What do the Arizona Diamondbacks have in Corbin Carroll?

Corbin Carroll may be one of the most underrated names in baseball right now. Many baseball fans may have never heard the name of the Arizona Diamondbacks prospect.

Who is Corbin Carroll and how good can the young Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder be?

Out of high school, Carroll was a first-round pick by the Diamondbacks in 2019. He signed with the team for $3.7 million. After being assigned to rookie ball, Carroll hit .291 with two home runs while logging 14 RBI and 16 stolen bases over 31 games and the 18-year-old was promoted to High-A Hillsboro. Carroll would go on to finish the season there and in 11 games, he batted .326. Between the two leagues, Carroll hit .299 with an .896 OPS and swiped 18 bases out of 19 attempts.

Due to the pandemic, Carroll did not play a minor-league game in 2020. Fast forward to 2021, Carroll was back with Hillsboro and he shined in the seven games he was able to play before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in May. In those games, he hit .435 with two home runs with 5 RBI and a 1.465 OPS.

After recovering from the injury, the speedy outfielder began his 2022 season in Double-A. After 58 games, Carroll was promoted again, this time to Triple-A, after hitting 16 home runs and compiling a 1.073 OPS. He also stole 20 bases in 23 attempts. During his time in Triple-A, Corbin continued to impress the club as the 21-year-old slashed .287/.408/.943 along with a wRC+ of 144 in 33 games.

On August 29, Carroll got the call to the Major Leagues. He went on to finish the season with a OPS of .830 and four home runs after manning 23 games in left field for Arizona.

Yesterday, MLB Pipeline released their prospect rankings going into the 2023 season. Carroll was ranked second behind Gunnar Henderson of the Baltimore Orioles. Carroll, standing at 5-foot-10 and weighing in at 165 pounds, has all the makings of a five-tool-player. He has the ability to produce at the plate, on the bases and in the field. Carroll is ranked in the 100th percentile in sprint speed.

Going into the 2023 season, Corbin remains Rookie of the Year eligible and it is quite possible that he could win the award. As a left-handed hitter, Carroll does struggle mightily to hit left-handed pitching. During his time in Arizona, he hit just .179 with an on-base percentage of .233. If he can figure that out, Carroll could become an MVP candidate very soon.

Across all levels of play, including MLB, Carroll hit 32 home runs with 101 RBI along with a .302 batting average, .412 on base percentage, and a .986 OPS. In 62 attempts, he stole 54 bases. Because of his unique skill set, Carroll should be a very fun player to watch for years to come.

In 2023, the 22-year-old Carroll will earn a league-minimum $700K. He could earn an extra $750K for winning the National League Rookie of the Year award and $500K if he finishes second.