Amarillo Wins Texas League Championship
Last night, the Amarillo Sod Poodles captured their first Texas League title in four seasons. Since the 2021 re-organization of the Minor Leagues, Amarillo joined the Diamondbacks organization. In just their third season since the realignment, they won the second half Texas League Southern division title then won back-to-back three game series against San Antonio (SD) and Arkansas (SEA) to capture the title.
For manager Shawn Roof, it's his second title in the organization as a minor league manager. Roof guided Visalia to a title in 2019 with current big leaguers Alek Thomas and Geraldo Perdomo headlining that roster. He's quickly climbing up the ladder in the organization and could be a major league coaching staff candidate in the next 2-3 years.
Here's a list of the players from that team who could very well have an impact on the big league roster in the coming years:
Top 10 Prospects
Lawlar spent the first four months of the season with Amarillo before making his MLB debut on September 7th. Lawlar hit .263 with 15 home runs and an .840 OPS before a promotion to Reno for three weeks then a big league call-up. Lawlar projects as an above-average regular at shortstop, but has the athleticism to play any position on the diamond other than maybe third base and right field due to arm limitations. He's the type of player who could put together a 20 home run, 40 stolen base season at his peak.
Melendez was a second round selection in last year's draft and quickly ascended to Double-A in his first full year in the system. He has massive power potential, with 30 home runs in 426 plate appearances, but also major swing-and-miss concerns with a strikeout rate of 34%. The D-backs will be getting an extra look at him in the Arizona Fall League next month to see if he can continue to make strides with his plate discipline after missing the final three weeks of the season and the postseason with an ankle injury.
Lin spent the majority of the season with High-A Hillsboro, but performed so well down there that he was promoted after the All-Star break. His changeup is his best pitch in the arsenal, which allows him to pitch effectively throwing low-90s velocity and a decent but not great slurve. He fits the profile of a bottom of the rotation starter that sees a lineup only two times through due to a short and slender build.
De Los Santos is much like Melendez, a big time power bat with swing-and-miss concerns. After a rough three months to open the season, he corrected his swing issues and went on a second half tear. Since July 14th, he's slashed .322/.340/.596 with 14 home runs in 56 games between the regular and postseason. In those six postseason games De Los Santos hit .400 with three doubles, a triple, a home run, and drove in six. He's likely to be added to the 40-man roster this winter and with a good 2024 season in Reno, could be looked at as a potential power bat as a corner infielder or designated hitter.
Other Notable Players
Kristian Robinson has the most upside of any player mentioned in this article. With his combination of power and speed, he has 30 home run and 30 stolen base potential at his peak. However as is the case with many power prospects, there are issues with his ability to make consistent contact. Robinson has acclimated well since the three-year layoff, finishing the year strong in Amarillo and being a key bat in their postseason run. In their six postseason games, he hit .368 with two home runs and a 1.217 OPS. He very well could end up in the Top 10 in the next rankings update.
A.J. Vukovich is the best hitting prospect outside the Top 10 from this team, with a combination of power and speed. There are a lot of holes and a lack of a defensive home, with the organization moving him to center field this season, which makes the major league fit more challenging. However the upside with his bat could be good enough that it's more of a secondary concern. Vukovich will need to clean up the swing and miss for him to utilize his best tool more effectively. He'll earn another opportunity to show those improvements in the Fall League.
Dylan Ray made a handful of starts down the stretch, but appeared in their postseason rotation nonetheless. Ray is a potential Minor League Pitcher of the Year candidate after putting up impressive numbers with Hillsboro earlier in the season. Coming back from 2021 Tommy John surgery, he has the potential upside of a middle of the rotation arm. His fastball sits in the mid-90s with a solid slider and changeup.
Yilber Diaz is a potential bullpen conversion candidate, although he may get another year to start since he's not Rule 5 eligible until December 2024. With upper-90s velocity and a big breaking ball, he has the stuff to put away hitters but lacks the overall consistency. If the D-backs decide his future is in the bullpen, he could very well debut next season.
Caleb Roberts adds intrigue as a catcher, first baseman, corner outfield defender who bats from the left side. He's likely to develop into a platoon bat off the bench, due to a .285/.389/.541 slash against RHP vs. .235/.339/.412 against LHP. Like many others on this list, he'll have an opportunity to showcase himself in the Fall League and earn a potential invite for Spring Training.
Christian Montes de Oca signed at 21 years old, but brings an intriguing enough 4-seamer and slider mix to the table. He very much offers a similar build, stuff profile to current setup man Kevin Ginkel, although Ginkel showcased better velocity after reaching the big leagues. He'll get a chance to land on the organization's radar for potential midseason call-ups in the bullpen in the Fall League.
Conor Grammes started the final game of the season and turned in his best performance with four scoreless innings, six strikeouts, and no walks. Grammes features high-90s velocity and a big-breaking curveball, but hasn't shown much control. With Amarillo, he struck out 65 hitters in 45 2/3 innings but also walked 35. There's a decent chance that Arizona elects to leave him unprotected from the Rule 5 Draft again this winter, but there's also a high chance he goes unclaimed in that process.
