As the Diamondbacks are wrapping the first half of their 2023 season led by a former first round pick in Corbin Carroll, they made their first round selection in the MLB Draft on Sunday, selecting Stanford shortstop Tommy Troy with the No. 12 overall pick.
Troy hit .394 with 17 home runs, 58 RBI and 17 stolen bases as a junior with the Cardinal. He also saw his chase rate drop from 26% to 18% going from 2022 to 2023.
“This is a modern hitter,” ESPN MLB Draft Analyst Kiley McDaniel said on the draft broadcast. “(He) should cake-walk to Double-A because all the things that come with his performance are sustainable things that are what’s happening in baseball today. This is going to translate quickly as opposed to some other guys who have some skills that might need a little bit of fine-tuning in the minors.”
On the broadcast, Eduardo Perez also likened Troy to Angels infielder Zack Neto as a player that could waste no time moving through the minor leagues. Neto was selected in last year’s draft and has already made his presence known at the big league level.
ESPN’s Kyle Peterson also credits Troy’s defensive versatility that could help him move quickly in the farm system, calling him a “defensive utility player that is a high end offensive performer.”
The Diamondbacks will select again at pick No. 48.
Jordan Hamm
