AZ Snake Pit - 2022 Diamondbacks ReviewsAn unofficial Arizona Diamondbacks community and bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47033/azsnakepit_f.png2023-01-04T20:00:00-05:00http://www.azsnakepit.com/rss/stream/232124352023-01-04T20:00:00-05:002023-01-04T20:00:00-05:002022 Arizona Diamondbacks Reviews: #1 Zac Gallen
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<img alt="A fired up Zac Gallen walks off the field, hands clinched near his waist while yelling towards the dugout" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KqwLb81s_lWyFlHl89LBwFrpvBA=/0x0:7718x5145/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71825177/usa_today_19094536.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The obvious pick for Pitcher of the Year is also the obvious choice for #1 on our countdown</p> <p id="ESZRVR"><strong>Overview</strong></p>
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<img alt="A bar graph showing the breakdown of votes for Zac Gallen. Out of 54 responses, 28 of them were 9’s, 25 were 10’s, and one person voted 8. I can only assume they’re a Dodgers fan." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/aqXe4RbfUuzyN8AVHblc0NeF6TA=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24332669/Gallen_ranking_chart.png">
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<p id="L9nZ8q"><strong>Rating: </strong>9.44</p>
<p id="lj7fsD"><strong>2022 Stats: </strong>31 GS, 184 IP, 12-2, 192 K’s, 2.54 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 158 ERA+, 5.1 WAR</p>
<p id="3F5edn"><strong>DOB: </strong>August 3rd, 1995 (27 years old)</p>
<p id="wtMz8n"><strong>2022 Earnings: </strong>$745,600</p>
<p id="6pYcMv"><strong>2023 Status: </strong>Pre-arb, contract tendered, and hopefully contending for the NL Cy Young Award</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="C3Wz4q">
<p id="hKCG5N"><strong>2022 Review</strong></p>
<p id="I38mo9">Let’s start with a brief recap of Gallen’s season.</p>
<ul>
<li id="MJxAwl">31 games started, zero games on the IL</li>
<li id="OMIhVi">Fourth best ERA in the National League</li>
<li id="v8HYjw">Fifth best ERA+ in the NL</li>
<li id="eYsgNk">Sixth highest WAR total for a pitcher in the NL</li>
<li id="fvfQBC">Best WHIP in the NL</li>
<li id="jfKN2X">Best H/9 in all of Major League Baseball</li>
</ul>
<p id="Csvp8O">I probably could end this article right there, and no one would leave the site wonder why Zac Gallen easily took the top spot in our rankings this season. The voters clearly favorited him over all the other choices, with Gallen getting an average score of 0.74 higher than second place Merrill Kelly and 1.44 over third place Christian Walker. Both of those players had fine seasons themselves, and Walker even had the same WAR as Gallen did. However, Gallen’s impact on the team and evolving into the Ace that Hazen traded top prospect Jazz Chisholm for.</p>
<p id="u2rSSq">Going into the season, the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> had many question marks and concerns on the roster. Gallen was no exception. He had show flashes of brilliance since coming over from the Marlins, even winning the Best Pitcher and MVP Pitties in 2020, and finishing 1st overall in the postseason rankings that year as well. However, 2021 saw him take a huge step backwards, with a first half that was riddled with injuries, limiting him to just 21 games started and 121.1 IP. He was entering his fourth season in the league, and he had yet to pitch a full season’s worth of games. Worries were starting to take nebulous shape at the edges of thought.</p>
<p id="pIGWkn">There was a clear path still for him to reach his ceiling, however. In Gallen’s 2021 review, Michael said Gallen still could be a 4-5 WAR pitcher as long as he avoided major injuries and managed to throw 30 plus starts a year. This year, exactly that happened.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="bvhSaA">
<p id="LdT5lM">Gallen didn’t waste much time in starting the season off on the right foot. Other than a few of his early starts being a bit short, following the lockout and compressed Spring Training, he rattled off seven straight starts with two ER’s or less. In those first seven starts, he only gave up more than two hits in two of them, and only more than two walks in a different two, setting the stage early on for his NL leading WHIP. At this point, his ERA was a miniscule 1.14, his WHIP was 0.71, and opposining hitters were only getting on base at a .220 clip.</p>
<p id="bWrisq">As much as we would have liked that to continue, he was never going to be able to keep that up for an entire season. On May 24th, he gave up six runs in 5.1 IP to the <a href="https://www.royalsreview.com/">Kansas City Royals</a>, and for the next few months, he started to look more like a normal human, rather than Prime Years Nolan Ryan. He had great starts, such as his six inning, one ER, 11 K game against the Padres on June 21st. He had bad games, like his 1.2 inning, six run (four earned) blow out against the <a href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/">Phillies</a> on June 10th. By the start of August, his ERA was a little better than league average, but nothing spectacular. Merrill Kelly actually had him beat by that metric at the time. But he was solid and healthy.</p>
<p id="BS1oOB">On August 8th, he pitched seven innings of shutout baseball. In Jim’s<a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/8/9/23297728/diamondbacks-3-pirates-0-stunning-bunts"> recap of the game</a>, even before we knew what happened next, he specifically called out Gallen’s efficency, noting it was his second most efficient game of his career, only behind the one hitter he through in the 2020 season. That efficiency would be on display in spades in the coming games. Beyond that, it just seemed like a good start for a good pitcher. In the comments only one post from Hacks even mentioned Gallen, and that was more in reference to Brian Anderson previously holding the Diamondbacks record for most undefeated home starts in a season.</p>
<p id="mJ0bIh">The next start, we learned that Zac Gallen had the second best ERA of any pitcher with more than 25 IP at Coors Field after his shutout on the 13th. The third shutout, Steve Burt made a point of his very high WPA of 25.6% in route to a win against the Giants. It wasn’t until his start on August 24th that the scoreless streak was mentioned in a preview or a recap of one of his starts. By then, it was already 27 <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>3</sub> innings. After the sixth start, Gallen went into Coors Field with a shot at passing Zach Greinke’s scoreless streak for fourth longest all time. Going into the game, everyone knew that keeping the streak intact for a second start at Coors Field was going to be challenging at best. Even as the Rockies continue to struggle, everyone is a threat to hit a home run at pretty much any given time in that park. The fears were correct, but ultimately, the streak came to an end via a thousand paper cuts rather than a home run. Three singles later, the Rockies were on the board, the first time a team had managed that against Zac Gallen in 42 <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>3</sub> innings.</p>
<p id="ysVxIQ">A few more quality starts later, and the season came to an end. </p>
<p id="QktXpV">The streak firmly cemented him in Dbacks and MLB history, as well as the conversation for the Cy Young award. It was always going to be an uphill battle for Gallen to pass Sandy Alcantara to win the award, though, and ultimately he finished fifth, which I personally find to be BS. Jack, however, took a more <a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/analysis/was-zac-gallen-snubbed-in-the-cy-young-award-voting">measured approach</a> and determined that it wasn’t unreasonable. No one is perfect :-)</p>
<p id="clpGIJ">The final flourish on Gallen’s season? In the new CBA, a bonus pool for high performing pre-arb players was established. There are two parts. One is based off award votes and the other a performance based bonus from a hybrid WAR that MLB created just for the purpose. Gallen recieved an additional million dollars for his fifth place finish in the Cy Young award, and then an additional six hundred thousand and change for his performance. It was the fourth highest bonus in the sport, and the highest in National League. It was double his entire salary for the 2022 season.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="kgX4lN">
<p id="5PXCeY">Like Michael said in 2021, the pathway for Gallen is clear. If he continues to be efficient, injury-free, and pitch in 30-35 starts per year, he will have several more chances to bring home that hardware. Having a Gallen on the team who is living up to his potential will have many benefits for the Diamondbacks. It’s obviously always a good thing to have an ace pitcher, but especially so for a team with as questionable a bullpen and such a young rotation. Gallen will take pressure off the bullpen once every five days, and give most, if not occasionally all, of the pitchers there a day off. He’ll also take pressure off of the young rookies, giving them someone they can learn from, lean on, and will help pick up the slack from any growing pains that they may encounter. In baseball, there’s no such thing as an automatic win, but Gallen’s starts going forward should be as close as a team can get.</p>
