases. And with more walks (169) than strikeouts (148), Perdomo consistently reaches base. For his career, Perdomo’s on-base percentage is .411, well above his .278 batting average.

Kristian Robinson, outfielder (Baseball America #93)

Robinson is the youngest of the four, turning 20 years old in December of 2020. The native of Nassau, Bahamas spent 2019 with the Kane County Cougars and Hillsboro Hops, slashing .282/.368/.514 in 69 total games.

“Robinson’s natural athleticism, gargantuan raw power and plus speed give him the building blocks for massive upside,” lists his scouting report. “He does things few players can, including hitting a home run into the Chase Field pool area in three consecutive at-bats during alternate site play.”

Like the three prospects above, Robinson can steal bases. In two seasons, Robinson has stolen 29 bases and hit 21 home runs. Robinson’s best statistical season came in 2019 with Hillsboro, when he hit .319 with nine homers, 35 RBI and 14 stolen bases – all career bests, in 44 games.

Alek Thomas, outfielder (Baseball America #94)

Thomas is coming off a 2019 season that saw him hit .300 with the Visalia Rawhide and the Kane County Cougars, hitting 10 homers and accounting for 55 RBI. The Chicago product was taken in the second round of the 2018 draft, and is still just 20 years old.

“Thomas can generate loud contact that yields extra bases, and he uses his plus speed to take the extra 90 feet,” says his scouting report. “He has a chance to grow into double-digit home run power, but most of his impact will be felt in the form of doubles and triples.”

Thomas’s 23 games with Single-A advanced Visalia included a .255/.327/.340 slash line and 15 stolen bags. The center fielder own a career .312 batting average with his 2018 season added in, with 27 total stolen bases.