Luis Frias

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #17 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Frias has worked his way steadily through the system since signing for $50,000 in 2015, adding size and improving the quality of his stuff along the way. He reached the majors in 2021, but did not exhibit the sort of command and control typically seen from a starter, leading many to assume his future role likely will be in relief.
  
  Scouting Report: Frias averages about 95 mph with his fastball, occasionally touching 99 mph, holding his velocity deep into games. He throws a pair of breaking balls that can occasionally blend together. He also has a split-change that has yet to truly take hold. He threw strikes at High-A and Double-A last year, but struggled to limit walks during a five-start stint in Reno. He also walked five in 3.1 innings during a September callup.
  
  The Future: Frias’ lack of refinement has many thinking he might shift into a relief role, in which he could pare back his repertoire and focus mostly on his monster fastball and plus curveball. Still, starting isn’t off the table. His path, at least in the short-term, could be determined based on how things shake out in spring training.
  
• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #17 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Frias is a big-bodied power pitcher the D-backs signed for $50,000 in 2015. He reached the low Class A Midwest League in 2019 and spent 2020 at the alternate training site, where he was occasionally hit hard by more advanced hitters.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Frias has the building blocks to be a starting pitcher. His fastball sits in the mid-toupper 90s and his spike curveball serves as his out pitch. He added a splitter in 2019 and began throwing a slider in 2020, something he hopes to use as a called-strike pitch. As with other power arms in the system, his command remains a work in progress. There was some sense among the organization that his occasional struggles at the alternate site, much of which stemmed from pitches that caught too much of the plate, could help drive home the importance of improved command.
  
  THE FUTURE: Frias' profile remains relatively unchanged from previous years. If he can make strides with the consistency of his command and his secondary stuff, he could become an innings-eating mid-rotation starter. Otherwise, he fits best in relief.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #8 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Since signing for $50,000 in 2015, Frias has added size, strength and stuff to develop into one of the more intriguing pitching prospects in the organization. He took steps forward in 2019 by smoothing out his delivery and both refining and adding to his pitch mix, and as a result he reached full-season ball for the first time with low Class A Kane County.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Frias comes with some reliever risk, but he has the ingredients of a frontline starter. He has a big, physical build, a fastball that reaches the upper 90s and a swing-and-miss breaking ball. He implemented a spike curveball grip in 2019 that made the pitch a plus offering and turned his changeup into more of a splitter, giving him a usable, average third pitch. Frias ironed out his delivery and began to shed his reputation for being erratic. He also kept his weight in check around the mid-230s after ballooning to more than 250 pounds a year ago.
  
  THE FUTURE: Frias showed progress in 2019, but he will need to continue to refine his arsenal and show his command and control will play against more advanced hitters. He could be a force in the rotation if it all clicks. Otherwise, his path might lead him to a high-leverage relief role.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #22 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Diamondbacks executive Junior Noboa, the team's vice president of Latin operations, never shies away from signing prospects from Latin America, even if they're older than 16. Frias was about 17 and a half when the club signed him for $50,000 in November 2015, and he's proceeded to add size, strength and velocity to make himself into one of the organization's most enticing young arms.
  
  Scouting Report: Frias is still raw, but he has a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and touches 100 mph along with a breaking ball that has the potential to be a putaway pitch. His command is erratic and his delivery inconsistent because he can struggle to maintain direction to the plate. Coaches believe he is too reliant on being overpowering and needs to learn the times he can benefit from taking a little off. He has added more than 40 pounds to his frame since signing and will need to stay on top of his conditioning.
  
