NL West Homegrown Teams

Our 2018 homegrown roster series, where we see what every teams lineup and pitching staff for this year would look like with only homegrown players, wraps with the National League West. You can check out the American League East here, American League Central here and American League West here. The National League East is here and the National League Central is here.

Any player signed for entry into Major League Baseball is eligible to be listed with the team that signed them, so foreign professionals signed from Japan, Cuba, South Korea or other countries are included in addition to those drafted and signed, signed as international amateurs or signed as undrafted free agents.

Players must have been active in 2017 and are scheduled to be active in 2018 to be eligible.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

C Miguel Montero
1B Paul Goldschmidt
2B Chris Owings
3B Jake Lamb
SS Dansby Swanson
OF Justin Upton
OF A.J. Pollock
OF Adam Eaton

SP Max Scherzer
SP Trevor Bauer
SP Chase Anderson
SP Wade Miley
SP Archie Bradley
RP Bryan Shaw

Honorable mention: Carlos Gonzalez, Ender Inciarte, Gerardo Parra, Mark Reynolds, Keon Broxton, Stephen Drew, Brett Anderson, Jorge De La Rosa, Andrew Chafin, Emilio Bonifacio, Matt Davidson, Tony Barnette, Collin Cowgill, Jake Barrett, Evan Scribner

Analysis: The D-backs have one of the best, most complete teams in baseball when it comes to homegrown talent, no surprise given they drafted the most big leaguers of any organization heading into last season…The Diamondbacks track record of identifying and developing outfielders is among the very best in baseball, with four All-Stars (Justin Upton, A.J. Pollock, Carlos Gonzalez, Ender Inciarte), another premier player (Adam Eaton), a two-time Gold Glove winner (Gerardo Parra) and a 20-20 player (Keon Broxton). They are similarly loaded in the dirt, with All-Stars in Miguel Montero, Paul Goldschmidt and Jake Lamb, everyday starters in Chris Owings and Dansby Swanson, and highly accomplished veterans like Mark Reynolds and Stephen Drew in reserve….The one area the D-backs could be considered a tad short is in the rotation, but it’s still fronted by three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer and three accomplished veterans. The fifth spot is shakier, with now-reliever Archie Bradley able to be swapped out for scuffling Brett Anderson if desired.

COLORADO ROCKIES 

C Chris Iannetta
1B Ryan McMahon
2B Trevor Story
3B Nolan Arenado
SS Troy Tulowitzki
OF Corey Dickerson
OF Dexter Fowler
OF Charlie Blackmon

SP Jon Gray
SP Kyle Freeland
SP Antonio Senzatela
SP Jhoulys Chacin
SP Eddie Butler
RP Will Harris

Honorable mention: Matt Holliday, Seth Smith, Tyler Anderson, Chad Bettis, Juan Nicasio, Pedro Strop, David Dahl, Raimel Tapia, Ubaldo Jimenez, Dan Winkler, Pat Valaika, Scott Oberg, Eric Young Jr.

Analysis: Similar to the D-backs, the Rockies have an illustrious track record of developing outfielders. Corey Dickerson, Dexter Fowler and Charlie Blackmon are all All-Stars, Matt Holliday was an MVP candidate in his prime, Seth Smith has long been a steady everyday player and David Dahl and Raimel Tapia are two promising potential cornerstones…The left side of the infield is similarly loaded with Nolan Arenado, Troy Tulowitzki and Trevor Story, but second basemen and first basemen have not been strengths of the Rockies developmentally. Story has never actually played second base in the majors, and Ryan McMahon has 24 big league plate appearances under his belt, but there are no better options…The Rockies starting pitching successes have all come from college (Jon Gray, Kyle Freeland, Eddie Butler, Chad Bettis, Tyler Anderson) or Venezuela (Antonio Senzatela, Jhoulys Chacin). The last effective Dominican starter they signed was Ubaldo Jimenez in 2001, and the best of their high school pitcher draft selections, to date, has been Chaz Roe.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS 

C Russell Martin
1B Carlos Santana
2B Dee Gordon
3B Adrian Beltre
SS Corey Seager
OF Cody Bellinger
OF Yasiel Puig
OF Scott Schebler

SP Clayton Kershaw
SP Kenta Maeda
SP Hyun-Jin Ryu
SP Nate Eovaldi
SP Julio Urias
RP Kenley Jansen

