Felix Diaz

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Chicago White Sox #23 prospect in 2005
  Acquired in a 2002 deadline deal from the Giants for Kenny Lofton, Diaz was a major disappointment for the White Sox last season. He dominated in Triple-A but failed to fill a need for a fifth starter in the big leagues. He went 2-4, 8.27 ERA in seven starts for Chicago, surrendering 10 homers (including four against the Orioles in his debut) in just 33 innings. The White Sox used him out of the bullpen for most of September, and he showed promise in that role. Diaz can reach 92-mph with his fastball but he doesn't get much movement on it. Though his slider and changeup were good pitches in the minors, he struggled to get them called for strikes in the majors. He went to winter ball looking to regain his confidence and will get a chance to win a spot in the bullpen in spring training.
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  Ranked Chicago White Sox #18 prospect in 2004
  Diaz once was one of the Giants' top pitching prospects, but they gave him up to rent Kenny Lofton for the stretch run in 2002. Now the White Sox have their own mixed feelings about Diaz. They've seen enough to put him on their 40-man roster but have yet to give him serious consideration for a big league role. He spent 2003 in Triple-A, where the good news was that he stayed healthy and set a career high for innings. The bad news was that he didn't distinguish himself. Diaz throws 92-94 mph but doesn't get a lot of movement on his fastball. His mid-80s slider and changeup are solid pitches. He throws strikes, too. Yet the total package is somehow less than the sum of its individual parts. Diaz will have to turn it on in Triple-A this year to have a chance at starting for the Sox. He's a wild card for an organization that no longer has many guys with plus arms knocking on the door.
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  Ranked Chicago White Sox #8 prospect in 2003
  Once considered the crown jewel of San Francisco's increased efforts in Latin America, Diaz was deemed expendable among a wealth of power righthanders in the organization. The White Sox landed him in a deadline deal for Kenny Lofton. Diaz throws gas. He often works in the mid-90s and has a hard slider that he throws in the mid-80s. His changeup is also a plus pitch. He has all the pitches he needs to dominate. Durability is a major question for Diaz, who missed time with a tender arm in 2001 and an ankle injury in 2002. He generates tremendous arm speed from a slight body and hasn't stayed healthy for an entire season. He aged one year in baseball's birthdate crackdown, but he still wasn't old for Double-A. The sky's the limit for Diaz and his low-mileage arm. It's possible the White Sox will move him to the bullpen, hoping he'll become another Francisco Rodriguez, but for now he'll get a chance to climb as a starter. If he doesn't open in Triple-A, he should be there at season's end, trying to put himself in Chicago's 2004 plans.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #5 prospect in 2002
  The Giants have redoubled their Latin American efforts the last four years, and Diaz is the crown jewel of their work. He missed 21⁄2 months with a tender arm as a precaution in 2001, his first full season, but came back with a dominant effort in the Arizona Fall League. Diaz' fastball regularly reaches 95-96 mph, and he showed good command of it before his temporary layoff. Diaz throws three complementary pitches for strikes: a hard slider in the mid-80s, a plus changeup with good sink and a decent curveball. All his pitches have life down in the zone. Diaz has become more consistent and slower with his delivery, leading to better command of his changeup and curve. He takes his craft seriously. The Giants want to be careful with Diaz. He could use more pro innings but also must show his small frame can hold up under a heavier workload. Sometimes he's too hard on himself, though that has improved with maturity. Diaz' power potential is exciting. He's the latest slight Dominican with an electric arm to earn comparisons to Pedro Martinez. He'll pitch in high Class A this year.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #20 prospect in 2001
  Diaz is a testament to the Giants' revamped Dominican efforts and more player-friendly farm system. He was the No. 15 prospect in the Arizona League, clearly benefiting from not being rushed to the Northwest League. He also was one of the organization's top pitchers in instructional league. He has shown one of the best arms in the system. In his first season in the United States, Diaz showed an explosive fastball that reached 94 mph, a good changeup and long fingers, all of which drew the inevitable comparisons to Pedro Martinez. The Angels' Ramon Ortiz would be a more appropriate comparison. Diaz didn't throw his curveball much during the season but made strides with it in instructional league. He also throws a harder, slurvish slider. The Giants expect Diaz, who ranked fifth in the AZL in strikeouts, to fill out and gain more velocity on his fastball. With their new Sally League affiliate, they won't have to push Diaz as they might have a year ago.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Arizona Complex League #15 prospect in 2000
  A smallish Dominican righthander whose fastball touched 94 mph, Diaz drew comparisons to the Red Sox' Pedro Martinez and the Angels' Ramon Ortiz. Diaz didn’t use his curveball much, instead relying on his fastball and changeup to finish fifth in the league in strikeouts. "The arm strength is there and he's always around the plate," Munoz said. "He just needs to fill out a bit."

• December, 1999 Scouting Report
  A smallish Dominican righthander whose fastball touched 94 mph, Diaz drew comparisons to the Red Sox' Pedro Martinez and the Angels' Ramon Ortiz. Diaz didn’t use his curveball much, instead relying on his fastball and changeup to finish fifth in the league in strikeouts. "The arm strength is there and he's always around the plate," Munoz said. "He just needs to fill out a bit."