Drafted in the 8th round (253rd overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998.
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Good's performance stands out more than his tools. He was the organization's minor league pitcher of the year in 1999, but tore up his elbow in 2000 and had Tommy John surgery. He won 10 games while rebuilding his arm strength in 2001 and 13 more in Double-A last year. Good understands the art of pitching as well as anyone in the system. While his fastball tops out at 90 mph, he locates it well and mixes in curveballs and changeups. He can throw any pitch in any count and specializes in keeping hitters off balance. Good is expected to keep moving up the ladder, with a spot in the Triple-A rotation on the horizon. It's possible that his savvy could land him in Arizona in the next year or two.
Much of the hype surrounding Good was deflated when he missed last season because of surgery to repair a torn medial collateral ligament in his right elbow. He had been named the system's pitcher of the year in 1999 after finishing third in the Midwest League in strikeouts and demonstrating fine control. The Diamondbacks were impressed with Good's maturity, considering he signed out of high school as an eight-round pick in 1998. He has an average 89-91 mph fastball and a plus curveball, and his strongest suit is his ability to throw four pitches for strikes. The Diamondbacks won't rush Good back because they drafted a slew of more experienced college pitchers last June. He probably won't be ready to pitch in a game until May, when he'll be sent to Lancaster.
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