The Diamondbacks went against the grain and took a college arm with their second pick of the night.
Patrick Forbes
DOB: 11 July 2004
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 220
B/T: R/R
Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 40 | Overall: 50
Arizona went against the overwhelming majority of expectations by taking a college arm at #29, especially one with such a limited track record. Considered a bit of a reach, the reach may not be as big as it first seems. Recent helium has lifted Forbes’s stock into the low-to mid 30s.
Forbes’s best pitch is his mid-90s four-seam fastball. It sits comfortably around 94-96, but he can touch triple-digits when he reaches back for something extra. He started his collegiate career as a third baseman and reliever. It wasn’t until this year that he moved to the mound as a full-time starter.
Here is what Baseball America has to say:
BA Grade: 50/High
Forbes pitched primarily out of the bullpen in his first two seasons with Louisville, where he flashed big stuff but struggled to throw strikes. He moved into a full-time starter role for the first time in 2025 and leapt up draft boards after an electric first month before control issues surfaced later in the season. He posted a 4.42 ERA over 15 starts and 71.1 innings with a 36.7% strikeout rate and career-best 10.7% walk rate. At 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, Forbes has a strong, athletic build with physicality throughout his frame. He’s a dynamic mover on the mound with an explosive delivery, a whippy arm stroke and a low three-quarters slot. Forbes’ fastball sits in the mid 90s but has been up to 100 mph with plus life through the zone. It explodes out of his hand and is at its best—and also generates the most swings and misses—in the top half of the zone. Forbes backs his heater with a mid-to-upper-80s slider that flashes sharp two-plane tilt and impressive finish. He’s shown the ability to manipulate the pitch’s shape, and at times—especially against righthanded hitters—it will look like a true sweeper with plenty of sharp lateral tilt. While Forbes has a dynamic two-pitch mix, he lacks a consistent third offering and rarely throws an upper-80s changeup. His control is fringy at best, and it’s been poor in his worst looks. Forbes has reliever risk but the pure stuff to pitch in high-leverage spots if he winds up in a bullpen.
Forbes was a very unlikely pick. He does not have anywhere the upside of Jack Bauer. But, the flip-side of that coin is that Forbes is a far safer pick than Bauer. Forbes will take some time to reach the Majors. His limited history of pitching and the fact that this is his first season throwing starter innings means that he has work to do with his stamina as much as he does with his control. Taking Forbes so high up, it seems clear that Arizona thinks he can avoid falling off with his control due to late-season fatigue once he gets proper professional training. That, of course, is a very big bet. But that is pretty much the name of the game for the night.
From the Snake Pit’s Preston Salisbury:
Patrick Forbes
A right-handed pitcher from Louisville, Forbes is one of the more sure bets of the college pitchers after those at the very top of the rankings. There are some injury concerns; he missed starts this year with a flexor strain. But he’s young (he turned 21 just two days ago) and he’s been really good when healthy. He struck out 13 per nine innings in his college career, and his control has improved. His fastball sits mid-90s and he has touched 100. His slider runs from average to above-average. He lacks a true third pitch, but the organization surely thinks they can either turn his changeup into a pitch that will play in the pros or develop another pitch. His ceiling is probably a solid mid-rotation starter, and his floor should be a really good late inning reliever, if he can remain healthy.
He’s likely to work at the complex for the rest of this season and debut at Hillsboro next year.
There will be more in-depth coverage of Forbes in the next day or so. Continue to check back here at the Pit for more.