Welcome to the final THREE DAYS before opening day! I hope you have been enjoying spring training as much as I have. Baseball is back in less than 72 HOURS! I am overjoyed! At the beginning of March, the official Ball Boy Blog previews of all 30 teams began. The previews feature all the Free Agent signings, trades, NRI, bold predictions, and some cool fun facts at the end! We are starting at the top of the 2020 ranks and working our way down from best to worst! Enjoy!

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NL West Team: Arizona Diamond Backs

Last Year Record: 25-35 finished 5th in the NL West

Record x2.7: 67.5-94.5

Vegas Projected: Vegas has the Diamondbacks winning 74.5 games during the 2021 season. With the D-backs playing in a much-improved division in front of them in the Giants, Padres, and Dodgers, I can only see the snakes winning about 65 games. However, I will take 70W on the highest side.

Impact Departures:

RHP Junior Guerra(FA), OF Jon Jay(FA), RHP Hector Rondon(FA), RHP Mike Leake(FA), 1B Kevin Cron(FA)

Traded

LHRP Travis Bergen

Key Arrivals

Free Agent Signings:

-RHRP Joakim Soria- Over the last two seasons with the A's, he owns a 3.94ERA/3.46FIP; however, he had a 2.82ERA in 22.1IP, just 1HR.

-RHRP Tyler Clippard to a 1yr $2.25mil deal, with a $3.5mil mutual option for 2022. Since his debut in 2007, he owns a 3.13ERA/3.47SIERA, 27.1%K rate over 842IP.

-INF Asdrubal Cabrera to a 1yr $1.75mil deal with $1.05mil in incentives. In 2020 he hit .242/.305/.447 in 213PA. The 35yo switch-hitter owns a career .268/.330/.426 line over 7046PA.

Claims:

RHP Humberto Castellanos- the 22yo made his MLB debut in 2020 with the Astros. He had 10.2IP with 8ER, 12K-5BB. He does own a 2.92ERA with 205K-46BB in 216IP at the MiLB level.

P Rogelio Armenteros did not pitch in 2020 due to surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow. In his 18IP(4starts), he owns a 4.00ERA with an 18-5 K/BB ratio. He does have one minor league option left and should provide quality depth to the D-backs.

KEY NRI:

-RHRP Anthony Swarzak- The 35yo has struggled with injury since returning to the MLB in 2015 from the KBO. Since the return, he owns a 3.98ERA over 201.1IP.

-RHP Ben Heller- Heller missed all of 2018 after having Tommy John's surgery. He has only appeared in six games in both the 2019-20 seasons.

-RHP Seth Frankoff- after a strong showing in the KBO in 2018/19 as starter posting a 3.68ERA over 266.2IP. The 32yo Frankoff hopes to be able to latch on in the rotation with D-backs in 2021.

-RHP Heath Fillmyer- The 26yo hasn't been in the MLB since 2019. He has a career 5.07ERA/5.10SIERA over 104.2IP with a 45.3% groundball rate.

NRI:

A couple of guys with MLB experience: -OF Trayce Thompson, RHP Chris Devenski

C Bryan Holaday, RHP Bradley Roney, LHP Sam Moll, OF Drew Weeks, INF Christian Lopes, C Jamie Ritchie, LHP Miguel Aguilar, LHP Ryan Buchter, LHP Tyler Gilbert, RHP Josh Green, RHP Joe Mantiply, RHP Carlos Navas, C Jose Herrera, INF Drew Ellis, INF Domingo Leyba, INF Christian Lopes, INF Juniel Querecuto, OF Jack McCarthy

Tendered Contracts:

C Carson Kelly, SP Luke Weaver, SP Caleb Smith

Selected Contracts:

RHP Matt Peacock,

Returning from IL:

2B Ketel Marte, RHP Silvino Bracho, 3B Josh Rojas,

Prospect Watch in Camp

-IF Geraldo Perdomo, RHP Luis Frias, RHP J.B. Bukauskas, OF Stuart Fairchild, INF Seth Beer- Each are top prospects within the organization

-The Rookie I am watching in camp this spring is INF Geraldo Perdomo. The club's #3 prospect has spent three seasons in the minors so far. The 21yo has shown to be an on-base machine with a .278/.411/.368 slash over 1034PA. Perdomo can play both 2B and SS.

-The D-backs optioned 2B Andy Young, P Luis Frias, P Jeremy Beasley, P Humberto Castellanos, P Humberto Mejia

Fantasy Impact Players

Pitchers- Madison Bumgarner, Zac Gallen, Joakim Soria(CL), Stefan Crichton(CL)

Position- C Carson Kelly, 1B Christian Walker, 2B Ketel Marte

Upcoming 2022 Free Agents:

-Injured OF Kole Calhoun is on a $9mil club option. How he comes back will be vital for both the club and his future. SP Merrill Kelly also carried a club option worth $5.25mil

-3B Eduardo Escobar(33), Joakim Soria(38), Stephen Vogt(37), Asdrubal Cabrera(36) are each past their "prime," and I can see a strong youth movement coming this season, and the D-backs will look to sell more of their vet pieces to bring some youth up and get them playing time.

Storylines to follow

-The NRI to watch in camp is RHP Seth Frankoff. After two strong seasons in the KBO in 2018-19. He posted a 3.68ERA over 266.2IP. I fully expect with an excellent showing to see Frankoff earn a rotation spot.

-The whole team needs to rebound after a great 2019 season, which saw them get a wild card berth; the 2020 season was miserable for many. Madison Bumgarner and Ketel Marte are top 100 players in the MLB and the best pitcher and hitter on the team. Both didn't help the team win in 2020, and I fully expect both the get back into form in 2021.

Bold Predictions

-I am calling the breakout for C Carson Kelly. After posting a subpar WAR of -0.3. With the limited usage of 39 games and only 129PA, he posted a .221/.264/.385 slash. Looking back at the 2019 numbers of 111 games, 365PA, 18HR, and a .245/.348/.478 slash. The entire Arizona team took a severe step back in 2020 after a wild-card berth in the 2019 season.

-I do think the D-backs could have a bounceback similar to 2019 and turn many heads. However, it is a long shot, but 80 wins could happen with some upsets over the Dodgers and Padres.

Fact Check

In 2001, they beat the New York Yankees to win their first (and only, so far) World Series, becoming the fastest new team to do this.- The Team was founded in 1998 along with the Tampa Bay Rays, both as expansion teams.

Thanks for reading today, I am so grateful for your time reading, and I hope you enjoyed reviewing and previewing the D-Backs 2021 with me. I also want to thank my partners over at Repp Sports for RAZE Energy. Thanks to this clean and sufficient energy, I can have the intense focus to deliver content to you guys consistently. Click here to save 15% right now with the code "BALL BOY" at check out.