<p id="7QeGVY">2022 saw Zac Gallen take the step forward we had all been hoping for since July 31st, 2019. It was a welcome sight, and just as good, if not better, than we had been hoping for. I would not be surprised at all if next season, Gallen once again is the #1 Diamondback in our offseason reviews.</p>
<p id="47c8g7">And with that, our 2022 reviews are concluded. But don’t worry! There are only 41 days until pitchers and catchers report!</p>
<p id="of0dAE"></p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2023/1/4/23536578/2022-arizona-diamondbacks-reviews-1-zac-gallenImstillhungry952023-01-03T19:00:00-05:002023-01-03T19:00:00-05:002022 Arizona Diamondbacks Reviews, #2: Merrill Kelly
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<img alt="MLB: Arizona Diamondbacks at Milwaukee Brewers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4Ht22rNBl0lgluvKS5s-SHbBl7E=/0x0:2500x1667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71820573/usa_today_19181090.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p><em>With the position player and managerial reviews done, it is time for the penultimate review in this series.</em></p> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GLeXRa9ZOKw3KpMAqucCllE6do4=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24334234/image20.png">
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<h3 id="RWNjUn">Overview</h3>
<ul>
<li id="j9pdpw">
<strong>Rating</strong>: 8.70</li>
<li id="FMy7c2">
<strong>2022 stats</strong>: 33 G, 200.1 IP, 3.37 ERA, 3.65 FIP, 1.138 WHIP, 152:53 SO/BB, 119 ERA+, 3.6 bWAR</li>
<li id="ZGDQCt">
<strong>Date of birth</strong>: October 14, 1988 (34 years old)</li>
<li id="okiMWn">
<strong>2022 earnings</strong>: $5.25 million</li>
<li id="4CreZW">
<strong>2023 status</strong>: On 40-man roster, 2-years/$17 million guaranteed left on contract with a team option for 2025 with a $1 million buyout</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="xg4EAC">2022 in review</h3>
<p id="tQmpRf">2022 was by far and away the best season of Merrill Kelly’s career, whether pitching here in the States or in the KBO. Quite simply, it was a career season for the right-hander, one in which he even managed to achieve his personal goal of throwing 200 innings, something that simply is no longer common in the Majors.</p>
<p id="bhwjxr">It is that drive to pitch 200 innings that was a big part of what landed Kelly here at the #2 spot in this season’s reviews. While the Diamondbacks spent the majority of the season with only four starting pitchers in their five-man rotation, one of which was an aging, washed-up Madison Bumgarner and another was a marginal starting talent in Zach Davies, Kelly’s ability to not only eat innings in large chunks, but to keep his team in the game while doing so, was a godsend. Kelly’s 200.1 IP ranked first on the team by a large margin (16.1 IP over Zac Gallen). IT also ranked fifth in the National League and seventh in all of baseball, as he finished sandwiched between Shane Bieber (200 IP) and Gerrit Cole (200.2 IP). Other names on that leaderboard include Sandy Alcantara, Aaron Nola, and Framber Valdez. In short, Kelly ranked right up there among the very best starting pitchers in all of baseball when it came to carrying the load for the team.</p>
<p id="Zadoab">How impressive was Kelly in 2022? In 15 of his 33 starts, he posted a Game Score of 60 or higher. He posted three more of 59. In short, he put together enough quality outings to provide the rare building of confidence that Arizona would come away with a win if he toed the mound to start the game.</p>
<p id="ZlKdYa">Kelly’s longest outing of the season came on May6 against the Colorado Rockies, when he went 8.2 innings, tossing a season-high 106 pitches. He entered the game with a league-leading 1.22 ERA, so the measly one run he allowed in the game actually <em>elevated </em>his ERA to a still-stellar 1.71. Kelly struck out the first two batters of the ninth inning before allowing a pair of singles. With a three-run lead, Torey Lovullo decided that Kelly was at his limit and turned the final outs over to closer, Mark Melancon. Melancon then walked a batter to load the bases before securing the final out to give Kelly a tally in the win column.</p>
<p id="SvF8lV">On July 25th, Kelly faced off against the Giants at home in Phoenix. He twirled another gem. This one saw him toss eight full innings of shutout ball with seven strikeouts, no walks, and only three hits allowed. By Game Score, this was his best outing of the year. However, strong arguments can be made for a number of his other outings, including the one on May 6th.</p>
<div id="8QnNqD"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/m/merrill-kelly-s-dominant-outing" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="if1IEa">Kelly’s kryptonite in 2022 was the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kelly started five games against the Evil Empire of the West. In those contests, Kelly went 0-5 with only 24 IP and an 8.25 ERA. However, against the rest of the NL West, Kelly accumulated 12 starts (six against the Giants) and went 6-1 with 79.2 innings pitched and an ERA of 2.60. Kelly himself was able to keep the Diamondbacks somewhat in the playoff picture into September in the hyper-competitive NL West.</p>
<p id="nO8ZCf">Kelly was not some sort of strikeout artist. Nor was he a groundball-inducing savant. No, Kelly’s big assets were his ability to throw strikes and his endurance. Kelly’s 33 starts were tied for the most in baseball. This is a testament to just how reliable he was when it came to answering the bell. In the final analysis, that alone may end up being the true highlight of Kelly’s 2022 - his ability to take the mound every five days for a team with rotation depth issues and no serviceable relievers. </p>
<p id="5y0TU0">In addition to helping the team by being Merrill “The Mainstay”, Kelly helped himself as well (which of course helped the team). Kelly’s simple, fluid mechanics prevented any sort of worrying injuries and they also left him in great position to field his position.</p>
<div id="QauHA1"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/m/kelly-snags-abreu-s-comebacker" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"></iframe></div></div>
<div id="dd3hGi"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/m/merrill-kelly-in-play-out-s-to-mookie-betts-mp0l4o" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="de8u24"><strong>TL/DR: </strong>Merrill Kelly entered 2022 with the expectation that he might hopefully be a quality, durable, innings-eating #3/4 pitcher. He surpassed those hopes in every way, performing well above the expected bubble and cementing himself as the team’s second-best option on the mound.</p>
<h3 id="Vg8yUT">2023 Outlook</h3>
<p id="dzCfng">The bar has risen for Kelly. Armed with a contract extension that he signed on April Fool’s Day, Kelly enters the 2023 season as the team’s #2 arm in the rotation. The expectation will be that he performs similarly to how he did in 2022. If he is able to come close to replicating that, the Diamondbacks will be in good shape (at least on the mound) anytime Kelly is scheduled to start. In Kelly’s starts, the team will be looking more to the bullpen to bring home the victories, as Kelly was hung with a no-decision six times last season, despite allowing two or fewer runs while pitching six or more innings. Entering 2023, Kelly will stand as one of two arms that can be honestly be called a reliable MLB-caliber starting pitcher. Hopefully, his dogged demeanour and his unorthodox path to this level of success will rub off a bit on some of the youths that will be joining him in the rotation throughout the year.</p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2023/1/3/23537808/2022-arizona-diamondbacks-reviews-2-merrill-kellyJames Attwood2023-01-02T20:00:00-05:002023-01-02T20:00:00-05:002022 Arizona Diamondback Reviews: #3 Christian Walker
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<img alt="Wearing the road greys, Christian Walker fields a ground ball from the edge of the infield grass" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Kb6YmQQFCLFWFF3bb60PDb0HTtY=/0x1:2598x1733/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71817377/usa_today_16470342.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>From non-tender candidate to Top 3 player</p> <p id="KDO1JO"><strong>Overview</strong></p>
