How Did the Diamondbacks Fare in the Arizona Fall League?
Nine players, four position players and five pitchers, suited up for the Diamondbacks in the 2022 Arizona Fall League. The Salt River Rafters, which included players from the St. Louis Cardinals, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, and Toronto Blue Jays organizations. The Rafters finished in last place, with a 12-18 record, but also proved to be a valuable evaluation opportunity for players in the D-backs organization.
Jordan Lawlar
Lawlar played the first four weeks, hitting .278/.469/.527 with two home runs and four stolen bases in 11 games. In his short stint in the fall league, the D-backs No. 2 prospect was able to showcase his offensive upside at the plate and on the bases. He suffered a hit-by-pitch in his final at-bat, which resulted in a fractured scapula that will not require surgical intervention. Lawlar is an intelligent player and shows maturity beyond his years, looking for areas where he can improve his craft. That was evident when we interviewed him last month.
Deyvison De Los Santos
De Los Santos didn't have a strong run in the fall league, showing there were plenty of areas to improve for the D-backs No. 10 prospect. His approach at the plate was inconsistent, taking very wild swings at pitches in the strike zone, and he had difficulty driving the ball in the air despite having one of the best raw power grades in the organization. He finished the fall league hitting .226/.284/.339 in 18 games with five doubles and a triple.
On defense, he didn't really have much of a chance to prove he can stick at third base. He spent a lot of time between first base and designated hitter, although he has a decent amount of athleticism. Given his athleticism compared to some of the other third basemen in the fall league, he's probably more likely to move to the other side of the diamond.
Justin Martinez
No player improved their standing in the organization over the last six weeks more than Martinez. The D-backs No. 29 prospect showcased his high octane stuff, which includes an upper 90s fastball that can reach 100 MPH, a slider, and a splitter. He appeared in seven fall league games, pitching to a 2.35 ERA, three saves, and a 13/5 strikeout to walk ratio in 7.2 innings. With a need to add velocity and strikeouts to the D-backs bullpen, Martinez has likely earned a 40-man roster spot and opportunity to compete for a spot next spring.
It's worth noting that Martinez appears to have the mentality necessary to pitch in the back-end of a big league bullpen. In his outing against Scottsdale on October 31st, he was able to pitch out of a bases loaded, no out jam. The two runs he allowed in the fall came on a solo home run and a fielder's choice with the bases loaded, showing the ability to pitch out of jams. As his command continues to improve, he may develop into a key arm in the bullpen as soon as next season.
Jackson Goddard
Goddard struggled initially, but seemed to find his groove in the second half. He's not a big swing and miss guy, so he has to survive by inducing weak contact. 2022 was a big year for him, as he lost two seasons of development due to the cancellation of the minor leagues in 2020 and a lat injury that wiped out his entire 2021 season. After finding some success in the fall league, he should gain the confidence necessary to springboard into 2023. Goddard is likely a middle inning reliever that can provide some multiple inning bursts to eat up innings in the pen in low and medium leverage situations. You can learn more about Goddard from this Inside the Diamondbacks interview
Cooper Hummel
Hummel had a very short stint in the fall league, performing well against overmatched pitchers. His defense behind the plate was a mixed bag, as his throws and ability to block balls in the dirt were inconsistent. Hummel has good mobility behind the plate and a decent enough arm, but he needs a lot of work to stick as a potential backup catcher. If the defense shows improvement, he can stick around for a while as a backup catcher.
J.B. Bukauskas
Bukauskas appeared in one game and was never seen again. His fastball velocity was way down, coming in 1.5 MPH below his 2021 average of 94.6. Given the amount of injuries in his career and the big drop-off in velocity in his lone fall appearance, it begs the question about whether he's injured again or if there is anything left in the arm.
Kyle Backhus
Backhus appeared in the first three weeks of the fall, baffling hitters with side-arm angle and the classic sinker/slider repertoire from that arm slot. Early in the fall he had issues finding the zone, but once he found the zone he was able to put up impressive outings. His best outing came at Chase Field, in which he struck out two to pick up a save in a 4-1 win. That proved to be his last game, as he was pulled from the fall league the next week for undisclosed reasons. Given his success in the fall, he's definitely a potential internal option to improve the bullpen from the farm system.
Camden Duzenack
Duzenack appeared late in the fall league, but left a solid impression in his short time. An infielder that hits right-handed with some defensive versatility and a right-handed bat, he should be in the mix for a reserve infield spot if he isn't claimed in the Rule 5 Draft this winter. Duzenack is a veteran of six minor league seasons, which shows in how he conducts himself as a player on and off the field.
Chad Patrick
Patrick struggled the most of the pitchers representing Arizona. In five fall league starts, he pitched to a 10.57 ERA with more walks than strikeouts in 15.1 innings. Batters hit .329 against him, so there wasn't much in his ability to limit the amount of runs scored against him.
