Diamondbacks Reassign Yu-Min Lin and Eight Other Prospects
It's now the time in Spring Training in which young players and prospects begin to get removed from Major League Camp and reassigned to Minor League Camp before they go off to their separate levels of the Minor Leagues. These players will still be in the organization and can still appear in MLB Spring Training games. They just will not be in Major League Camp nor will they be expected to appear in Spring Training games. Following these nine cuts, 60 players remain in camp. That number will reach 26 by the end of Spring Training.
Manager Torey Lovullo is known for being a player's manager. He's known for his empathy and connection with players both in the Majors and Minors. He makes sure to let them know that they are being reassigned in the softest way he can.
"I know them walking into my office before they sit down, they know what's going to be happening. It's probably something they've been dreading. I try to connect with them from a place of empathy. We all sat in that chair. We all know what that feels like. That's my starting point... I start to deliver very important messages about how important your development is to this program...The innings will be drying up, the at-bats will be drying up. That's not healthy for anybody. I usually ask them how they felt they did at camp."
He continued with "Then I can get a snapshot as to how they're evaluating and holding themselves accountable to what is actually going on versus what I'm seeing. Most of the time, it matches. When it doesn't match, I can say I didn't see that way, I'd like for you to do x, y, and z...Then I wish them luck. I tell them they're not forgotten. "
The most notable name is Yu-Min Lin. The Diamondbacks' No. 5 prospect reached Double-A before the end of the 2023 season. The 20-year-old had a strong season and showcased his talent to be a potential MLB starting pitcher. Unfortunately for him, he struggled mightily in his only Spring Training action.
Manager Torey Lovullo spoke about his thoughts regarding Lin and his performance this Spring Training. "I've seen the stuff but it's been a little bit inconsistent. I don't expect it to always be perfect, especially when you're a young player. There's a sweet spot in there and I think he was slowly finding it, but the shape of his pitches, the velocity of his fastball, I liked all that stuff. It just was in a bag that was a little mixed up and it wasn't coming out at the right times. Nor was it coming out with effectiveness."
In 0.1 innings, Lin gave up five runs, four hits, a home run, two walks, and struck out one. Up to that point, he had been performing great in batting practice games and backfield sessions. The potential is still there. He is expected to return to Double-A to start the 2024 season.
Lovullo spoke on what he wants to see out of Lin. "I challenged him to be a little bit more consistent. I know that he is. He can land four to five pitches per at-bat in different shapes, different spins, different angles to the plate."
Ivan Melendez struggled in his seven games of spring action. Over his 11 at-bats, the D-backs No. 9 prospect walked three times, struck out seven times, and failed to record a single hit. The swing-and-miss issues that were so prevalent in the minor leagues continued this spring. His 34% strikeout rate last year did not show any signs of improvement this Spring Training. It's not surprising that the D-backs reassigned their No.8 prospect to Minor League Camp after this performance. It's expected that Melendez will start back at Double-A where he will continue to work on his strikeout issues.
Manager Torey Lovullo spoke on what he wants to see out of Melendez entering the 2024 season.
"I want to make sure he enhances the strengths that he has. I want him to continue to learn about his swing, the pitches that will be sequenced per at-bat, the ability to hit in four quadrants, and just be a more complete hitter. He's got power, we know that. We know that he's going to have a big slug, but I also think there is the ability to have a nice strong on-base percentage. That'll be his challenge."
AJ Vukovich was one of the players selected to be reassigned to Minor League Camp. The 22-year-old is the team's No.14 prospect with high hopes of becoming a contributing outfielder for the D-backs. However, he didn't perform well enough in MLB camp with just a .125 batting average in eight games and 16 at-bats. He had two hits, a double, two walks, and an eye-popping 10 strikeouts. The strikeouts were far too many for him to stay in MLB Camp, but it's expected that he will debut in Triple-A with the Reno Aces for the 2024 season.
The D-backs backup catcher battle is down to Tucker Barnhart and Jose Herrera. Ronaldo Hernandez and No. 22 prospect J.J. D'Orazio were reassigned to Minor League Camp. Hernandez was just signed this offseason as a minor league free agent. He only saw two at-bats so far with a punch-out in one of them. D'Orazio saw action in four games with five at-bats and recorded a hit and two strikeouts. However, it's expected that the 22-year-old catcher will return to Double-A for 2024 and is still a couple of years from MLB.
Caleb Roberts, the versatile catcher/outfielder/first baseman, had a good Spring Training in his limited action. He recorded two hits, including a triple, and three RBI in his five games and five at-bats. He walked once and struck out three times. It just appears that the team wants him to get ready for Triple-A Reno.
The Diamondbacks reassigned a trio of Minor League relievers in RHPs Christian Montes De Oca and Austin Pope and LHP Konnor Pilkington. Pope is a minor surprise, however, he struggled in his two outings this spring. He had a 9.00 ERA over a combined one inning with a run, hit, and two walks allowed to go with a strikeout. It's expected that Pope will return to Triple-A.
Pilkington was roughed up in his two outings with a 21.60 ERA over his 1.2 innings. He gave up six hits, four runs, a hit batter, a walk, and two strikeouts. Pilkington will likely return to Triple-A and for now, will look for better command of his pitches in Minor League Camp.
Montes De Oca continued to impress over his three outings this Spring with two innings pitched, a hit gave up, a walk, and two strikeouts. However, considering he just reached Double-A last year, the odds of him lasting long in Big League Camp were slim. Now, he'll look to be a late-season call-up or make a push for the Opening Day roster in 2025.