  The Future: Frias' development has a long way to go, and more avenues point toward the bullpen than the rotation, but he's still young and the Diamondbacks will take their time to see how things come together.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Northwest League #2 prospect in 2019
  To see how dominant Frias was in his time in the Northwest League, all you have to do is check the stats. His 72 strikeouts were the best in the league, despite being 16th in the league in innings. He racked up 13.1 strikeouts per nine innings before his promotion to low Class A Kane County, a figure that would have easily paced the league if he qualified. He gets excellent downhill angle on a 92-97 mph fastball that carries extremely well through the zone, and he couples the pitch with a devastating, top-to-bottom curveball that garnered plenty of swings and misses. "I went 70 fastball and 70 breaking ball,” one scout said. "He’s a reliever for me, but I don’t care. The stuff was that good. It was stupid when I saw him. He clearly didn’t belong in the league.” Beyond the fastball and curveball, the staff at Hillsboro worked with Frias—who was signed as an infielder—to add a slider and a split-grip changeup to his mix. The coaches were heartened by his work ethic, which they believe will help him transition to the full four-pitch complement and continue refining his currently below-average command.

• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 40/High
  
  Track Record: Frias has worked his way steadily through the system since signing for $50,000 in 2015, adding size and improving the quality of his stuff along the way. He reached the majors in 2021, but did not exhibit the sort of command and control typically seen from a starter, leading many to assume his future role likely will be in relief.
  
  Scouting Report: Frias averages about 95 mph with his fastball, occasionally touching 99 mph, holding his velocity deep into games. He throws a pair of breaking balls that can occasionally blend together. He also has a split-change that has yet to truly take hold. He threw strikes at High-A and Double-A last year, but struggled to limit walks during a five-start stint in Reno. He also walked five in 3.1 innings during a September callup.
  
  The Future: Frias&#39 lack of refinement has many thinking he might shift into a relief role, in which he could pare back his repertoire and focus mostly on his monster fastball and plus curveball. Still, starting isn&#39t off the table. His path, at least in the short-term, could be determined based on how things shake out in spring training.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Frias has worked his way steadily through the system since signing for $50,000 in 2015, adding size and improving the quality of his stuff along the way. He reached the majors in 2021, but did not exhibit the sort of command and control typically seen from a starter, leading many to assume his future role likely will be in relief.
  
  Scouting Report: Frias averages about 95 mph with his fastball, occasionally touching 99 mph, holding his velocity deep into games. He throws a pair of breaking balls that can occasionally blend together. He also has a split-change that has yet to truly take hold. He threw strikes at High-A and Double-A last year, but struggled to limit walks during a five-start stint in Reno. He also walked five in 3.1 innings during a September callup.
  
  The Future: Frias’ lack of refinement has many thinking he might shift into a relief role, in which he could pare back his repertoire and focus mostly on his monster fastball and plus curveball. Still, starting isn’t off the table. His path, at least in the short-term, could be determined based on how things shake out in spring training.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Frias is a big-bodied power pitcher the D-backs signed for $50,000 in 2015. He reached the low Class A Midwest League in 2019 and spent 2020 at the alternate training site, where he was occasionally hit hard by more advanced hitters.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Frias has the building blocks to be a starting pitcher. His fastball sits in the mid-toupper 90s and his spike curveball serves as his out pitch. He added a splitter in 2019 and began throwing a slider in 2020, something he hopes to use as a called-strike pitch. As with other power arms in the system, his command remains a work in progress. There was some sense among the organization that his occasional struggles at the alternate site, much of which stemmed from pitches that caught too much of the plate, could help drive home the importance of improved command.
  
  THE FUTURE: Frias' profile remains relatively unchanged from previous years. If he can make strides with the consistency of his command and his secondary stuff, he could become an innings-eating mid-rotation starter. Otherwise, he fits best in relief.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Frias is a big-bodied power pitcher the D-backs signed for $50,000 in 2015. He reached the low Class A Midwest League in 2019 and spent 2020 at the alternate training site, where he was occasionally hit hard by more advanced hitters.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Frias has the building blocks to be a starting pitcher. His fastball sits in the mid-toupper 90s and his spike curveball serves as his out pitch. He added a splitter in 2019 and began throwing a slider in 2020, something he hopes to use as a called-strike pitch. As with other power arms in the system, his command remains a work in progress. There was some sense among the organization that his occasional struggles at the alternate site, much of which stemmed from pitches that caught too much of the plate, could help drive home the importance of improved command.
  