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<img alt="A chart showing the break down of votes for Christian walker. The vast majority of the votes were an 8, with the rest of the votes breaking down, in order as sevens, nines, tens, and sixes." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ad1wlV4dsHrNtcgzYOzs8DXAqu8=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24323049/Walker_ranking_chart.png">
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<p id="xHXt1e"><strong>Rating: </strong>8.00</p>
<p id="RPhDTD"><strong>2022 Stats: </strong>583 AB, .242/.327/.477, 36 HR, 5.1 bWAR</p>
<p id="uFmRXe"><strong>DOB: </strong>March 28th, 1991 (32 years old on Opening Day 2023)</p>
<p id="9taaV2"><strong>2022 Salary: </strong>$2.6 Million</p>
<p id="SiIK7w"><strong>2023 Status: </strong>Arb-eligible, MLBTR estimated cost $7.3 Million</p>
<h3 id="boWPbd"><strong>2022 Review</strong></h3>
<p id="RvhOI3">To review Christian Walker’s 2022 season, you have to go back to the offseason of 2021. Walker was coming off a more than unimpressive season, and the team had just traded for 1B/OF Jordan Luplow. Additionally, the team was not looking to compete, so it made sense to give more of the at-bats to, say, Pavin Smith at his natural position. Many expected, or even hoped for him to be non-tendered. It came as something of a shock when Nick Piecoro announced that the Diamondbacks had tendered him a contract leading up to the deadline. The announcement lead us (Either Jim or James) to <a href="https://twitter.com/AZSnakepit/status/1465870609850667008">tweet this reaction</a>:</p>
<div id="tWDDZ4">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">So the Diamondbacks traded for a Christian Walker replacement, but then kept a woefully underperforming Christian Walker at the non-tender deadline.<br><br>Not sure I should be surprised. This feels pretty on-brand for the last 24 months of this team.</p>— AZ SnakePit (@AZSnakepit) <a href="https://twitter.com/AZSnakepit/status/1465870609850667008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2021</a>
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<p id="Q07MZa">Some chose to put it... <a href="https://twitter.com/imstillhungry95/status/1465846632449134593">less eloquently</a></p>
<div id="jKjMPV">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Piecoro is reporting that Walker has been tendered a contract, and if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go beat my head against a wall until it makes sense</p>— ISH95 (@imstillhungry95) <a href="https://twitter.com/imstillhungry95/status/1465846632449134593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2021</a>
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<p id="c8HaCE">Let’s all point and laugh at that jackass, shall we?</p>
<p id="wzqAPN">No amount of threats of self-harm influenced Hazen’s decision making process, and Christian Walker entered the 2022 season as the Diamondbacks starting first baseman. The first month of the season did absolutely nothing to dispel any worries that may have been had about retaining his services. He hit an abysmal .147 for the month of April, with only seven RBI, four of which were himself as part of a home run. Despite the struggles, there was reason to hope, as that impossibly low batting average was also accompanied by an equally unbelievable BABIP of .135 for the entire month. On the other hand, he also possessed an OPS+ of 69, a whopping 31 points below league average.</p>
<p id="1FD55A">April, of course, gives way to May, and things briefly started looking up for Walker. He added a hundred points to his BABIP, and miraculously enough, his numbers looked better. A BABIP of .229 is still significantly below league average, but it’s a lot less unlucky than the .135 from April. Even with that improvement, his numbers weren’t inspiring, and hardly doing anything to convince anyone that he was deserving of the roster space he had been given. He did add another nine home runs to his season total, though, providing power that was much needed on a team that really only had one other home run threat in Dalton Varsho.</p>
<p id="RrMBIy">Discussion turned frequently to Walker’s BABIP over the next two months as, once again, the stat took a nose dive into the sub-.200 range. Some argued that it was just a matter of time before the number regressed back to league average and Walker produced at a solid level again. Others got tired of waiting, again pointing to the desire to kickstart a youth movement that Hazen continued to avoid for reasons, presumably service time, that were unsatisfactory. June and July dragged by with Walker still holding down first base, now with a batting average of merely .200 by the end of July. </p>
<p id="Hmb8q0">The other saving grace that Walker had, in addition to his power, was his frankly incredible defense. While he was struggling at the plate, he was putting up his best defensive season of his career. When it was all said and done, he set a career high in UZR at 5.5 and nearly a career high in Outs Above Average at 14. Just for good measure, he also made sure to put up great numbers in the traditional metrics, comitting only five errors on the season for a fielding% of .996. He was firmly cementing himself in the discussion as the best defensive first baseman in the league.</p>
<p id="MKlUGn">Eventually, those that argued for patience were rewarded. Once the calendar turned to August, balls that had been finding gloves started finding grass, and just like that, Walker started looking like a hitter worth a roster spot. He kept adding the home runs, got the batting average to his career mark, set a career best in slugging%, and boosted his season OPS+ to a respectable 126. His 36 home runs were good for the fourth best in the National League and eventually brought home the Gold Glove. </p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="2rM3HU">
<p id="wFAlSq">Despite an unwelcomed and rough start to the season, Walker not only salvaged his season, but managed to make it into the top three of our reviews this offseason, and deservedly so. The question now becomes which Walker can we expect next season. He is in line for a significant pay raise in arbitration to somewhere in the neighborhood of 7 million dollars, which would make him the fifth highest paid player on the team. If we get 2019 or second half 2022 Walker, that will be a steal and a huge boost for the would-be Wild Card contenders. He just needs to find a way to avoid the opposing team’s fielders. </p>
<p id="UNJZes"></p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2023/1/2/23530445/2022-arizona-diamondback-reviews-3-christian-walkerImstillhungry952023-01-01T19:00:00-05:002023-01-01T19:00:00-05:002022 Diamondbacks Reviews, #4: Daulton Varsho
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-eWvyk5HG2xxFzDEZ9gB6qOwRQQ=/24x0:660x424/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71814075/Varsho_Catch.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>AP Photo/Darryl Webb</figcaption>
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<p>The First of the New Baby ‘Backs: First to debut, First to move on.</p> <h4 id="yFwoDu">Vote Breakdown</h4>
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<h4 id="dnYwv1">Overview</h4>
<ul>
<li id="u6258Z">
<strong>Rating:</strong> 7.96</li>
<li id="nCrkU4">
<strong>2022 Stats:</strong> 151 G, 592 PA, .235/.302/.443, 27 HR, 74 RBI, .745 OPS, 109 OPS+, 4.9 bWAR, 4.6 fWAR, 4.8 aWAR</li>
<li id="7ysmcN">
<strong>Date of Birth: </strong>July 2, 1996 (26 years old)</li>
<li id="5LkVCG">
<strong>2022 Earnings: </strong>$721,700 (League Minimum)</li>
<li id="aofYGU">
<strong>2023 Status: </strong>On Toronto’s 40-man roster, 1st Year Arbitration Eligible (Super 2), Estimated salary: $2.8MM</li>
</ul>
<h4 id="OcHgZX">How He Got Here</h4>
<p id="ILG68y"><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/varshda01.shtml">Daulton Varsho</a> was drafted 68th Overall in 2017 by the Arizona Diamondbacks. <a href="https://www.mlb.com/draft/tracker/2017/all/team/dbacks">MLB Pipeline</a> had him ranked as the 110th prospect in the class. General Manager <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/12/23/23522969/2022-diamondbacks-reviews-13-mike-hazen">Mike Hazen</a>’s first draft team noticed the diamond he was though and took him early, nearly doubling the bonus value for which he could have signed at 110. </p>
<p id="mZh43d">Taken out of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Varsho was described at the time as </p>
<blockquote><p id="qM6RBk">“[having] a short, strong stroke and manages the strike zone well, giving him a chance to hit for average and power. He’s faster than most catchers, posting plus run times from home to first and showing good instincts on the base paths. Varsho also is agile behind the plate, receiving and blocking well. Some scouts wonder if he can stay at catcher because he lacks size and has below-average arm strength, though his quick feet help him get rid of throws in a hurry. Those who like his bat think he has a chance to cut it as a left fielder if he has to change positions.”</p></blockquote>
