How They Were Built: 2015 Arizona Diamondbacks

Starting Pitchers

Jeremy Hellickson – Drafted in the fourth round in 2005 by the Tampa Bay Rays, Hellickson broke into the major leagues in 2010.  He captured the American League Rookie of the Year in 2011 and holds a career record of 40-36 with an ERA of 3.78.  He was acquired by the Diamondbacks in November of 2014 for prospects Andrew Velazquez and Justin Williams.

Josh Collmenter – Collmenter was drafted in the 15th round of the 2007 draft by the Diamondbacks.  He made his debut in 2011 and won 10 games.  He holds a career record of 31-27 with an ERA of 3.42.  He is signed through the 2015 season with a club option in 2016 and a mutual option in 2017.

Rubby De La Rosa – Signed as a amateur free agent in 2007 by the Los Angeles Dodgers, De Le Rosa made his major league debut in 2011.  He has appeared in 44 games and 28 as a starter, and has a career record of 8-15 with an ERA of 4.34.  He has part of the trade by the Dodgers to the Red Sox when they acquired Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez, and Nick Punto.  The Diamondbacks acquired him in 2014 from the Red Sox for Wade Miley.

Allen Webster – Acquired in the deal with De La Rosa from the Red Sox, Webster made his debut in 2013 and has made 18 starts in 19 career appearances.  He was a former draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 18th round in 2008.

Trevor Cahill – Cahill is entering his fourth season with the Diamondbacks and has a career record of 64-69 and an ERA of 4.07.  He was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2006 draft by the Oakland A’s, and made his major league debut in 2009.  Cahill has made one All-Star appearance in 2010 and finished with a record of 18-8 for the A’s.  Arizona acquired him in December of 2011 for Ryan Cook, Collin Cowgill, and Jarrod Parker.

Bronson Arroyo (DL) – It is unfortunate for Arizona that Arroyo had to get Tommy John surgery in July of 2014.  After not missing a start in eight straight years, Arroyo found himself on the DL (and is still there).  He would be a great asset for his veteran leadership with this relatively young pitching staff.  Arroyo is 145-131 with a career ERA of 4.19.  He signed a 2-year deal in February 2014 with Arizona with a club option in 2016.

Patrick Corbin (DL) – One of the reasons the newly acquired De La Rosa and Webster are penciled in the rotation is because Corbin and Arroyo needed Tommy John surgery.  Corbin received his in March of 2014 which gives him a real good chance to get back on the mound sometime in 2015.  The Diamondbacks acquired him in the Dan Haren trade in 2010.  So far in his brief career, Corbin is 20-16 with an ERA of 3.80.  He made the All-Star team in 2013, finishing the season 14-8.

Bullpen

Addison Reed (CL)- The Diamondback closer was originally drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 3rd round of the 2010 draft.  He made his debut in September of 2011 and has 101 career saves, including 40 that he notched in 2013.  He was acquired in the winter of 2013 from Chicago for Matt Davidson.  He has a high ERA for a closer but did save 32 games in 2014 for a Diamondbacks team that won only 64 games.  Reed has a 9.7 K/9 over his four seasons in the majors.

Brad Ziegler – The side-arming relief pitcher made 68 appearances in 2014 and had a record of 5-3 and an ERA of 3.49.  He has played in 469 games in his career and boasts a career ERA of 2.56.  His quirky delivery is probably one of the reasons for his success at the major league level.  Ziegler does have some closer experience notching 33 career saves including 13 in 2013.  He was originally drafted in the 31st round in 2002 by the Oakland A’s but didn’t sign.  He re-entered the draft in 2003 and was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 20th round.  He was released less than a year later by the Phillies and picked up by the team that originally drafted him, the A’s.  Arizona acquired him in 2011 for Brandon Allen and Jordan Norberto.

Evan Marshall – Drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 4th round of the 2011 draft, Marshall made his major league debut in May of 2014.  He appeared in 57 games with a 4-4 record and an ERA of 2.74.  In 49.1 innings pitched, Marshall recorded 54 strikeouts which is good for a 9.9 K/9.

Oliver Perez – The strange delivery from this lefty has led to both success and struggles at the major league level.  Perez is entering his 13th year in the bigs and has played for five different franchises.  He has pitched in 368 games and 195 as a starter logging 1,253 innings of work.  Perez signed a 2-yr deal with Arizona in March of 2014.

