Two Emerging Prospects Win Player of the Month in Minors for Diamondbacks

After dominating their respective leagues, Joe Elbis and Adrian Del Castillo win Player of the Month in the Minors.

Feb 21, 2022; Scottsdale, Ariz., U.S.; Diamondbacks minor league pitcher Joe Elbis runs during a select training camp for minor-league players not covered by the Players Association at Salt River Fields. MLB continues to be in a lockout after the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement Dec. 2. Mandatory Credit: Michael Chow-Arizona Republic Baseball Diamondbacks Select Minor League Camp / Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY

The Arizona Diamondbacks prospect system is certainly performing well this season. Quite a few pitchers and hitters are in the midst of breaking out this year and setting the team up with a solid foundation for the future.

Two of them, Joe Elbis and Adrian Del Castillo, just won Player of the Month Awards for their respective Minor Leagues.

Joe Elbis, a starting pitcher for the HIllsboro Hops, won MiLB NWL Pitcher of the Month for the month of May. The NWL is the Northwest League that occupies the Northwest of America and parts of Canada. It's a league that represents the High-A portion of the Minor Leagues.

Elbis had a standout month that clearly set him apart from any other pitchers that weren't on his team, because the Hops' entire starting pitching staff had a standout May.

Elbis pitched 25.2 innings and had a 0.35 ERA while limiting hitters to just a .185 batting average against him. He allowed 17 hits, one run, three walks, and struck out 23. He went 2-0.

The right-hander now is in the top-four of the NWL in WHIP, ERA, WPCT and average against.

He picked up right where he left off of as he started for the Hops last night and went 7.2 innings while giving up one run, seven hits, two walks, and striking out five.

Meanwhile, catcher Adrian Del Castillo won the PCL Player of the Month by Minor League Baseball. The PCL is the Pacific Coast League, a branch of the Triple-A League for MiLB.

Over May, he led the Pacific Coast League in multi-hit games with 13, hits with 37, and total bases with 66. That wasn't all he did in May as he regularly smoked the ball. He's been the Reno Aces best player this season.

Over 26 games, Del Castillo hit .359/.412/.641/1.053 with 20 runs, 10 doubles, two triples, five homers, 17 RBI, eight walks, and just 18 strikeouts.

Plus, he has improved his defense at catcher to where there's a realistic future behind the plate for him in the Majors. Should Tucker Barnhart or Gabi Moreno get hurt, there's a realistic shot that Del Castillo could get the call. At the very least, he is set up to make his MLB debut sooner than later.

Meanwhile Joe Elbis is leaving little left to prove in High-A. He should get the call to move up to Double-A Amarillo sooner than later if he keeps performing like he is.

Both of these prospects will be climbing the Arizona Diamondbacks prospects lists come mid-season.