Arizona Diamondbacks 2023 MLB Draft Review
See Also: 2023 MLB Draft Database
Draft Theme: Bat-First Position Players & Big-Armed, Erratic Lefties.
Three of Arizona’s first four hitters have questions about where they’ll play defense full time in pro ball, but most of them are either fairly accomplished college hitters or provide impressive power—or both. SS Tommy Troy and 3B Gino Groover both have solid hit and power tools, but might not stick at the infield positions the team selected them at, while 3B Kevin Sim is a risk to move to first base. Almost all of the lefthanders that the D-backs picked inside the top 10 rounds fit into the hard-throwing, erratic southpaw mold.
Most Interesting Day 2 Pick: OF Jack Hurley, 3rd round
Hurley was one of the more productive run scorers on Virginia Tech’s 2021 team as a freshman, but he made a significant jump forward as a hitter during his 2022 sophomore season, when he slashed .375/.452/.664 with 14 home runs and 23 doubles for one of the better offensive teams in the country. Hurley parlayed that performance into a roster spot with Team USA in 2022 and then hit a career-high 17 home runs as a junior in 2023 with a .320/.414/.713 slash line in 45 games. Hurley has a lean 6-foot, 185-pound frame that still has room to layer on more strength, but he has already shown all-fields home run power and solid exit velocities, with a 93 mph average and 109 mph 90th percentile mark in 2023. He is an aggressive hitter who starts with an open stance before taking a big leg kick to get back to an even position, though he consistently flies open early and has a decent amount of head movement throughout the swing. Hurley will chase out of the zone consistently, and had a strikeout rate of 19% compared to just a 9.5% walk rate, but he did post a 1.000-plus OPS vs. all pitch types this spring with a reasonable 75% contact rate. Hurley played left field in deference to Gavin Cross in 2022, but moved to center in 2023. He is a plus runner who takes good routes and should be able to play all three outfield positions, with above-average arm strength.
Most Interesting Day 3 Pick: RHP Sam Knowlton, 12th round
Knowlton missed the 2022 season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, but has been one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in the country in 2023 now that he’s healthy and back on the mound. Listed at 6-foot-8, 255 pounds, Knowlton has a massive frame and massive arm talent to go with it, but he’s still learning how to pitch. This spring he posted a 6.65 ERA over 23 innings, with a 20.7% strikeout rate and 18.9% walk rate. He averaged over 97 mph on his fastball and has gotten the pitch up to 101 mph at peak velocity. As would be expected of someone who throws that hard, Knowlton pitches heavily off the fastball and used it at an 83% clip in the spring. He has around 17 inches of induced vertical break, though he generated just a 21% whiff rate with it. Knowlton had a mid-80s slider and a changeup around 90, but he needs to develop significantly more feel for both pitches before they are effective offerings. Knowlton could be drafted among the top five rounds thanks to his premium velocity and size, but a team will need to help him take massive steps forward with control to fully harness his high-octane stuff.