<p id="KrwZJL">Not a bad scouting report for his actual future (through age 26). He is no longer a Catcher, as worried four-and-a-half years ago. But he certainly blew through the expectation of becoming a passable Left Fielder; he’s now a very capable Center Fielder with as yet unrealized but deserving Gold Glove defense in Right Field. They also suggested average and power may come. Power certainly has (27 homeruns in 2022 and 45 doubles over three seasons - only one genuinely full), but average has lagged behind thus far. </p>
<p id="tXnQRL">From being drafted in 2017 through 2019, <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/daulton-varsho/19918/stats?position=C/OF">Varsho</a> hit the following levels of Arizona’s MiLB system: Low A, Rookie Ball, High A, AA. He succeeded at every level, showing off different skills in certain environments (i.e. average in Low A, slugging in AA where everyone slugs, but combining it with a good batting average as well, etc.). Of course 2020 was 2020, but that’s the season Varsho finally broke into the Majors as a member of the revolving taxi squad. It was not a stellar debut, although in 37 games he did post a 10.4% walk rate, the highest of his career. </p>
<p id="2VnG55">Per MLB Pipeline, once <a href="https://www.mlb.com/prospects/2020/dbacks/">ranked</a>, <a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/daulton-varsho-662139">Varsho</a> was a constant name in the Top 10 of Arizona’s prospects, capping out at third on the 2020 list (behind only Kristian Robinson and Alek Thomas and was 76th on their Top 100). <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/prospects/the-board/2021-prospect-list/summary?sort=-1,1&type=0&team=ari">Fangraphs</a> was similarly high on Varsho in their prospect rankings.</p>
<p id="vbgOEo">In 2021, he spent 18 games in AAA Reno, absolutely blasting the cover off the ball in “two” stints (starting the season off the MLB roster -MiLB Season hadn’t started yet- and then being optioned on May 24, 2021 after getting about a month of Big League time). He was recalled on June 20 that year and never looked back. He became a mainstay of a polarized Diamondbacks roster: some very experienced players, others very new. </p>
<p id="p7twT2">Heading into 2022, his stock was still rising, but volatile. </p>
<h4 id="AUYC8R">2022 Review</h4>
<p id="I6YNq3">Daulton and the team entered the 2022 season expecting his Catching time to be minimal or non-existent with <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/12/14/23509457/2022-diamondbacks-reviews-22-carson-kelly">Carson Kelly</a> and <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/12/2/23480094/2022-diamondbacks-reviews-34-jose-herrera">Jose Herrera</a> the only two players listed as Catchers on the team for Opening Day. But from May 5 to June 11, Carson Kelly was sidelined with an oblique strain, and <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/12/25/23505456/2022-diamondbacks-reviews-11-torey-lovullo">Torey Lovullo</a> once again asked Varsho to fill in as Catcher (consequently this is also the roster move that allowed <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/12/20/23519133/2022-diamondbacks-reviews-16-alek-thomas">Alek Thomas</a> to make his MLB Debut). </p>
<p id="4ZJilo">During his time Catching, Varsho actually posted good offensive numbers. He batted .275 with 2 stolen bases, 5 walks, 24 strikeouts, 3 homeruns and 13 RBI. Average-wise, this marks his seasonal highpoint when looking at at-bats by position. The counting stats are lower, but that can be attributed to only having 90 plate appearances as a Catcher, with the next closest option DH (60). Notable as well though, Varsho only hit one fewer double as a DH than a Catcher. He also had 3 homeruns from each position. </p>
<p id="Y6tBHQ">Unsurprisingly, his speed showcased itself the most when he played in the Outfield. He hit 3 total triples (2 as a Center Fielder and 1 as a Right Fielder). He also stole 13 bases as an Outfielder, with Right Field narrowly beating Center 7-6. Purely offensively, Varsho appeared to enjoy playing Catcher unless he wanted to really let loose and run. Then he preferred being in the Outfield; hardly surprising since his legs would be loosest when playing in the grass. </p>
<p id="SaDqVA">Defensive metrics tell a slightly different story though. While the bat may have been alive for his time Catching in 2022, his defense behind the plate was negative across the board. Per <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/">Fangraphs</a>, overall, he was worth -3 Defensive Runs Saved. His framing comes out to -1.5 as well. No defensive Catching metric likes Daulton Varsho. None hate him overly much either though. Whereas his Outfield Defense is glorious! He’s in the 99% percentile for Outs Above Average per <a href="https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/daulton-varsho-662139?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb">Baseball Savant</a>. The 97% percentile for Outfielder Jumps. He had 19 Defensive Runs Saved as an Outfielder in 2022. </p>
<p id="Gzy26c">If any of those stats surprise you, you’re either a Blue Jays fan trying to learn about your shiny new toy (hello, welcome), or you really didn’t pay attention to the Diamondbacks very attentively last year. Much ado has been made about Varsho’s uncanny ability in the Outfield. I have an unprovable theory that his defensive highlight reels are because of two main reasons: Firstly, he’s just naturally that good and secondly, his height (or lack thereof) means he needs to jump or layout for plays more often than taller individuals. Utilized together, this makes for very exciting plays. If he got to the ball but missed the catch on the dive, would anyone care how efficiently he got to the right area? Probably not.</p>
<p id="mYJYwF">All told, it is hard to argue with his place at #4 in these rankings. Few MLB players made such excellent plays regularly. Few Diamondbacks hit for as much power as he did. No other players oscillated between Catching behind the plate and shagging flyballs in the Outfield. The scariest (or most exciting) part is this: he’s likely still going to get better. The “prime” of a player’s career is approximately ages 27-33. Daulton will turn 27 on July 2, 2023. </p>
<h5 id="7S7kck">2022 Highlights </h5>
<p id="TdRCA6">Rockies fans look away now - you have been warned.</p>
<p id="FClryA"><strong>VARSHO EXCELLENT DEFENSE:</strong> If you prefer the “eye-test” to statistical metrics, play the video below. Or if you just like watching excellence on a baseball diamond.</p>
<div id="oaEm7A"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/mlbfilmroom/00u7nko1oG9JQgRL6356/daulton-defense" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="tmyojx"><strong>VARSHO CAN DO IT ALL:</strong> Bunting isn’t for everyone. But man, if the player’s got the wheels and Baseball IQ, it’s exciting.</p>
<div id="zXvDV7">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Daulton Varsho 2022 Bunt Singles <a href="https://t.co/T6GiTgM7rM">pic.twitter.com/T6GiTgM7rM</a></p>— Hockey Is All (21-55-6) (@Hockey_Is_All) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hockey_Is_All/status/1606463657042640896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2022</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p id="15rZe0"><strong>8/5/2022 VARSHO TIES THE GAME AT TWO:</strong> For some, homers are more your style. Well, he’s got that ability too. It’s no easy feat to get the ball to the pool in Right-Center, let alone nearly clearing it. </p>
<div id="FZCefK"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/m/daulton-varsho-homers-15-on-a-fly-ball-to-right-center-field" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="DSAizx"><strong>9/7/2022 VARSHO TWO HOME RUN GAME:</strong> Despite a team loss, Varsho brought his power streak to San Diego, making Yu Darvish look even sillier than he does wearing the melted sherbet jerseys they have over there.</p>
<div id="xQGMyj"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/m/daulton-varsho-s-two-homer-game" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="pAoGI5"><strong>9/9/22 VARSHO GRAND SLAM:</strong> Much like Lilo & Stitch, Daulton must believe in Ohana because no one in his Diamondbacks family got left behind. Or forgotten. All 9 Arizona players scored in order without generating an out. Varsho capped the inning off with a lovely Grand Slam for runs 6-9. </p>
<div id="7F5nnL"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ReMBfaJVdK4?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture;"></iframe></div></div>
<h4 id="XMRXRm">2023 Outlook</h4>
<p id="dCIPSN">On Friday December 23, 2022, the Arizona Diamondbacks traded Daulton Varsho to the Toronto Blue Jays for “prospect” C Gabriel Moreno and contract year OF/DH Lourdes Gurriel Jr. </p>
<p id="3jCvtd">To read about the trade (non-paywall):</p>
<ul>
<li id="C9Vl9j">
