BA reports on your new guys CD.
BA Grade: 65. Risk: Very High
Tool Grades: Hit: 60. Power: 60. Run: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60
Track Record: Groshans generated positive buzz the summer after he signed for $3.4 million as the 12th overall pick in the 2018 draft. The arrows continued pointing up on Groshans in 2019 after a hot start at low Class A, but a left foot injury limited him to just 23 games the entire season and he didn’t play after May 13.
Scouting Report: When healthy, Groshans looked like one of the top offensive forces in the lower levels. He has a long frame and generates fast bat speed, with a knack for being on time. He has athletic hitting actions and an advanced approach for his age, with the ability to hammer premium velocity while also recognizing offspeed pitches and has the adjustability in his body and swing to barrel soft stuff. He has good plate coverage, particularly for a taller hitter, and he has plus power, driving the ball out of the park from right-center over to his pull side. At shortstop, Groshans has an above-average arm and gets good reads off the bat, though his first-step quickness and range lead a lot of scouts to project a move to third base. He has the attributes to develop into an above-average defender if he moves to third base.
The Future: Health is the only thing that has held back Groshans, who has a chance to develop into a plus regular who could hit toward the top or middle of a big league lineup.
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BA Grade: 60. Risk: Very High
Tool Grades: Hit: 50. Power: 70. Run: 60. Fielding: 55. Arm: 50. v Track Record: Robinson received a $2.5 million bonus in 2017 and put his massive skill set on display in the short-season Northwest League in 2019, dominating against much older competition. Playing the entire season at age 18, he reached low Class A for the final month of the season.
Scouting Report: A physical specimen despite his age, Robinson has a chance for four plus tools, the exception being his arm. At the plate, he uses a simple stride with little movement in his setup followed by a compact swing. The raw power he generates is enormous, and he got to it often in games last season. Scouts are concerned by his strikeout total, but his chase rate is solid and his in-zone whiff rate isn’t bad, either. He makes enough hard contact to offset the swing-and-miss in his game. Robinson gets good reads in center field, but scouts expect he will move to a corner position once he fills out. He is mature for his age, a hard worker and routine-oriented. He has plus speed and stole bases at an 82 percent clip in Hillsboro.
The Future: Given his loud tools, Robinson arguably has more potential than any player in the D-backs system. If he continues his upward trajectory, he could find himself among baseball’s top prospects in short order.
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BA Grade: 60. Risk: Extreme
Tool Grades: Hit: 60. Power: 55. Run: 60. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60.
Track Record: Marte signed with the Mariners for $1.55 million during the 2018 international signing period and made his pro debut in 2019 with an outstanding season in the Dominican Summer League. He batted .309/.371/.511, led the league with 54 RBIs and 134 total bases, finished second with 31 extra-base hits and, significantly, stayed strong late with a 1.041 OPS in August.
Scouting Report: Marte is a five-tool athlete with plenty of upside. He has an advanced approach at the plate and uses a compact stroke with whippy bat speed and makes good swing decisions. An intriguing power-speed threat, Marte stole 17 bases in addition to hitting nine home runs in his pro debut. A plus-plus runner when he signed, Marte is now closer to 200 pounds after filling out and more of a plus runner. After having some throwing issues early in the season, Marte’s defense at shortstop improved thanks to a throwing program that boosted both his arm strength and accuracy. Concerns he would eventually move to the outfield have been lessened, but whether he remains at shortstop or slides to third base will be determined as his body continues to grow.
The Future: Marte is following in the footsteps of Julio Rodriguez as another potential impact Dominican signee. He will make his U.S. debut next year.
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12. Owen Miller, INF
The club’s third-rounder in 2018, Miller skipped High-A last year and jumped straight from the Midwest League to Texas. He looked no worse for the wear after the aggressive promotion, posting an above-average offensive season while adding up-the-middle defensive value at second and short. The offensive package is solid all around, as he pairs above-average bat speed with a good feel to hit. He understands the zone well and attacks strikes, and while it’s below-average raw he should be able to bring a modest amount of pop into games. He moves well at short, turning plus speed into solid range, though the arm is borderline for the left side. It’s a solid utility profile, and he has the athleticism and baseball IQ to potentially add some outfield into the mix to further bolster his chances of impacting a 25-man roster down the line. —Wilson Karaman