Gino Groover Could be D-backs Next Big Run Producer

The Diamondbacks No. 7 prospect carries a special bat but has questions about what position he'll play long term.

This article is part of a series counting down the Diamondbacks' Top 30 prospects entering the 2024 season. These rankings are determined by Michael McDermott, in conjunction with the Inside the Diamondbacks staff.

Summary: The D-backs took Groover in the second round of the 2023 Draft and signed him for $1.748 million due to his combination of impressive exit velocities and contact ability. He never established a defensive home at NC State, but Arizona is starting him out at third base then figuring out his long term position later. His bat rips through the strike zone, being able to catch up to almost any kind of fastball in the strike zone. The bat will be the carrying tool of the profile for now, although being able to stick at third base would give the bat more room for error.

Rank: 7

Age: 22

Height/Weight: 6'2" 210 lbs.

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Tools: Hit 55, Power 55, Defense 40, Run 40, Arm 50, Overall 45

ETA: 2026

What the D-backs are saying about him?

"We scouted him a lot there and I think he's a player they had to move around early in his career. We scouted him a lot at third base and we think he's a great athlete. The hands, the feet, all those things we look for, it's going to be enough to play third base and be a power-hitting right-handed bat on the corner. It's really simple, you hear the term a lot about being a low-maintenance stroke. When you get into pro ball and you're facing really good competition, I think those things matter. The simplicity, contact skills, the way the ball comes off the bat, I think there's a chance for power there too." - Scouting director Ian Rebhan, July 2023

2023 Recap: Groover opened the year as the starting third baseman for NC State, starting 56 of 57 games at the hot corner. His bat stood out, hitting .332 with 13 home runs, 36 walks, and 26 strikeouts. That earned the attention of the D-backs, who selected him with the 48th overall pick and signed him to the full slot value. After a short stint in the complex, Groover was placed with High-A Hillsboro. There he hit .264/.340/.379 with a home run, eight walks, and nine strikeouts. While the power didn't necessarily manifest itself, the plate discipline numbers looked advanced for a 100 plate appearance sample.

2024 Expectations: Groover will get the chance to build on what he did with Hillsboro to close out 2023. He'll get the majority of the reps at third base, as the team hopes to develop his glove at the position. Quality of contact will important, as the D-backs will want to see him barrel up more baseballs. If the bat comes around, he's likely to finish the year with Double-A Amarillo.

Projection: Groover projects more as a first base/designated hitter type whose bat should get him in a big league lineup. The combination of barrel control plus contact ability gives him a pretty solid power ceiling, the question will be if his ceiling is 20-25 home runs or more. If he cannot stick at third base, the outfield is an unlikely fallback option given the expansive outfields in National League West ballparks. First base seems like the likely backup option, as that's where he got the majority of his starts at UNC Charlotte as a freshman and NC State as a sophomore. Groover profiles more as a fifth or sixth place hitter on a contending club's lineup, where his contact ability can be maximized to score runs.

Top 30 Diamondbacks Prospects Entering the 2024 Season