It¡¯s time to catch up on the latest from the Diamondbacks Minor League system courtesy of farm director Chris Slivka:
TRIPLE-A RENO
Jordan Lawlar, Arizona¡¯s top prospect per MLB Pipeline, is off to a hot start for the Aces, and he's also playing second base for the first time. With shortstop Geraldo Perdomo signed to an extension this spring, the Diamondbacks have had Lawlar, a shortstop throughout his amateur and pro career, getting reps at third and second base.
¡°He's driving the ball to all fields,¡± Slivka said. ¡° He's controlling his bats. He's getting more experience over there at second base, getting more familiarity with the position and the reads, the angles and double play turns. He¡¯s looked really good on both sides of the ball, so he's obviously trending in the right direction.¡±
On the pitching side, reliever Kyle Amendt has yet to allow an earned run in his first nine appearances, spanning 10 2/3 innings in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
¡°That's really impressive and is really difficult to do,¡± Slivka said. ¡°His stuff has been crisp, deceptive, his breaking balls have been sharp and he's been attacking the strike zone.¡±
DOUBLE-A AMARILLO
Second baseman Tommy Troy, third baseman LuJames Groover and catcher Christian Cerda have led the way offensively for the Sod Poodles.
Groover, the club's No. 10 prospect, was impressive during his time in big league camp this spring, drawing praise from manager Torey Lovullo for his approach.
Troy, who has done a good job of staying on sliders is ranked as the D-backs' No. 8 prospect. He played well in the Arizona Fall League last year and has picked up where he left off.
¡°He's done a really good job of capitalizing on fastballs in the strike zone and he hasn't been missing him,¡± Slivka said. ¡°He¡¯s also done a really good job laying off the breaking pitches to get himself into leverage counts to utilize his strength.¡±
HIGH-A HILLSBORO
The Hops have three pitchers from last year¡¯s Draft class in the rotation: Mason Marriott, Daniel Eagen (No. 16) and John West who are pitching well. West had a rough first outing but has picked things up since.
¡°All three starters from last year's Draft class are really turning heads and we expect them to continue doing what they're doing,¡± Slivka said. ¡°Eagen is striking out a lot of batters. He's attacking the strike zone featuring a plus curveball, above-average slider. He really, he can really throw the breaking pitches and get swing and miss with those.¡±
Offensively, outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt (No. 6) is off to a red-hot start after being picked No. 31 overall last year. In his first 56 at-bats of the season, he¡¯s got a .513 on-base percentage and a 1.138 OPS.
¡°Ryan Waldschmidt is dominating there,¡± Slivka said. ¡°He¡¯s managing his at-bats really well, controlling the strike zone, hitting the ball really hard and getting into his power.¡±
SINGLE-A VISALIA
Speaking of Draft picks, outfielder Slade Caldwell (No. 3), the team¡¯s first-round pick last year, is crushing the ball for the Rawhide.
In his first 49 at-bats, Caldwell has a slash line of .347/.536/.592 with nine of his 17 hits going for extra bases.
¡°He's done an incredible job of holding his own in his first full pro season,¡± Slivka said. ¡°Defensively, he can go and get it. He has a very mature at-bats and approach for a young kid. At times I think he can be a little too picky at the plate, but that's not a bad thing. As he continues to grow and develop as a hitter, he¡¯ll know when to pick and choose his spots and anticipate the fastball. He looks really good. He looks really advanced for his age and he's a really exciting, dynamic player.¡±