Dbacks 2016 Top 60 Prospects: Preseason Edition

After all the off-season moves and the loss of a number of favored prospects, it's time to take a look at what our system looks like as the season is about to start. I've included my projected minor league landing spots for all of them but many will be wrong and we'll learn all that soon enough.

Braden Shipley still tops the list as he did in our off season lists. His second half performance was plenty to get excited about and let's hope he can pick up where he left off. He still needs some polish and refinement and hopefully we won't have any major injuries in our starting rotation that might force him into service a little sooner than necessary.

I've got Jamie Westbrook in the 2nd spot which many may debate, but it's no secret what I think of him as a prospect and his ability to hit Southern League pitching will go a long way toward demonstrating which opinions were best. I have Brandon Drury right behind him as he looks ready to play at the major league level if he can find any at bats there. Socrates Brito comes in behind Drury and the same holds true for him. He looks ready but will he find enough playing time to show what he can do.

A host of pitchers fill in the number 5 through 11 spots and you can probably mix and match their order to your personal preferences. We've got youngsters we haven't seen much of yet in Alex Young and Taylor Clarke. There's 19-year-old Cody Reed who has shown some talent and will now proceed to full-season ball to see what kind of inning log he can manage. We've got Cuban bonus baby Yoan Lopez who hasn't shown much of anything yet. Plus a quality reliever in Silvino Bracho and former Brewer Tyler Wagner.

The overall depth and talent of our system isn't in the best shape it's ever been. We've got a bunch of middle infielders, most of whom haven't hit much other than Westbrook. Overall the system is probably strongest on the pitching front with about 4-6 guys who have the ability to go all the way if they can keep progressing. That includes young Brad Keller who really broke out last year. Now we'll see what he can do in a hitters league.

There's some interesting guys throughout the system but almost all of them have one kind of shortcoming or another that will likely mean their ceilings lie before the major leagues. Guys like Gabby Guerrero, Jose Martinez, Kevin Cron, Matt Railey, Austin Byler and Victor Reyes. So here's my pre-season Top 60. Enjoy.