How Do We Feel About Isan Diaz At This Point?

[sheetskout]

I was super-high on Diaz coming into this season. Still going to be very young for his level. Before the season I pegged him as the future at 2B but now I see them going the Dubon-route.

 

Anyone see a rebound-season in 2018?

[JohnBriggs12]

Diaz has time on his side but he's going to have to show more than he did in 2016. Middle infielders with high K rates are far from sure things. Diaz has to worry more about Hiura, who'll likely has passed him as 2B of the future already than Dubon, who projects more as utility bench guy. SS is blocked by Arcia anyway but Diaz' glove might not play there anyway.

[clancyphile]

A lot depends on how he recovers from the hamate injury.

 

Diaz has very good OBP skills (62 walks in 383 ABs), and he has power (33 XBH in 383 ABs at Carolina), and he demonstrate those while young for the Carolina League. I still am very high on him, with my concerns more around the hamate as opposed to talent/tools. IIRC, Brad Nelson broke his hamate, and wasn't quite the same afterwards.

 

His offensive skillset seems superior to Dubon's - and his OBP skills and power seem to be way ahead of Keston Hiura's. I think the future is very bright for him. He could be a starter at second base, a starter at shortstop, or a Perez-esque supersub/bench cornerstone. I'm not knocking Hiura. Hiura's numbers point to him being an Ichiro minus the speed, and with a lot more strikeouts.

 

If Diaz can return to his 2016 form, then the Brewers have a lot of options. He would allows them to NOT rush Hiura and to properly develop Hiura's OBP skills. In Wisconsin, Hiura had 7 BB in 105 ABs, a rate much lower than the 6 in 62 ABs he had in Arizona. He also struck out 37 times in 167 ABs. His power also dropped noticably in the jump from R- to full-season A (all four of his HR and 5 of his seven 3B came in Arizona).

[homer]

I was pretty disappointed in most of that roster offensively. But when you look at that league as a whole no one really hits at all. So let's see what happens next year. His swing is so nice it would shock me if he didn't hit.

[KeithStone53151]

I'm oddly not concerned about Diaz either. All the skill is still there, and as noted very few guys hit in the Carolina League. Notice how much better Stokes and Gatewood looked going from high a to AA? They jumped up a league and their offensive numbers improved significantly, that shoudl be telling about the league in general. I'm sure it isn't FSL bad, but it's clearly not hitter friendly. I feel like the Harrison/Ray/Diaz/Erceg/etc crew is going to seriously light up the Southern league this coming season.

[OnaBadger58]

Diaz may be my favorite prospect in the Brewers system. That swing screams consistency, but it hasn't shown yet. Even in 2016 his first 50 games were pretty bad (and the rest of the year, he was our best prospect). For being 5'10" he has a ton of pop and he hits it where it's pitched.

 

Like previous posters said, he has youth on his side. As much as the offense is in issue in the Carolina league, I think he and Trent Clark should repeat there. And like Clark, his numbers state he may be too patient at the plate (.222 BA/.334OBP).

 

Diaz had 21 errors in just over 100 games played last year. I think it may be time to keep him at 2B full time.

 

I think Diaz will put the pieces together in 2018 and be a consensus top 5 prospect in the Brewers system.

[Lathund]

I feel good about Diaz. Even during a down year his at a glance poor numbers are still good for 104 wrc+ (as numbers in the Carolina league are low overall) as a middle infielder who's still young for the level. I'd like to see an upward trend in 2018, but I'm not worried. Prospect development usually isn't linear. Be patient and let him develop, has a ton of potential and we have no need to hurry him.

[ClosetBrewerFan]

I'm looking forward to seeing Isan at AA. Expecting a big year from him in 2018.

[brewcrewdue80]

I'm still invested in Diaz. Some disappointment with his season, but he's got a great ceiling for a 2b. He's had some phenomenal seasons to not quit on his ability on a below expectation season.

[JohnBriggs12]

If he stays at 2B, Hiura is the elite 2B prospect in the system not Diaz. That's not a knock on Diaz, who's still a very solid prospect, but if Hiura can play defensively and that's still a concern, Hiura will be in the big leagues before Diaz. Bank on it.

[MrTPlush]

If he stays at 2B, Hiura is the elite 2B prospect in the system not Diaz. That's not a knock on Diaz, who's still a very solid prospect, but if Hiura can play defensively and that's still a concern, Hiura will be in the big leagues before Diaz. Bank on it.

 

No thanks. Banking on prospects is almost garaunteed to fail.

[82brewcrew82]

If he stays at 2B, Hiura is the elite 2B prospect in the system not Diaz. That's not a knock on Diaz, who's still a very solid prospect, but if Hiura can play defensively and that's still a concern, Hiura will be in the big leagues before Diaz. Bank on it.

 

If I "banked" on every proclamation you've made I'd be living in a perpetual state of disappointment. Having said that, you are probably more correct on this than not but I would never bank on it happening. Either way, this is a really good problem to have if both pan out. Trade chips matter too.

[reillymcshane]

I will relay a story about Diaz.

 

I had a baseball writer tell me about the 2016 Midwest All-Star game. As you would expect, there were lots of scouts and baseball people there. He told me about the time that Diaz was at batting practice (or skills tests or something like that). He said that normally people are sitting around on their phones and laptops and tablets doing stuff, but when Diaz got up to bat and hit the first ball - everyone stopped what they were doing and paid attention to him.

 

Just by hearing the ball getting smacked, people understood that something interesting was going on. The writer said Diaz just stung the ball in his session - and everyone took note.

 

Now, no one is saying Diaz is going to automatically be a great major leaguer. He's still got to hit the ball. And become a competent infielder. But the bat - despite last year's struggles - has some zing to it (at least it did in the past).

 

I think 2018 will be a big year for Isan. He had two very good seasons, and now knows he can't just coast on his natural skills. He's got to step up. Hopefully that will happen.

[KeithStone53151]

If he stays at 2B, Hiura is the elite 2B prospect in the system not Diaz. That's not a knock on Diaz, who's still a very solid prospect, but if Hiura can play defensively and that's still a concern, Hiura will be in the big leagues before Diaz. Bank on it.

 

If I "banked" on every proclamation you've made I'd be living in a perpetual state of disappointment. Having said that, you are probably more correct on this than not but I would never bank on it happening. Either way, this is a really good problem to have if both pan out. Trade chips matter too.

 

You don't bank on any one prospect, at least while they are in the low minors. We have 2 high quality options with Diaz/Hiura at future 2b...that's better than our farm position at 3b, 1b, and actually SS as well. Let these guys battle it out in 2018 and their performance dictate which is the better prospect.

[clancyphile]

If I "banked" on every proclamation you've made I'd be living in a perpetual state of disappointment. Having said that, you are probably more correct on this than not but I would never bank on it happening. Either way, this is a really good problem to have if both pan out. Trade chips matter too.

 

You don't bank on any one prospect, at least while they are in the low minors. We have 2 high quality options with Diaz/Hiura at future 2b...that's better than our farm position at 3b, 1b, and actually SS as well. Let these guys battle it out in 2018 and their performance dictate which is the better prospect.

 

I agree. Or, you move them both around so you have options as to where they can play.

 

Have Diaz play third, second, short, outfield. Do the same with Hiura.

 

That way, you may be able to keep both. Win-win.