Honorable mention: Matt Kemp, Joc Pederson, Edwin Jackson, Ross Stripling, Jharel Cotton, A.J. Ellis, Joakim Soria, Jonathan Broxton, Daniel Coulombe, Pedro Baez, Justin Ruggiano, Alejandro De Aza, Luis Garcia, Yimi Garcia, Jumbo Diaz, Brock Stewart, Walker Buehler, Willie Calhoun, Alex Verdugo

Analysis: The Dodgers have long been known as a franchise that scouts well internationally, and that holds true. A third of their best homegrown lineup, three-fifths of their starting rotation and their best reliever were all international signees. There’s even a bit of international flair with some of their draft picks, such as Russell Martin (Canada) and Jharel Cotton (Virgin Islands)….The Dodgers are particularly strong at developing infielders, and as such, Cody Bellinger gets moved to the outfield to fit in the best lineup. Joc Pederson and Matt Kemp on the bench still give the Dodgers two accomplished outfielders and is representative of the franchise’s considerable position player depth…. The Dodgers developed the best pitcher in the game in Clayton Kershaw, but they haven’t been able to follow up in the draft since picking him in 2006. Kenta Maeda and Hyun-Jin Ryu were signed as foreign professionals and Julio Urias is out of Mexico. Their best drafted starting pitcher post-Kershaw, Nate Eovaldi, has a career 4.21 ERA and missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Cotton, the only Dodgers draft pick post-Kershaw who pitched regularly out of a rotation last year, had a 5.58 ERA. Walker Buehler will try and break the Dodgers drought when it comes to finding future starters in the draft.

SAN DIEGO PADRES

C Austin Hedges
1B Chase Headley
2B Jedd Gyorko
3B David Freese
SS Trea Turner
OF Travis Jankowski
OF Mallex Smith
OF Hunter Renfroe

SP Corey Kluber
SP Joe Ross
SP Dinelson Lamet
SP Matt Andriese
SP Max Fried
RP Brad Brach

Honorable mention: Logan Forsythe, Brandon Kintzler, Matt Bush, Nick Vincent, Nick Hundley, Cory Spangenberg, Oliver Perez, Eric Sogard, Wade LeBlanc, Jace Peterson, Odrisamer Despaigne, Colin Rea, Trevor Gott, Franchy Cordero, Miles Mikolas, Andrew Albers

Analysis: The Padres have historically been very strong at identifying second and third basemen, with Chase Headley, David Freese, Logan Forysthe and Jedd Gyorko all holding everyday spots in the majors, while Eric Sogard and Cory Spangenberg are firmly on big league rosters, if not impact contributors….The Padres also have identified starting pitching fairly well but largely haven’t kept it. Four of the Padres five best homegrown starters—Corey Kluber, Joe Ross, Matt Andriese and Max Fried—were all traded as prospects….Developing homegrown first basemen and outfielders has long been a problem for the Padres and, interestingly enough, those are the weak points in their current farm system. Mallex Smith and Travis Jankowski are second-division regular/backup-types, while the jury remains out on Hunter Renfroe. Despite the shakiness of that outfield group, there are no better options…As for first base, the last time the Padres had a homegrown everyday player at that position was John Kruk in 1987-88.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

C Buster Posey
1B Brandon Belt
2B Joe Panik
3B Matt Duffy
SS Brandon Crawford
OF Adam Duvall
OF Ehire Adrianza
OF Jarrett Parker

SP Madison Bumgarner
SP Luis Castillo
SP Adalberto Mejia
SP Zack Wheeler
SP Ty Blach
RP Sergio Romo

Honorable mention: Pablo Sandoval, Franicsco Liriano, Dan Otero, Tommy Joseph, Derek Law, Chris Stratton, Joe Biagini, Heath Hembree, Hector Sanchez, Kelby Tomlinson, Andrew Susac, Ariel Hernandez, Austin Slater

Analysis: One of the worst homegrown position groups in baseball is the Giants outfielders, which correlates directly to their real-life problems. Adam Duvall is a bonafide big leaguer, but beyond that, the Giants have failed to identify or develop future everyday outfielders, either in the draft or internationally, for years. Adrianza is a utilityman and Parker is a career backup, and yet the Giants have no better outfielders in their homegrown history….They have certainly done a much better job with catchers, infielders and their pitching staff, although the collection of arms is much weaker in 2018 than in past years when Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Ryan Vogelsong and Jonathan Sanchez were in their primes….A solid staring infield is complemented by Pablo Sandoval and Tommy Joseph—who both have their flaws but are accomplished—off the bench, the rotation has options beyond the starting five and the bullpen runs deep….The Giants have done an notably excellent job finding and developing catchers, with Buster Posey, of course, and also Andrew Susac and Hector Sanchez, who remain in the majors as backstops today.