  THE FUTURE: Frias' profile remains relatively unchanged from previous years. If he can make strides with the consistency of his command and his secondary stuff, he could become an innings-eating mid-rotation starter. Otherwise, he fits best in relief.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Frias is a big-bodied power pitcher the D-backs signed for $50,000 in 2015. He reached the low Class A Midwest League in 2019 and spent 2020 at the alternate training site, where he was occasionally hit hard by more advanced hitters.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Frias has the building blocks to be a starting pitcher. His fastball sits in the mid-toupper 90s and his spike curveball serves as his out pitch. He added a splitter in 2019 and began throwing a slider in 2020, something he hopes to use as a called-strike pitch. As with other power arms in the system, his command remains a work in progress. There was some sense among the organization that his occasional struggles at the alternate site, much of which stemmed from pitches that caught too much of the plate, could help drive home the importance of improved command.
  
  THE FUTURE: Frias' profile remains relatively unchanged from previous years. If he can make strides with the consistency of his command and his secondary stuff, he could become an innings-eating mid-rotation starter. Otherwise, he fits best in relief.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Since signing for $50,000 in 2015, Frias has added size, strength and stuff to develop into one of the more intriguing pitching prospects in the organization. He took steps forward in 2019 by smoothing out his delivery and both refining and adding to his pitch mix, and as a result he reached full-season ball for the first time with low Class A Kane County.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Frias comes with some reliever risk, but he has the ingredients of a frontline starter. He has a big, physical build, a fastball that reaches the upper 90s and a swing-and-miss breaking ball. He implemented a spike curveball grip in 2019 that made the pitch a plus offering and turned his changeup into more of a splitter, giving him a usable, average third pitch. Frias ironed out his delivery and began to shed his reputation for being erratic. He also kept his weight in check around the mid-230s after ballooning to more than 250 pounds a year ago.
  
  THE FUTURE: Frias showed progress in 2019, but he will need to continue to refine his arsenal and show his command and control will play against more advanced hitters. He could be a force in the rotation if it all clicks. Otherwise, his path might lead him to a high-leverage relief role.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Since signing for $50,000 in 2015, Frias has added size, strength and stuff to develop into one of the more intriguing pitching prospects in the organization. He took steps forward in 2019 by smoothing out his delivery and both refining and adding to his pitch mix, and as a result he reached full-season ball for the first time with low Class A Kane County.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Frias comes with some reliever risk, but he has the ingredients of a frontline starter. He has a big, physical build, a fastball that reaches the upper 90s and a swing-and-miss breaking ball. He implemented a spike curveball grip in 2019 that made the pitch a plus offering and turned his changeup into more of a splitter, giving him a usable, average third pitch. Frias ironed out his delivery and began to shed his reputation for being erratic. He also kept his weight in check around the mid-230s after ballooning to more than 250 pounds a year ago.
  
  THE FUTURE: Frias showed progress in 2019, but he will need to continue to refine his arsenal and show his command and control will play against more advanced hitters. He could be a force in the rotation if it all clicks. Otherwise, his path might lead him to a high-leverage relief role.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  To see how dominant Frias was in his time in the Northwest League, all you have to do is check the stats. His 72 strikeouts were the best in the league, despite being 16th in the league in innings. He racked up 13.1 strikeouts per nine innings before his promotion to low Class A Kane County, a figure that would have easily paced the league if he qualified. He gets excellent downhill angle on a 92-97 mph fastball that carries extremely well through the zone, and he couples the pitch with a devastating, top-to-bottom curveball that garnered plenty of swings and misses. "I went 70 fastball and 70 breaking ball,” one scout said. "He’s a reliever for me, but I don’t care. The stuff was that good. It was stupid when I saw him. He clearly didn’t belong in the league.” Beyond the fastball and curveball, the staff at Hillsboro worked with Frias—who was signed as an infielder—to add a slider and a split-grip changeup to his mix. The coaches were heartened by his work ethic, which they believe will help him transition to the full four-pitch complement and continue refining his currently below-average command.