<a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/12/23/23524528/diamondbacks-trade-daulton-varsho-blue-jays-gabriel-moreno">Diamondbacks trade Daulton Varsho to Blue Jays for Gabriel Moreno, Lourdes Gurriel Jr.</a> by Steven Burt</li>
<li id="yRs9aD">
<a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/12/24/23525067/daulton-varsho-for-gabriel-moreno-lourdes-gurriel-jr-deal">Thoughts on the Daulton Varsho for Gabriel Moreno, Lourdes Gurriel Jr deal</a> by Jim McLennan</li>
<li id="5c8G7B">
<a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/12/24/23525111/mike-hazen-on-trading-for-c-gabriel-moreno-and-of-dh-loudes-gurriel-jr">Mike Hazen on Trading for C Gabriel Moreno and OF/DH Lourdes Gurriel Jr.</a> by Spencer O’Gara</li>
<li id="Xh9u3n">
<a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/analysis/gabriel-moreno-daulton-varsho-trade-evaluation-part-1">Gabriel Moreno, Daulton Varsho Trade Evaluation, Part 1</a> by Jack Sommers</li>
<li id="KsuZqc">
<a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/analysis/gabriel-moreno-daulton-varsho-trade-evaluation-part-2">Gabriel Moreno, Daulton Varsho Trade Evaluation, Part 2</a> by Jack Sommers</li>
<li id="wBYGTL">
<a href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2022/12/23/23524529/jays-trade-for-daulton-varsho">Jays Trade for Daulton Varsho</a> by Tom Dakers</li>
<li id="H33KEQ">
<a href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2022/12/23/23524777/friday-night-bantering-more-on-the-trade">Friday Night Bantering: More on the Trade</a> by Tom Dakers</li>
<li id="vpGBmZ">
<a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/bluejays/analysis/blue-jays-what-will-daulton-varsho-bring-outfield-catcher">What Does Daulton Varsho Bring to the Blue Jays</a> by Mitch Bannon</li>
<li id="oDh6PT">
<a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/bluejays/news/blue-jays-trade-varsho-gurriel-jr-moreno-diamondbacks-report">Blue Jays Trade Moreno and Gurriel For Diamondbacks’ Varsho</a> by Inside the Blue Jays Staff</li>
</ul>
<p id="OMG5qX">Every Arizona Diamondbacks fan can tell you this trade hurts. The return is filled with potential and *<em>shouldn’t* </em>let many down, in the short or long term, but Varsho is a fan favorite. His 2022 was good enough to make him the #4 player on the team according to SnakePit voters. His teammates liked him. He will be well liked in the Toronto clubhouse. Blue Jays fans will learn to love his infectious personality quickly. His legacy as the “first” of the new Baby ‘Backs will remain, even though his stat line is now preceded by a different city abbreviation and moniker. </p>
<p id="BzFqlO">Heading into a much more Canadian 2023 than he had 2022, Daulton Varsho is once again looking at a season where he *<em>shouldn’t</em>* play much, if any catcher. The Blue Jays seem set there with <a href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2022/10/31/23432877/the-season-that-was-alejandro-kirk">Alejandro Kirk</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/janseda01.shtml">Danny Jansen</a>. Currently he’s predicted to be the Opening Day Left Fielder for Toronto, a position he should have no issues handling. </p>
<p id="w7u4su">If you use WAR as your primary evaluator of a player, Varsho may be in line for some regression, as he played enough catcher in 2022 to affect his total. But there’s little reason to believe 2022 is his “career year” or that he’ll never reach these heights again in other statistics. His power will play up in the AL East. His Batting Average could increase with the shift changes (although he gets the ball in the air so much this may not actually factor in significantly), but also simply as he matures as a hitter. His stubborn desire to always get better means he will never stop trying to be a better version of himself, so all bets are off for where is ceiling may truly land. </p>
<p id="R27ON7">Thank you, Daulton Varsho. Thank you for being such an excellent role model and person. You will be missed greatly in Arizona. Your impact is even larger than your “short king” nickname suggests. It has been an honor to watch you play baseball in Sedona Red. Now go do it even better in Royal (Toronto) Blue! We’re all rooting for you.</p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2023/1/1/23511028/2022-diamondbacks-reviews-4-daulton-varshoSpencerO'Gara2022-12-31T19:00:00-05:002022-12-31T19:00:00-05:002022 Diamondbacks Reviews, #5: Jake McCarthy
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<p>Snakepit 2022 Rookie of the Year</p> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/qbHAOTd6cVHpmBbNXfYq_RrSXww=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24316652/image35.png">
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<p id="mPtPSH"><br><strong>Overview</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="9s26XX">
<strong>Rating: </strong>7.93</li>
<li id="Iva5RG">
<strong>2022 stats:</strong> 354 PAs in 99 games. 8 hrs, 43 RBI and 23 steals (22 of which, after his mid July callup). .283/.342/.427 and OPS+ of 118.</li>
<li id="wEA329">
<strong>Date of birth: </strong>July 30th, 1997. He will be 26 in 2023.</li>
</ul>
<p id="dMjZAW"><strong>2022 salary:</strong> He is prearb and is listed at $702,400. </p>
<ul><li id="o37h16">
<strong>2023 status:</strong> I think he will be the starting RF, most days. </li></ul>
<p id="pqmh4g">The Pittsburgh Pirates originally drafted McCarthy in the 23rd round in 2015 out of high school, but he did not sign. The Dbacks drafted him in the 1st round in 2018 (#39) out of the University of Virginia. <br><br>He debuted on August 27th, 2021 drawing a walk and scoring a run in his first game. Two days later, he got his first base hit, a double (he also singled later). I was actually the guest recapper for that game, against Philadelphia.. </p>
<blockquote><p id="eSpzcp">Carson dumps one into center. Walker flies out to Harper. Young grounds one past Galvis, 2 on 1 out might have something going. Ellis flies out to McCutchen on a 2-1 pitch. Here is McCarthy, looking for his first MLB hit. Now would be a nice time. On a 2-2 pitch he gets jammed a bit, but it drops in between Realmuto and Harper! One run is in and the hit is scored a double for McCarthy’s first hit!</p></blockquote>
<p id="KQpWtR"><a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/2021/8/29/22645878/breakfast-baseball-dbacks-phillies">https://www.azsnakepit.com/2021/8/29/22645878/breakfast-baseball-dbacks-phillies</a><br><br>His first career hit, and also he threw out Bryce Harper at the plate (at :37)</p>
<div id="RonKph"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nMraiImlJ90?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="8YZSmN">McCarthy started 2022 with the team out of spring training. He made his season debut on opening day, he pinch ran for Pavin Smith and would score on Seth Beer’s walkoff 3 run home run. He struggled in the month of April, batting just .120 with 12 strikeouts in 28 PAs, before being sent to Reno. In 20 games he hit .400 with five homers and a 1.199 OPS and was called back up on May 20th. <br><br>From May 20th-June 14th, he hit .278, with 2 HRs and 8 RBI. During the same stretch, Pavin Smith batting just .152 and struck out 20 times. Yet, McCarthy was sent back to Reno. A very plausible scenario was made by Xerostomia in the comments of another article regarding a potential reason for McCarthy’s demotion vs Pavin’s (although that isnt what that thread was about). </p>
<blockquote><p id="comment-c5fca526-b4cc-49d6-913c-20770e8a5597">He [McCarthy-Justin] has not reached 1 year service time (0.170) despite playing in 2021, and 2022. Thus he is under control for 6 more years (till the end of 2028). Perhaps the two times he was sent down was really about manipulation. </p></blockquote>
<p id="SApVyN"> <br>During the 21 days he was in Reno for the second time, he batted .333 and earned a call up again on July 11th. From July 11th-August 24th, he batted .315, with a homer and 14 RBI. He struck out 15 times, to 13 walks and was 9-1 in the stolen base department. <br><br>He had a 19 game on base streak from August 27th through September 17th, including a 9 game hitting streak. During the on base streak, he batted .373/420/.613 with 4 HRs and 18 RBI. He did strike out 13 times. During the 9 game hit streak itself, he batted .429, with 2 HRs and 10 RBI. He was 8-1 in stolen bases. <br><br>He cooled off substantially in the final 14 games of the season. He struck out 18 times, against only 2 walks, 1 extra base hit and batted .179.<br><br>Defensively-</p>
<blockquote>
<p id="LZsbub">McCarthy played all three outfield positions in 2022, with 312 innings in right, 243 in left, and 81 in center. He was also started 11 games at DH, as Torey Lovullo strove to spread around the playing time with a crowded outfield situation. </p>
<p id="LnT78r">McCarthy rated -1 defensive runs saved at baseball reference and exactly 0 runs prevented above average according to statcast. </p>
</blockquote>
