Missing the Cut: Diamondbacks

I'm starting the vetting process for the A-to-Z section of the 2012 RotoWire Fantasy Baseball Guide. Typically each organization has about 40-to-45 players that get included in that section, depending upon the depth of their farm system - if we had unlimited space, we could probably find 55-to-60 players to write about. Thus, there's going to be a few interesting guys left on the fringe, as well as some players on the 40-man roster that are fantasy flotsam and jetsam. The default is to try to include all 40-man guys, but in the last couple of years I've chosen to keep some lower-level prospects in there ahead of fungible relievers or third catchers, as the situation warrants.

Anyhow, the Diamondbacks were the first team I went through. Here are some of the guys that just missed the cut for inclusion - subject to change, of course. If you want to make the case that we should be giving the player more attention, by all means, make the argument in the comments.

Tony Abreu, 3B - I once thought he had a decent future with the Dodgers, but after his injury and subsequent falling-out with them he landed with the Diamondbacks, who made a worthy talent grab. It doesn't appear that it's going to work out for him, though. He had a wretched 2010 and then cleared waivers in March 2011, spending all of the 2011 season at Triple-A Reno, posting mediocre numbers. It looks as if he'll need another organization if he's going to get one last major league shot.

Michael Belfiore, P - Belfiore was a supplemental first-round pick in 2009, going 45th overall. He struggled at High-A Visalia this year, posting a 5.92 ERA and 1.810 WHIP - walking 57 batters in 79 innings will do that. However, he merited at least a token consideration beyond just his draft pedigree, thanks to striking out 79 batters in that span and because a bad year in the California League isn't necessarily a career death sentence - getting out of those parks might help him ultimately.

J.R. Bradley, P - The Diamondbacks' 2010 second-round pick, Bradley spent the year at Low-A South Bend, where he merely held his own (4.98 ERA, 88:51 K:BB in 142.2 innings). He only turned 19 in June, so holding his own isn't such a bad thing, but he's a long way from making an impact.

Keon Broxton, OF - Broxton's speed (33 SB's between Low-A and High-A in 2011) and patience (69 walks) make him interesting, but until he improves his contact rate (172 strikeouts), it's hard to take him too seriously. He's young enough to have some room to improve, at least.

Adam Eaton, OF - Probably the toughest omission, and I might reverse that decision in short order. He was drafted in the 19th round in 2010, so not much has been expected of him, but all Eaton has done is hit. That the Diamondbacks had him skip Low-A and start 2011 at High-A Visalia also speaks well of him. That Baseball America just wrote up a nice profile on him is also pushing the needle closer towards inclusion. I'll be watching him (with my untrained definitely not a scout's eye) when I go to First Pitch Arizona over the first weekend of November.

Armando Galarraga, P - How quickly Galarraga's fortunes fell, eh? He went from a near perfect game to flaming out with the Diamondbacks to blowing up in five starts at Triple-A Reno. He's now a free agent, and I suspect he'll get a minor league deal somewhere this offseason, but he'll have to earn his way onto someone's 40-man roster.

Juan Gutierrez, P - This was a lost season for Gutierrez, and now he'll be out for the 2012 season following Tommy John surgery.

Marc Krauss, OF - Krauss is also a tough call. We wrote him up last year, after he mashed in the California League and then got some run in the Arizona Fall League. but he dropped off at Double-A Mobile this year, posting a .779 OPS. He was much better on the road, and Mobile isn't a great hitter's park, so there's some hope of improvement. He doesn't have a great defensive rep, which might hurt his chances to win a regular job with the Snakes. I'm not sure on this one - persuade me one way or another.

Zach Kroenke, P - Kroenke is on the 40-man roster, by the thinnest of margins. I'd call him a poor man's Joe Saunders, though I'm not sure he rises to that level. He might be a poor man's Tom Bolton.

Evan Marshall, P - Marshall might be the third player on this list that I'm selling a little too short, but I have a hard time putting much stock in relief prospects, especially those with just 31 career professional innings. Then again, Marshall is probably going to climb the ladder fast regardless if he meets any success at Double-A to start next season.

Lucas May, C - May at one point had some prospect sheen, but like Tonly Abreu, he went off his team's 40-man roster last March (albeit with the Royals) and then struggled to start at Triple-A. He might challenge Henry Blanco for the right to be Miguel Montero's caddy, but that's the extent of his upside now.

Kameron Mickolio, P - Mickolio can still miss bats and get Steve Moyer to call in to correct me on the pronunciation of his last name, but he's a long way off from receiving closer-in-waiting consideration.

Yonata Ortega, P - Ortega was a late add to the Diamondbacks' 40-man roster last November - see also my earlier comments on relief prospects.

Chris Owings, SS - Did you know that Arizona has three different "Owings" in their system? They do, it's true. This version isn't related to Micah and Jon, as far as I know, however. More importantly, Chris Owings has a prospect's pedigree (former supplemental first-round pick, in Baseball America's Top 10 among Diamondbacks' prospects) but had an awful season at High-A Visalia. Here are two relevant figures for you: "8-12-91" - Owings was the youngest player in the California League for the bulk of the season; "15:130" - Owings' BB:K ratio in 521 at-bats. He still might be a prospect, but he's not close.

Konrad Schmidt, C - Organizational filler, but he's on the 40-man roster, at least for now.

Mike Zagurski, P - I'm not quite sure why the Diamondbacks made a late September trade for Zagurski, knowing that he wouldn't be eligible for the playoff roster. Then again, when Kevin Towers is building a bullpen on the cheap, it's worth paying attention.