Edwin Diaz Stats & Scouting Report — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

IP	6
ERA	1.5
WHIP	.5
BB/9	1.5
SO/9	13.5

Full name Edwin Orlando Díaz
Born 03/22/1994 in Naguabo, Puerto Rico
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 165 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Caguas Military Academy
Debut 06/06/2016
Drafted in the 3rd round (98th overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2012 (signed for $300,000).

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Standing 6-foot-3 and 163 pounds, Diaz is the definition of skinny, and scouts aren't sure how much weight he'll add because of his narrow frame. Diaz's body has pros and cons. His long arms allow him to whip the ball with surprising velocity. He sits in the 92-95 mph range and touched 97 twice in his first outing at Puerto Rico's annual Excellence Tournament in early May. But, like many tall, gangly pitchers, he has trouble coordinating his limbs, which leads to spotty control and an inconsistent curveball. He also hasn't used a changeup much. Taken together, those factors lead many scouts to believe he fits best as a power reliever in pro ball. Diaz is relatively new to pitching, having just started when he was 15 years old. His cousin, Jose Melendez, pitched in the big leagues for parts of five seasons in the 1990s for Seattle, San Diego and Boston.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Diaz has added weight and velocity since signing for $300,000 as a sixth-rounder out of Puerto Rico in 2012. A stronger lower half, better balance and an improved slider keyed his development in 2015, which started with seven strong starts for high Class A Bakersfield and ended with him earning Mariners minor league pitcher of the year honors. Developing feel for the tight, mid-80s plus slider has proven to be an effective counter to his plus fastball that sits at 93-95 mph and tops out at 98. Toss in a below-average changeup that he's starting to master but lacks confidence in and Diaz has emerged as a promising--though inconsistent--pitcher. He was at his best in a July 23 outing against Montgomery, when he struck out seven consecutive batters (one shy of matching a Southern League record). He throws strikes but still struggles to command pitches within the zone while learning that he can't rely on overpowering hitters as he moves up the minor league ladder. When he misses, he tends to leave the ball over the plate. Diaz's level-by-level rise will continue in 2016 when he makes his Triple-A debut with Tacoma at age 22. Further improvement of his command gives him No. 3 starter potential.
When the Mariners drafted Diaz, he was a raw, pencil-thin righthander with a promising arm but not enough meat on his bones. He's done a good job at adding good weight and now has the frame of a potential starter. Signed for $300,000, Diaz had only pitched for three years at that time, but he's made a quick transition to pro ball. Diaz has arguably the best arm in the system. He sits at 91-93 mph and will touch 97 on his best day. His low three-quarters arm slot is a tough look for righthanders, especially as he gets plenty of armside run. Diaz has shown average control with an ability to locate his fastball to both sides of the plate, but his delivery is long in back, with a hooking arm action and recoil as he finishes. He sometimes rushes too quickly through his delivery, though he does self-diagnose his delivery flaws as they crop up and his head remains still. Diaz's slider is an average pitch when he stays on top of it, but he too often drops his elbow and gets on the side of it. His changeup has improved to flash average. Diaz's delivery and his still-skinny frame makes some scouts project him as a reliever, but he's shown feel for setting up hitters and has the makings of three pitches. If he can survive at high Class A Bakersfield in 2015, then he'll further establish himself as the Mariners' best young arm.
The Mariners signed Diaz for $300,000 as their third-round pick in 2012. Pitching is in his bloodlines. His cousin Jose Melendez was a reliever with the Mariners, Padres and Red Sox from 1990-94. Diaz grew up idolizing Pedro Martinez and wears No. 45 in his honor. He has two above-average pitches in his fastball and slider. The fastball had sneaky velocity, usually sitting 90-94 mph, and he'll occasionally ramp it up to 96. Diaz has strong command for such a young pitcher, locating his fastball to both sides of the plate. The slider became a plus pitch when the Mariners had him raise his three-quarters arm slot, which allowed him to throw on more of a downhill plane. Like most young pitchers, Diaz needs to work on his changeup because he still is learning how to throw it at the same arm speed as his fastball. Diaz is on the thin side, even though he has gained 20 pounds since signing, and he tired at the end of 2013 at Rookie-level Pulaski. Diaz has a ceiling to rival any pitcher in the organization other than Taijuan Walker. He profiles as at least a potential mid-rotation starter or a strong late-inning reliever if stamina becomes a long-term issue. He should be ready for a jump to low Class A Clinton.
Diaz is relatively new to pitching, not taking the mound until he was 15 years old. But he has a mentor in his cousin Jose Melendez, who pitched in the big leagues for parts of five seasons in the early 1990s, and Diaz learned his lessons well. He went in the third round of the 2012 draft, signing for a discounted $300,000 after a postdraft physical raised some minor issues, but he hasn't had any health concerns so far. Thin with long arms and legs, Diaz's arm action is loose, whippy and explosive, and his fastball sits at 92-94 mph and tops out at 97. His curveball shows flashes of being an average pitch, but it's inconsistent because he tends to get under it. He didn't throw a changeup much as an amateur, so he will have to learn one as a pro. Like many tall, gangly pitchers, Diaz sometimes has trouble with controlling his body and his pitches. He walked nearly a batter an inning in his brief pro debut. The Mariners will give him plenty of time to develop as a starter, realizing that he needs to fill out and improve his secondary pitches and control. Diaz will start 2013 in extended spring training as he seeks to add weight to his frame, improve his English and work on repeating his delivery.

Draft Prospects

Standing 6-foot-3 and 163 pounds, Diaz is the definition of skinny, and scouts aren't sure how much weight he'll add because of his narrow frame. Diaz's body has pros and cons. His long arms allow him to whip the ball with surprising velocity. He sits in the 92-95 mph range and touched 97 twice in his first outing at Puerto Rico's annual Excellence Tournament in early May. But, like many tall, gangly pitchers, he has trouble coordinating his limbs, which leads to spotty control and an inconsistent curveball. He also hasn't used a changeup much. Taken together, those factors lead many scouts to believe he fits best as a power reliever in pro ball. Diaz is relatively new to pitching, having just started when he was 15 years old. His cousin, Jose Melendez, pitched in the big leagues for parts of five seasons in the 1990s for Seattle, San Diego and Boston.

Minor League Top Prospects

Diaz had the best raw performance for any Apply League pitcher, leading the league in ERA and strikeout rate with a 4.4 K-BB ratio. He battled control problems as an amateur, but the Mariners streamlined his delivery and raised his low three-quarters arm slot, which gave him greater control and a better downhill plane. Diaz has a quick, whip-like arm and fastball that can sit 92-94 mph and touch 96 with above-average movement. He ditched a slow curveball for a tighter 82-84 mph slider. He showed good arm speed on his changeup, which could become an average pitch. The thin-framed Diaz tired toward the end of his first pro season, sitting 90-92 mph. Gaining strength and maintaining his velocity will be critical for him to remain a starter, as will the continued development of his changeup. His electric fastball-slider combo would make him an effective late-inning reliever if he moves to the bullpen.