Major League Baseball's owners may have locked out the players, triggering the league's first work stoppage since 1994-95 and bringing the offseason to a halt, but that doesn't mean we're letting it derail our typical offseason plans. Indeed, CBS Sports is in the process of highlighting the top three prospects for all 30 teams.
That journey finds us today focusing on the Arizona Diamondbacks' farm system.
Do note that these lists are formed after conversations with scouts, analysts, and player development folks from around the league. There is personal bias baked in, as one would expect from subjective exercises, so some disagreement is to be expected.
Now, onto the gasbaggery.
1. Alek Thomas, CF, No. 16 on top 20
The Diamondbacks organization has made a habit out of taking undersized outfielders. Thomas, listed at 5-foot-11, is one of the prizes from that approach. (The injured Corbin Carroll, No. 2 on this list, is another.) Thomas authored a breakout season this year, batting .313/.394/.559 with 18 home runs, 29 doubles, and 12 triples in 106 contests across Double- and Triple-A. Thomas has a noisy swing, including an elongated leg kick, that helps him generate more power than his size indicates (encouragingly, the moving parts have not resulted in a high strikeout rate). Add in his good defense, and he should become the Diamondbacks' starting center fielder as early as this spring.
2. Corbin Carroll, CF
Carroll suffered a season-ending shoulder injury on a home-run swing in early May, bringing his year to a close after seven High-A games. (He'd hit .435/.552/.913 with two homers and three stolen bases in those contests.) When healthy, Carroll has proven himself to be a dynamic, well-rounded player with the potential to contribute in all phases. He commands the strike zone and he hits the ball with more authority than his stature (5-foot-10, 165 pounds) suggests. He's also a fast runner and a good defender who someday ought to compete with Thomas for center-field reps at the big-league level. Provided he makes a full recovery, he should debut in 2023.
Lawlar entered the spring as a candidate to go No. 1 overall in the 2021 MLB Draft. He ended up sliding to the sixth spot, in part because of signability concerns. All the same, Lawlar has drawn comparisons to Bobby Witt Jr. for reasons on and off the field (they share a home state, in Texas, and were both over-age for prep players). He has a projectable frame that should bode well for his power potential; a strong arm; and the other necessary traits to stick at the shortstop position. There are some concerns about his swing-and-miss tendencies, and he appeared in only two games before he required a shoulder surgery of his own. Lawlar still has All-Star potential if all goes well.