<p id="PPB8Sd"><a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/analysis/jake-mccarthy-finished-4th-in-the-nl-rookie-of-the-year-voting">https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/analysis/jake-mccarthy-finished-4th-in-the-nl-rookie-of-the-year-voting</a><br><br>McCarthy finished in 4th place in the NL ROY voting. The highest finish by a Dback since Wade Miley finished 2nd to Bryce Harper in 2012. To round off the top 4 finishers for the Dbacks Chris Young finished 4th in 2007, Webb and Travis Lee 3rd in 2003 and 1998, respectively. <br><br>McCarthy narrowly beat out Drew Jameson for Snakepit Rookie of the Year. Just kidding. McCarthy got 81.6% of the votes. McCarthy posted an overall bWAR of 2.4. Here are his numbers before, in between and after the respective demotions. </p>
<blockquote>
<p id="HIxgkj">To April 24: .120/.185/.240 = .425 OPS</p>
<p id="2iW71Q">May 20-June 14: .278/.328/.482 = .809 OPS</p>
<p id="XwUEjZ">July 11 on: .302/.361/.434 = .795 OPS</p>
</blockquote>
<p id="Rpvx0f"><a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/12/10/23502367/2022-diamondbacks-rookie-of-the-year-jake-mccarthy">https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/12/10/23502367/2022-diamondbacks-rookie-of-the-year-jake-mccarthy</a><br><br><strong>Here is a Q/A with Steve Gilbert, on his 2022 rookie season. </strong><br>McCarthy looks back on rookie year: ‘I found out a lot about myself’<br><a href="https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/jake-mccarthy-on-2022-d-backs-rookie-season">https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/jake-mccarthy-on-2022-d-backs-rookie-season</a><br></p>
<div id="EkRw9k"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/m/austin-slater-lines-out-sharply-to-right-fielder-jake-mccarthy" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="1hWjjA"></p>
<div id="2uF4WC"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/m/humberto-castellanos-in-play-out-s-to-mookie-betts-gqeodk" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="S8Isr6"></p>
<div id="N9CsMP"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/m/tommy-henry-in-play-out-s-to-nolan-arenado" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="DG99hg"><br><strong>Jake McCarthy 2022 Highlights </strong>(offensive)</p>
<div id="owner"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/feZ1nG17V_o?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="yC4ehi"><br><strong>All 8 of Jake McCarthy’s 2022 Home Runs</strong></p>
<div id="Vdftah"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/U2b-6_xcREk?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="gLiQuF"><br>Varsho up next in reviews, but you’ll have to wait until next year for that!</p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/12/31/23525990/2022-diamondbacks-reviews-5-jake-mccarthyJustin272022-12-30T20:00:00-05:002022-12-30T20:00:00-05:002022 Arizona Diamondbacks Reviews, #6: Corbin Carroll
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<img alt="MLB: Arizona Diamondbacks at San Francisco Giants" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FYRPB49DmeL530Jky-dlzVukVcg=/0x0:3037x2025/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71808836/usa_today_19157714.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p><em>Will Carroll bring the ROY award home to Arizona?</em></p> <figure class="e-image">
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</figure>
<h3 id="WIbcea">Overview</h3>
<ul>
<li id="EU8L2M">
<strong>Rating</strong>: 7.37</li>
<li id="MqTUsa">
<strong>Age</strong>: 22</li>
<li id="azfq1G">
<strong>2022 Stats</strong>: 115 PA, .260/.330/.500 = .830 OPS, 133 OPS+, 1.2 bWAR</li>
<li id="DAMNxh">
<strong>2022 Earnings</strong>: Minimum</li>
<li id="B4PkH7">
<strong>2023 Status</strong>: Minimum (rookie status intact)</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="ujGAxO">2022 review</h3>
<p id="q6QHOA">At the beginning of the 2022 season, there were some concerns about Carroll After all, he was returning from shoulder surgery that could impact his ability to drive the ball with authority. Carroll quickly put those concerns to bed. Rather than the surgery sapping him of his power stroke, it did what it was supposed to do (fix a bum muscle), without any of the scary long-term side-effects. Opening the season in AA-Amarillo, Corbin put together quite the highlight reel. He hit for power (16 home runs in 58 games). He played elite outfield defense. He stole bases at will. In short, he played as loud as possible, moving his way up the prospect rankings.</p>
<p id="FRsERN">This earned Carroll a mid-season promotion to AAA-Reno.</p>
<div id="KFEyci">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Welcome to Reno, Corbin <br><br>Corbin Carroll blasts a 441-foot home run for his first hit in an Aces uniform. <a href="https://twitter.com/Dbacks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Dbacks</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/corbin_carroll?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@corbin_carroll</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Aceball?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Aceball</a> <a href="https://t.co/w8zJM8JlS7">pic.twitter.com/w8zJM8JlS7</a></p>— Reno Aces (@Aces) <a href="https://twitter.com/Aces/status/1546314653369659392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2022</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<div id="laUPjS">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9%EF%B8%8F%E2%83%A3?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9️⃣</a><br><br>Corbin Carroll wastes absolutely no time making an impact for the Aces, as he throws out the go-ahead run in extra innings of his FIRST Triple-A Game (he also homered), leading to an Aces win and play 9️⃣<a href="https://twitter.com/corbin_carroll?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@corbin_carroll</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/MiLB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MiLB</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/Dbacks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Dbacks</a> <a href="https://t.co/G5OxHJlCdQ">pic.twitter.com/G5OxHJlCdQ</a></p>— Reno Aces (@Aces) <a href="https://twitter.com/Aces/status/1606838495934402561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2022</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p id="vpgPro">The Aces could out together a 20-minute montage of Carroll highlights. Eventually, Mike Hazen and Co. ran out of excuses and made Carroll a late-season call-up. Again, Carroll did not disappoint.</p>
<p id="i6eyi1">Carroll made his MLB debut on August 29th against Philadelphia. He went 1-for-5 with a double. </p>
<div id="EelWHR"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/m/carroll-records-first-hit" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="QXz1YB">He started again the next night and had his first multi-hit game, including a second double. A week later, Carroll finally connected for his first MLB home run. This one came against San Diego co-ace, Yu Darvish.</p>
<div id="9fMiUp"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/m/corbin-carroll-homers-1-on-a-fly-ball-to-center-field" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="NVlUsp">Carroll was a fixture in the outfield the rest of the way. Almost nightly, one of Carroll, Thomas, or Varsho would find a way to give the fans a web gem. Carroll found ways to excite in the field, on the base paths, and at the plate. Sometimes, he would combine these. This was on full display as Carroll seized hold of the mantle of MLB’s fastest player on the evening of October 3rd when he set the record for fastest home-to-third speed since the tracking began in 2020.</p>
<div id="u5QVBZ"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/m/carroll-reaches-3rd-in-10-75-seconds" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="wC6ZPH">If there was anything to question about Carroll’s dynamic 2022 season, it was his performance against left-handed pitching at the MLB level. Currently, there is quite a drop-off from his stats against right-handed pitching. However, that platoon split comes from the smallest of sample sizes. It is a minor concern to be sure. But the issue was far overshadowed by his outstanding performance in all other areas of the game. </p>
<h3 id="N9uFEf">2023 and Beyond</h3>
<p id="J6sX6H">With the recent trade of Daulton Varsho, Carroll stands poised to become the new face of the franchise. His dynamic, hair-on-fire play and the excitement it brings should help drive some fan enthusiasm in the direction of Arizona in 2023. As mentioned above, Carroll retains his rookie eligibility. This is important for Arizona, as Carroll is widely considered to be a front-runner for the NL Rookie of the Year Award. If he can secure that hardware, then the Diamondbacks would reap the further benefit of an extra draft pick in the 2024 draft, in addition to the extra wins Carroll provided en route to the award.</p>
