The Arizona Diamondbacks are about the future and there’s one part about it that is particularly the brightest.
Outfielder Corbin Carroll has been regarded as the franchise’s top prospect in the system for over a year, an ascent for the 21-year-old’s evaluation that has continued ever since he was selected 16th overall in the 2019 MLB Draft by Arizona.
That pattern has persisted in the top prospect rankings from The Athletic’s Keith Law, who had Carroll jump from 16th in his January rankings to No. 1 overall in the August update.
Carroll slid to the 16th pick in the 2019 draft – he was fourth on my final Big Board – and had a great start to his pro career that summer before losing the next two years to the pandemic and a shoulder injury he suffered after playing just seven games in 2021. The D-Backs, however, sent him right to Double-A this year, trusting in the 21-year-old’s exceptional makeup. He’s mashed both there and in Triple-A, with a .312/.440/.647 composite line, 20 homers, eight triples and 25 steals in 28 attempts. He’s an 80 runner underway who can play plus defense in center, makes a ton of hard contact and has plus power, along with an incredible work ethic. The only reason I might pump the brakes on his hype is that both of his home parks this year are strong hitters’ environments, although he’s hit well on the road too. He looks like he’s going to be a superstar and should see the majors before the year is out.
That instant designation at the Double-A level for Carroll only lasted 58 games this season before the call-up to the Reno Aces in Triple-A. His OPS for the Amarillo Sod Poodles in Double-A broke 1.000 at 1.073. Across 13 games for Reno thus far, Carroll has three homers and nine RBIs with a .987 OPS.
Carroll’s inevitable arrival to the MLB level would have him form a young and exciting D-backs outfield alongside 22-year-old rookie Alek Thomas and 26-year-old Daulton Varsho. Arizona Sports‘ John Gambadoro reports that has a much better chance of happening before the end of this season after Arizona traded long-time left fielder David Peralta to the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.