Arizona Diamondbacks Outfield Preview
May 6, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Cody Ross (7), center fielder A.J. Pollock (11) and left fielder Gerardo Parra (8) head in from the outfield after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-2 at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
With pitchers and catchers reporting to Salt River Fields in less than two weeks, we continue to take a look at the 2015 roster of the Arizona Diamondbacks, this time with the outfield.
If everything turns out right, this could be one of the better outfield units in all of the National League. It’s got a nice blend of power as well as speed.
Let’s get started shall we?
Sep 27, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder David Peralta (6) reacts after hitting a home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Left Field: David Peralta
It was hard to find a better story in all of baseball than Peralta last season. Just a few years back, the outfielder was playing ball in leagues in Venezuela and then because of all sorts of injuries to the outfield last season, he was called up by the D-Backs on the first day of June.
In his four months in the big leagues, Peralta didn’t disappoint. While playing all three outfield positions, Peralta hit .286 with eight home runs and 36 RBI and swiped six of nine bags. His play made it a lot easier for the front office to trade fan favorite Gerardo Parra to Milwaukee on the day of the Trade Deadline.
In 2015, the 27-year-old is projected to play several days a week while hitting near the top of the lineup.
Sep 24, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder A.J. Pollock (11) at bat against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Center Field: A.J. Pollock
Last season was a rough year for the former Golden Domer on the injury front. Pollock missed exactly three months after breaking his right hand on a pitch against Johnny Cueto the Cincinnati Reds in late May.
While it was a small sample size, Pollock put up real good numbers last season. His .302 batting average was the best out of anyone on the team and he added seven home runs and 24 RBI and went 14-of-17 on stolen bases while playing Gold Glove caliber defense.
Health will be a key for Pollock this season. If he’s 100 percent, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t put up some big numbers in what should be a very good lineup.
Sep 27, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Mark Trumbo (15) looks on before facing the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Right Field: Mark Trumbo
Like Pollock, Trumbo spent a good chunk of last season on the disabled list. Due a stress fracture in his right foot, the 28-year-old missed about two and a half months of the season.
Trumbo got off to a slow start out of the gates, but he was much better following his return from the injury. Before he went down, the big guy hit only .200 with seven homers and 19 RBI, but he improved his average by 48 points while hitting seven long balls and driving 42 runs in 64 games following it.
Like the beginning of last season, Trumbo is expected to hit behind Paul Goldschmidt in the lineup, which gives him a great chance to get quality pitches to hit and drive in a ton of runs.
Sep 17, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Cody Ross reacts after a strike against the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Reserves
Cody Ross
It has been a rough couple of years for Ross in a D-Backs uniform. After dislocating his hip during the 2013 season, the veteran was never able to regain form in 83 games last season.
With $9.5 million left on his contract, which includes a club option for 2016, the D-Backs would like to try to move Ross, but they’ll more than likely have to just release him outright if they want to get rid of him. How well he plays in the spring could go a long way in deciding his fate.
Ender Inciarte
Inciarte was a real nice surprise for this team in 2014. Like Peralta, he was called up by the club due to all the injuries in the outfield.
In 118 games, the 24-year-old hit .278 with four home runs, 18 RBI with 19 stolen bases. He should get his fair share of starts this season with his ability to play all three outfield positions at a fairly high level and his speed and base running ability is a big asset for a club that’s lacking in that category.