The Diamondbacks have faced a string of injuries this season, impacting not just their major league roster but also their top prospects. Recently, Tommy Troy and Yu-Min Lin were added to the injured list. Troy will be sidelined for 4-6 weeks due to a left hamstring strain, as confirmed by farm director Shaun Larkin. Lin’s injury is more severe, as he suffered a head injury from a foul ball and is now out indefinitely.
With Troy and Lin sidelined, five of the organization’s Top 10 prospects will be missing significant playing time. Gino Groover is facing a three-month absence after breaking his left wrist, while Dylan Ray is eyeing a return in June after being sidelined with a right elbow injury since spring.
Here’s a roundup of notable prospect performances from Friday night across various levels:
Triple-A: Reno Aces 1, Sugar Land Space Cowboys 8
Left-handed pitcher Blake Walston had a strong outing, holding the opposition scoreless over six innings despite issuing three walks. Although his strikeout-to-walk ratio was even at 3:3, Walston limited the damage to just three hits, with six of the 17 balls in play against him classified as hard-hit. Adrian Del Castillo struggled at the plate, going 0-for-4 and failing to hit the ball out of the infield.
Double-A: Amarillo Sod Poodles 2, Frisco RoughRiders 3
Yilber Diaz endured another rough start, surrendering three runs on five hits and four walks while striking out seven. Despite his high strikeout rate of 36.9%, Diaz struggled with command, resulting in a 1.72 WHIP. Command issues have plagued Diaz throughout his career as a starter in the D-backs system, but his stuff suggests he could find success in a bullpen role if the team decides to make that transition.
Deyvison De Los Santos and Ivan Melendez provided offensive support with a combined five hits in the heart of the lineup. Caleb Roberts reached base twice with a double and a walk, scoring a run in the process. Kristian Robinson contributed an RBI single in the fourth inning.
High-A: Hillsboro Hops 5, Eugene Emeralds 4
Despite issuing seven walks over 4 1/3 innings, Ricardo Yan managed to keep the damage to a minimum, conceding just one run without allowing a hit. Jose Fernandez had a productive night at the plate, collecting two hits, drawing a walk, and scoring two runs. Andrew Pintar contributed with a 1-for-5 performance, driving in two runs. Christian Cerda went 1-for-3 with a walk and scored a run.
Low-A: Visalia Rawhide 3, Inland Empire 66ers 1
Druw Jones made an impact with two hits, including his first home run of the season, a fly ball to right field. Jones has been consistent lately, tallying seven hits in his last seven games.
Druw Jones (@Dbacks' No. 3, MLB No. 70) drills his first home run of the season for the @VisaliaRawhide. pic.twitter.com/kSASSZdQnj
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 27, 2024
Jansel Luis went hitless in four at-bats, while Ruben Santana went 0-for-2 but drew a walk and hit a sacrifice fly.