<p id="nEyynT">The biggest questions regarding Carroll moving forward are:</p>
<ul>
<li id="Xr0Eth">Where will he play in the outfield?</li>
<li id="SSUwQe">Will Carroll hit lefties well enough to not become a full-time platoon player?</li>
</ul>
<p id="zIpi7B">The answer to the first is likely that Carroll will play left field. Although Carroll’s skills lend themselves to playing a top-tier center field as well. Alek Thomas’s performance may go a long way to dictating just where Carroll plays.</p>
<p id="DRIHgt">The answer to the second question will take time to learn. Hopefully, Carroll gets plenty of opportunity versus left-handed pitching through July before any sort of decisions are made in that regard.</p>
<p id="9jxtBd">What does seem safe to assume is that, of all the potential outfielders for 2023, Carroll should be leading the pack in playing time. As things currently stand, there is just no other player on the current roster capable of making an impact player on either side of the ball as much as Carroll potentially does.</p>
<p id="t0Gedm">Fans of the Diamondbacks should be looking for Carroll to be a cornerstone of the next competitive team this franchise fields.</p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/12/30/23532927/2022-arizona-diamondbacks-reviews-6-corbin-carrollJames Attwood2022-12-29T19:00:00-05:002022-12-29T19:00:00-05:002022 Arizona Diamondbacks Reviews: #7, Drey Jameson
<figure>
<img alt="Jameson whiskey bottle seen in a store. Jameson is a brand..." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/juKW_ioK9o4SVcVmeVJiIiDxqZA=/0x192:4608x3264/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71805106/1045415710.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Don’t mind if I do...</p> <h4 id="vbguTg">Voting breakdown</h4>
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<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UVabCIgdkWoh3c-SRv36yL90eok=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24321443/image46.png">
</figure>
<h4 id="H1cWQv">Overview</h4>
<ul>
<li id="j9pdpw">
<strong>Rating</strong>: 7.00</li>
<li id="FMy7c2">
<strong>2022 stats</strong>: 4 G, 24.1 IP, 1.48 ERA, 3.19 FIP, 1.110 WHIP, 24:7 SO/BB, 276 ERA+, 1.3 bWAR</li>
<li id="ZGDQCt">
<strong>Date of birth</strong>: August 17, 1997 (25 years old)</li>
<li id="okiMWn">
<strong>2022 earnings</strong>: League minimum</li>
<li id="a6b9yF">
<strong>2023 status</strong>: On 40-man roster, pre-arbitration, and contract tendered.</li>
</ul>
<h4 id="FCsnd5">2022 in review</h4>
<p id="EK6X5R">I’m fairly certain two September call-ups in the top ten is unprecedented. We already <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/12/27/23528057/2022-arizona-diamondbacks-reviews-9-ryne-nelson">discussed Ryne Nelson</a>, but he wasn’t the latest or highest-ranked debutant. Jameson did not appear until September 15, in game #143. That he appears so late into this series, says all you need to know about the performance of Drey Jameson. There’s a fair amount of similarity between Nelson and Jameson, beginning in their selection with consecutive D-backs’ picks in the 2019 draft. Nelson went #34, the last of Arizona’s first-round picks, while Jameson was the second-rojnd pick, #56 overall. Both then started their pro careers in Low-A Hillsboro, though Drey had a tougher time of it, with a 6.17 ERA over eight games, walking nine in 11.2 innings.</p>
<p id="WoRnCO">Their parallel development continued in 2021, when minor-league baseball resumed after the season lost due to COVID. Drey split time between Hillsboro, now a High-A affiliate, and Double-A Amarillo, earning his promotion a momth after Ryne. The results for Jameson were much improved, with a 3.98 ERA, and he entered 2022 as a consensus. top ten pick in the Arizona farm system. Pre-season evaluations included “an explosive arm that fits in extremely well for the modern game” (<a href="https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/arizona-diamondbacks-2022-top-30-prospects">ProspectsLive</a>), and “his repertoire depth, athleticism, and demonstrated ability to sustain big velo under a 100-plus inning workload have convinced us to project him as a starter” (<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/arizona-diamondbacks-top-46-prospects-2022/">Fangraphs</a>).</p>
<p id="cnlNFN">Though he started this year off in Amarillo again, Drey only made four starts there before moving up to Reno. Much like Nelson once more, the raw numbers in Triple-A wee far from noteworthy. Over 21 starts and one relief appearance, Jameson had an ugly 6.95 ERA - high even by the inflated standards of the Pacific Coast League. But it proved a valuable learning experience for Drey:</p>
<blockquote><p id="oHDTqo">“Reno’s taught me a lot about pitching. You have to pitch. It’s kind of a park in my eyes for location guys. So you’ve got some guys that can rare back and throw it and they’re gonna get outs. And you have guys that are location guys that don’t throw hard but they know exactly where the ball is going, they’re just dotting. And I’m learning that I don’t necessarily need to dot, but I need to be in a certain area.”<br> — <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.azcentral.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fmlb%2Fdiamondbacks%2F2022%2F08%2F23%2Ftantalizing-potential-diamondbacks-prospect-drey-jameson%2F7869976001%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.azsnakepit.com%2F2022%2F12%2F29%2F23529414%2F2022-arizona-diamondbacks-reviews-7-drey-jameson" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Drey Jameson</a></p></blockquote>
<p id="TnrAXl">That did little to diminish his prospect status. <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.azcentral.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fmlb%2Fdiamondbacks%2F2022%2F08%2F23%2Ftantalizing-potential-diamondbacks-prospect-drey-jameson%2F7869976001%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.azsnakepit.com%2F2022%2F12%2F29%2F23529414%2F2022-arizona-diamondbacks-reviews-7-drey-jameson" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Writing in August</a>, Theo Mackie said Jameson “might just have the highest ceiling” of all the D-backs’ pitching prospects, and noted that despite the ERA, his swinging strike rate on both fastball and slider would rank “in the top echelon of major-league starters.” Pitching co-ordinator Dan Carlson said of Drey, “He has all the things that you can’t teach guys. You can help guys improve their skills, but I can’t teach everybody to throw 100. I can’t teach everybody to get super sink on their fastball or nasty slide to their slider.” Slightly over three weeks later, Jameson was called up, and made his major-league debut - like Nelson, against the San Diego Padres.</p>
<div id="VRZKiV"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CJU4-rqWW3s?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="YTZ2si">You will not be surprised to hear that the results were similar too - arguably, better. For Drey shutout San Diego for seven innings, allowing a mere two hits and a walk. He struck out five, including Juan Soto twice, one being Jameson’s first major-league strikeout. He <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/drey-jameson-throws-7-scoreless-innings-in-mlb-debut">said after the game</a>, “That was awesome. I can’t really talk about it because I don’t really know what to say about it. It’s just an experience that not many people get to do and I’m going to cherish every moment of it... I was getting ahead of guys. That’s big. And when I did fall behind, I relied on the sinker to get a ground ball or soft contact, and it worked out well. Just commanding the zone and not getting behind guys helps a lot with letting other pitches feed off that.”</p>
<p id="9Hoa1m">His three starts which followed were not much less impressive. He bear the Dodgers in Los Angeles, then faced the Giants twice, recording a no-decision despite throwing 5.1 shutout innings, and a win with a quality start. In each of his first four games, Drey has not allowed more than two runs, the first Arizona starter to manage such a feat (unless you count Jarrod Parker, who did it in his solitary appearance here, then four more games with Oakland). While we didn’t see the 100 mph velocity <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRzUC_1K0AU">he has sometimes delivered</a>, he touched <a href="https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/sporty-videos?playId=686e6379-54ed-40e3-ac07-9c268019b57a">98.9 mph</a>, the hardest pitch thrown by an Arizona starter in 2022. Jameson led all of them, both in average fastball velocity and in swinging strike percentage. </p>
<h4 id="dpa4ux">2023 outlook</h4>
