Arizona Diamondbacks 20th Anniversary: Center Field

Center field may be the one position of the entire group where there are multiple great players in franchise history. There was rarely a time the Diamondbacks were without a great center fielder on the roster, aside from the 2005 season when they had to play Jose Cruz Jr. and Shawn Green at the position. All three players on the ballot got voted into one All-Star game apiece, two of them winding up to win a Gold Glove with the Diamondbacks. The third centerfielder had a flair for the dramatic long balls, whether it was a walkoff or a postseason HR. On a 25-man All Anniversary roster, I believe all 3 would deserve a spot.

Steve Finley: Finley might be the most recognizable name on the list, a member of the 2001 World Series team. After signing in the winter of 1998, Finley was a 5-tool player in Arizona, hitting for average and power while providing Gold Glove defense in CF and the occasional stolen base. He made his only All-Star team with the Dbacks in 2000 but also won 3 Gold Gloves.

Chris Young: The Diamondbacks acquired Young in a trade after the 2005 season, but he debuted the following season before putting the CF position on lockdown that year. Young was a member of the 2007 and 2011 teams, providing great value defensively (I consider him a better defender than Pollock despite the lack of gold gloves) and on the bases despite poor on base numbers. He had a thing for dramatic home runs, whether it was a walkoff homer for the need for a big homer in the postseason. A 2012 shoulder injury pretty much put a damper off his career at his peak after a pair of 5 WAR season although he’s still playing today.

A.J. Pollock: Pollock is the team’s current center fielder, drafted along with Paul Goldschmidt in the 2009 draft. Pollock has battled injuries over his career, which has limited his overall value. Of the three players listed, Pollock is the most well-rounded and consistent player. AJ plays good CF defense (2013-2015 he played great defense), hits for a high average and is a 30+ SB threat when healthy. When healthy, he’s easily the most productive player of the three options, but that’s been his issue with various injuries causing him to miss a high amount of games.