Daniel Hudson – Hudson was selected in the 5th round of the 2008 amateur draft by the Chicago White Sox.  He made his major league debut in 2009 going 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA in six games, two as a starter.  The Diamondbacks acquired him in July 2010 when they sent Edwin Jackson to Chicago.  Hudson was granted free agency but quickly re-signed with Arizona on a 1-yr deal with a 2015 option.

Randall Delgado – Delgado signed an amateur free agent contract with the Atlanta Braves in 2006.  He made his major league debut in 2011 and has been both a starter and a reliever.  He was included in the deal that sent Justin Upton to Atlanta in January of 2013.

Starting Lineup

Tuffy Gosewisch (C) – After trading away Miguel Montero to the Chicago Cubs this offseason, it looks like for right now the catching job is Gosewisch’s.  An original draft pick of the Philadelphia Philles in 2005, Tuffy spent time in that system and the Toronto Blue Jays, before signing a free agent deal with Arizona in 2012.  He appeared in 41 games last season with an average of .225.

Paul Goldschmidt (1B) – Arizona’s 8th round pick in 2009, Goldschmidt has made himself a name around baseball in just a short period of time.  A two-time All-Star, “Goldy” as he is known by his peers, has 83 home runs in four seasons in the big leagues.  He is the owner of a .292/.381/.523/.904 line who needs to stay at that level if the Diamondbacks are to improve this season.  He was limited to just 109 games in 2014, but look to him for around 150-155 if he can stay healthy.

Aaron Hill (2B) – Hill is entering his 11th season in the big leagues and has enjoyed plenty of success.  Drafted in the 1st round of the 2003 draft by the Toronto Blue Jays, Hill has appeared in nearly 1,300 games and has made the All-Star team once (2009), and won the silver slugger award twice (2009, 2012).  He was traded to Arizona back in 2011 for Kelly Johnson.  His best year as a Diamondback was in 2012 when he hit .302 with 26 home runs.

Yasmany Tomas (3B) – Cuban defector Tomas signed a 6-yr $68.5 million deal with the Diamondbacks in December.  Cubans have had plenty of success in MLB and Tomas should be no different.  There is hope in the desert of power numbers that he can put up, but that will remain to be seen.  He is going to be given a chance to win the third base job this spring.

Chris Owings (SS) – It wasn’t clear heading into the offseason who was going to be playing short stop in 2015.  Didi Gregorious and Chris Owings were going to be given looks until Gregorious was traded to the New York Yankees.  Owings was drafted in the first round of 2009 by Arizona and made his debut in September of 2013.  He played in 91 games in 2014 both at second and short stop.

David Peralta (LF) – Peralta was signed in 2004 as an amateur free agent by the St. Louis Cardinals.  He was released in 2009 and signed by the Diamondbacks in 2013.  He appeared in 88 games in 2014 and hit .286.

A.J. Pollock (CF) – The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Pollock in the first round in 2009.  The former Notre Dame player made his debut in April of 2012 playing in 31 games.  He would add to that total in 2013 when he appeared in 137.  In limited action in 2014, Pollock hit .302 with seven home runs.  Staying healthy will be the name of the game for him this season.

Mark Trumbo (RF) – Brought over in a trade in 2013 from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Trumbo is a nice complement to Goldschmidt in the the Diamondbacks lineup.  With the exception of last season, Trumbo hit 29, 32, and 34 home runs from 2011-2013 and can certainly do it again.  He was on pace for numbers similar in 2014 but only played in 88 games.  Trumbo was selected in the 18th round of the 2004 draft, so it goes to show that great players can come from anywhere out of the vast baseball talent pool.

Projected Bench

Oscar Hernandez (Catcher) – Hernandez, if he sticks, was a Rule 5 draft pick by the Diamondbacks from the Tampa Bay Rays.  He is 21-years old and has made it to just Single-A where he played for Bowling Green Hot Rods of the Midwest League in 2014.  He had an average of .249 with nine home runs.

Jordan Pacheco (Utility) – Drafted by the Colorado Rockies in 2007, was claimed off waivers in June of 2014.  He re-signed with Arizona on a minor leauge deal in January of 2015.

Cliff Pennington (Infielder) – Pennington found his way to the desert in a three-team trade in 2012.  He played five seasons in Oakland before the trade and has found a nice home in Arizona.  He played short stop, third, and second last season and it is assumed that he will fill that same role in 2015.

Cody Ross (Outfielder) – This is one of those players that I always admired.  He is a guy that will get his uniform dirty and lay it all on the line (from what I have seen).  He came to Arizona on a 3-year $26 million deal in 2013 and also has an option for 2016.  He is entering his 12th season and has played for seven different teams.

 

 

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