<p id="F2w93w">There’s no reason why Jameson and Nelson won’t continue their career twin-dom, and compete for a starting job on the Diamondbacks next year. Along with fellow prospect Brandon Pfaadt, it seems likely one of them won’t make the Opening Day roster, and (presuming good health) that decision is likely going to be made late into spring training. In a straight contest, I’d give the edge to Drew over Ryne, due to the former’s better “stuff”. How that compares to Pfaadt, I can’t say, but having a plethora of impressive prospects to choose from is a pleasant position for the team to be in. We’ll see all three in 2023, that’s for sure, and if two develop into average starters, it’ll put Arizona in a spot they’ve not been in for a while. </p>
<p id="rx4xnG">For the Diamondbacks have not had a pair of “home-grown” pitchers i.e. drafted or signed directly by them, make even 15+ starts in a season since 2014, when Wade Miley, Josh Collmenter and Chase Anderson combined to make most of the team’s starts that year. There’s a good chance that streak will end in 2023, and if so, I think Jameson should be in the center of the group to do it. </p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/12/29/23529414/2022-arizona-diamondbacks-reviews-7-drey-jamesonJim McLennan2022-12-28T19:00:00-05:002022-12-28T19:00:00-05:002022 Diamondbacks Reviews, #8 Joe Mantiply
<figure>
<img alt="The 92nd MLB All-Star baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8_McnNAWOjYLBXwXrHxmio0U94w=/0x0:4448x2965/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71801440/1242008390.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A little bit steady but still little bit rollin’ stone.</p> <h4 id="iQqRIV">Overview</h4>
<ul><li id="LQs31S">
<strong>Rating</strong>: 6.74</li></ul>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4BVYcUrpFZhtYUo7IN9LlT9JFCg=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24303369/image26.png">
</figure>
<ul>
<li id="FMy7c2">
<strong>2022 stats</strong>: 69 G, 60.0 IP, 2.85 ERA, 2.83 FIP, 1.083 WHIP, 10.17 SO/BB, 243 ERA+, also: 22 H, 2-5 W/L, 2 S, 6 BS.</li>
<li id="ZGDQCt">
<strong>Date of birth</strong>: March 1, 1991 (31 years old)</li>
<li id="okiMWn">
<strong>2022 earnings</strong>: $717,000 (via Spotrac)</li>
<li id="a6b9yF">
<strong>2023 status</strong>: On 40-man roster, Pre-Arb eligible (arbitration eligible in 2024, free agent in 2027). 3 MiLB options remaining.</li>
</ul>
<h4 id="ly7WXK">Introduction</h4>
<p id="WH9tQ8">Let’s start this player review with a game of “find the differences”:</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PG-486j13fXCwp1e8nySHuK6IPo=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24303495/Captura.PNG">
</figure>
<p id="5bXXaQ">I am not sure how many differences you found, but these were probably easy to find:</p>
<ul>
<li id="NdEktz">
<a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/10/diamondbacks-designate-joe-mantiply-for-assignment.html">The first picture</a> is from October 2020, <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/joe-mantiply-named-all-star-for-first-time">the second one</a> from July 2022.</li>
<li id="7joTcH">The Joe Mantiply in the first picture is DFAd, the Joe Mantiply in the second one is heading to an All-Star game.</li>
</ul>
<p id="syHlau">The last difference is probably tougher and one you won’t find at first sight:</p>
<ul><li id="aUerXy">The Joe Mantiply in the second picture is a much better pitcher than the Joe Mantiply in the first picture.</li></ul>
<h4 id="MuiXzq">2022 review</h4>
<p id="LXpJjj"><a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/2020/11/30/21658738/2020-arizona-diamondbacks-reviews-37-joe-mantiply">It was not that long ago</a> when we had comments on this site like:</p>
<ul>
<li id="SN4dui">
<em>“I keep wanting to call him Multiply”</em> - Rockkstarr12</li>
<li id="jcMB3E">
<em>“The only thing multiplying is baserunners”</em> - Jack Sommers</li>
<li id="TU0Szh">
<em>“Get this clown act out of there.”</em> - AzDbackfanInDc</li>
<li id="gHWh2q">
<em>“That’s what a career 10.57 ERA looks like.”</em> - Snake_Bitten</li>
</ul>
<p id="qljyM8">Mantiply was DFAd by the end of the shortened season but stayed in the organisation. He started in Reno in 2021 but was called up to the major leagues in May 2021, with a much improved version of himself and with some projection, <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/2021/12/21/22846392/2021-arizona-diamondbacks-reviews-23-joe-mantiply">like Jack Sommers pointed out</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p id="cpt3H2">“With few other organizational options and barring injury or a catastrophic spring training, expect Joe Mantiply to be a key part of the Diamondbacks bullpen in 2022. If he can reduce the number of location mistakes, he could continue or even improve upon his 2021 success.” <em>- Jack Sommers in his 2021 review on Joe Mantiply</em></p></blockquote>
<p id="D80OI6">Joe Mantiply’s walk-up song (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6xbR-YxRpM">Dierks Bentley - Burning Man</a>) pretty much explains both his career until now and his 2021 and 2022 season: at times he looks great and sometimes he is not even close to being in the right direction. </p>
<p id="dSXOqu">In last year’s review Jack already pointed out that Mantiply would have stretches of good pitching and then some outings where he’d give up several runs. That trend continued in 2022, albeit with a rather different stretch: from the beginning of the season until the All-Star break Mantiply was the sole star on what was a rather mediocre team.</p>
<p id="CTfirz">The lefty gave up just 1 run and 1 walk until the end of June, when media, <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/6/23/23178835/joe-mantiply-deserves-to-be-an-all-star">like the AZSnakePit</a>, started to mention him as the only possible representative for the Diamondbacks on the MLB All-Star team. </p>
<p id="QfRiUE">Once that news started to appear, Mantiply started to make a case against him as in the following 10 outings until the All-Star break he gave up 8 runs, of which 3 homeruns, although still keeping the walks in check.</p>
<p id="tbAO80">After the All-Star break he once again settled in for about a month until he encountered another difficult stretch until the end of the season.</p>
<p id="ZhaUEV">The success of Joe Mantiply in 2022 was explained <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/2022/6/1/23146833/joe-mantiply-resurrected-career-from-the-scrap-heap-to-reliable-arms-in-mlb-bullpen">in a great article from Michael McDermott</a> on here in the beginning of June while Jack Sommers in his 2021 review also explained the caveat in his possible success: his sinker that gets hard hit from time to time because of inferior location.</p>
<p id="nRKhNJ">It is of no surprise that the effectiveness of his location in 2022 contributed to his success. The importance of it can be seen in the heat maps of star calibre pitchers like Jacob DeGrom or Justin Verlander, but also in the insane high-precision success of Chris Martin during his 2022 time on the Dodgers.</p>
<p id="uEcUDm">In the 2022 pitching heat maps of Mantiply you can observe beautifully how consistent Mantiply was in the location of his pitches (a terrific 71% strike percentage) and you can even better see how it changed from 2021 to 2022.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4mQumKNKi_mUJagt2aTpS1P3z5g=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24303531/Captura2.png">
</figure>
<p id="6cQyjB">This has cemented Mantiply’s name in our 2023 bullpen as the main lefty reliever.</p>
<h4 id="4bRATK">2023 outlook</h4>
<p id="t5xKmr">What is still in the game for Joe Mantiply? The biggest question now is can Joe Mantiply become a go-to reliever as either a set-up man or maybe even closer or a lefty to be deployed in whatever high-leverage relief situation?</p>
<p id="RaCw3k">Mantiply can be deployed against both right- and left-handed batters. In 2022 righties slugged more against Mantiply, but lefties had a better on-base percentage (although still below-average). His home- and away-splits were also much more in balance. Those are all great observations for Torey Lovullo as it indicates he can use Mantiply against whoever he wants.</p>
<p id="yv67Wo">But there is some food for thought: Mantiply had 5 losses in 2022 and 6 blown saves, of which 1 loss and blown save were combined in the same outing. </p>
<p id="T5ukkm">The average leverage index Joe Mantiply pitched in was 1.51 over the whole season, which was 4th highest after Ian Kennedy, Mark Melancon and Reyes Moronta. That certainly shows the Diamondbacks want to deploy him in high leverage situations. but Mantiply let 46% of inherited runners score and those 16 batters that crossed home plate more or less put him into the lower ranks of the relief pitchers that face high leverage situations.</p>
<p id="MDI5cb">If Mantiply is able to keep his nerves when deployed in those situations, he could become some kind of a Brad Ziegler-kind of pitcher, but right now he looks more of a set-up or possible closer type: the fireman who keeps everything wet, but not the hero who enters the burning house.</p>
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