Why You Should be Reading Michael McDermott's Prospect Articles
I started publishing Inside the Diamondbacks for FanNation on the Sports Illustrated Publishing network in September 2022. Right from the start, I decided that coverage of the organization’s prospects and minor league system would need to be a key foundation of the platform, because that held the future of the organization itself. The Diamondbacks are unlikely to ever be one of the bigger spending teams. The team will always need to be built primarily through the draft and international signings, with shrewd trades and the occasional impactful free agent signing sprinkled in.
There was nobody I knew more knowledgeable when it came to Diamondbacks prospects and the minor league system than Michael McDermott. He and I were both writing for AZ Snakepit, me helping to cover the major league team and Michael covering much of the minor league and draft-related content. Jim McLennan, our friend and mentor who heads up the Snakepit, was most gracious and understanding of the opportunity we had striking out on this venture, and with his blessing and support Michael joined me from the start as a key partner in establishing this website.
I can proudly say that no other website provides better or more comprehensive coverage of the Diamondbacks system. It’s not just volume, however. Michael is a skilled evaluator who knows how to blend scouting reports and scout tools with the playing record and advanced analytic data in a way that provides the most balanced viewpoint available.
This work has helped provide connectivity for fans who read this site. Simply put, to know the D-backs minor league system is to know the major league team, because that is where the vast majority of the players have come from and will continue to come from. It’s well understood by most that only a small percentage of draftees and international signings, usually no more than 10%-20%, will even make it to the major leagues, and an even smaller percentage will make an impact.
Some DO make it however. As we’ve seen over the last 18-24 months, the D-backs minor league system has begun to bear fruit. If you’ve been reading our site, then you already knew a lot about these players before they emerged at the major league level.
In 2023 the Diamondbacks had no fewer than six position players and seven pitchers age 25 or younger who contributed at least replacement level or above value for the team. Rookie of the year Corbin Carroll is by far the biggest breakout player among them, with Gabriel Moreno coming in a strong second. But up and down the roster there were strong contributions from numerous young players. And there are more where that came from.
Michael’s Top 30 prospect list is a good place to start if you want to catch up and learn more about the next wave of players poised to provide value and ultimately wins at the major league level for the team. Some of them already reached the majors in 2023, but their rookie status is still intact, so they remain on the prospect list. Beyond this list I’d encourage anyone interested in the Diamondbacks to bookmark the Prospect section of the website. It’s as good a gateway to our site as any, because that is indeed the gateway to the future success of the organization.
When you sit in the stands or in front of the T.V. with your friends and loved ones, you’ll be the one that is able to answer the question “who is this guy?” as the next young player steps to the plate or walks out to the mound for the first time. Much like when manager Torey Lovullo says a connected team is a dangerous team, a connected fan who understands the minor league system is going to have their enjoyment enhanced. We hope you’ll be on the cutting edge of knowledge while enjoying the major league club chase after playoff spots and a championship in the years to come.
