ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. DAULTON VARSHO, C/OF
AGE: 23. B-T: L-R. HT: 5-10. WT: 190.
DRAFTED: Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2017 (2nd round supp).
SIGNED BY: Rick Short.
TRACK RECORD: Varsho, the son of ex-big leaguer Gary Varsho, cemented his status as one of the Diamondbacks’ most dynamic prospects last year when he put together one of the better seasons of any hitter at Double-A. In leading the Southern League in OPS, Varsho showed an ability to hit for average and get on base, displayed both power and speed and played well at two positions high on the defensive spectrum. Though he finally began to gain industry-wide recognition in 2019, his production generally fell in line with what he had done throughout his career.
SCOUTING REPORT: With short arms and a compact swing, Varsho finds the barrel often. He has a mature approach and will take his walks, and he also has good hand-eye skills that allow him to spray the ball to all fields. His power potential generates mixed feelings, with some scouts anticipating 20-plus home runs while others see him merely reaching double digits. He has above-average speed (and not just for a catcher) and is a good baserunner; he became the first backstop at Double-A or Triple-A to steal 20-plus bases since at least 2006. He even runs well enough to hold his own in center field, which he did during a cameo there over the final two weeks of the season.
With catcher Carson Kelly’s emergence as a potential frontline catcher, the
