Juan Diaz

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

In 2016, the Pirates converted Diaz to the mound.

2006
DSL:  191/324/281, 178 AB, 8 2B, 4 3B, 30 BB, 46 K, 4-9 SB
A+:  150/227/250, 20 AB, 1 3B, 2 BB, 8 K

Apart from three games at third, Diaz played short as a 17-year old in his DSL debut.  He drew a lot of walks, but hit very little and had trouble making contact.

2007
A:  228/288/286, 259 AB, 12 2B, 1 HR, 19 BB, 53 K, 2-12 SB
A+:  150/228/250, 20 AB, 1 3B, 2 BB, 8 K

The Mariners jumped Diaz up to low A, where he struggled at the plate.  This wasn’t necessarily a major problem, though, as he was only 18.  He also got into six games in high A.

2008
A:  233/275/306, 451 AB, 16 2B, 4 3B, 3 HR, 28 BB, 86 K, 6-11 SB

Diaz went back to low A and continued to struggle at the plate.

2009
R:  1.000/1.000/2.000, 3 AB, 1 HR, 1 BB
A+:  311/356/446, 325 AB, 22 2B, 5 3B, 4 HR, 23 BB, 65 K, 5-7 SB

Diaz spent the season at High Desert in the California League, apart from missing a month and a half with an injury.  He put up his best hitting numbers as a pro, but much of it has to be attributed to him playing in the best hitting park in the best hitting league in the minors.

2010
A+ (Sea):  295/345/433, 254 AB, 8 2B, 3 3B, 7 HR, 19 BB, 45 K, 8-10 SB
A+ (Cleve):  271/318/326, 218 AB, 7 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 15 BB, 51 K, 2-4 SB

Seattle sent Diaz back to High Desert, where he continued to hit well.  The Mariners traded him to Cleveland in a deal for Russell Branyan in June.  Having moved to the Carolina League, he didn’t hit nearly as well.

2011
AA:  255/310/368, 522 AB, 24 2B, 4 3B, 9 HR, 40 BB, 116 K, 9-11 SB

The Indians moved Diaz up to AA, where he hit better than he had anywhere other than High Desert.  The Indians added him to their 40-man roster after the season.

2012
AA:  259/309/423, 371 AB, 24 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 25 BB, 95 K, 1-4 SB
AAA:  306/342/458, 72 AB, 5 2B, 2 HR, 4 BB, 18 K
MLB:  267/353/267, 15 AB, 1 BB, 5 K

The Indians sent Diaz back to AA and he continued to improve at the plate, showing decent power.  He got a brief callup to the majors in May and spent the last several weeks of the season in AAA.  He continued to play shortstop exclusively.

2013
AAA:  242/317/348, 442 AB, 23 2B, 8 HR, 46 BB, 129 K, 2-3 SB

Diaz spent the season in AAA, where he regressed with the bat.  Among other things, he struck out every three and a half at-bats.  He still played mainly at short, but he started a dozen games at second and seven at third.  Cleveland dropped him from the 40-man roster and he became a free agent after the season, signing with Miami.

2014
AAA: 278/310/418, 464 AB, 27 2B, 1 3B, 12 HR, 22 BB, 117 K, 5-8 SB

The Marlins sent Diaz to AAA for the whole season.  He hit for average and decent power, but his plate discipline was very poor.  He became a free agent again after the season and signed with the White Sox.

2015
AAA:  272/315/373, 367 AB, 18 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 22 BB, 77 K, 0-2 SB

The White Sox cut Diaz at the beginning of the season and the Marlins signed him a few days later.  He again spent the season in AAA, although this time he played mostly at third, along with a few games each at second and short.  He hit about the same as the previous year, with less power and fewer strikeouts.

2016
R+:  0-0-0, 2.25 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 6.8 BB/9, 4.5 K/9

Diaz figured to serve as a utility infielder in AAA and played the infield throughout spring training, but the Indianapolis roster was loaded with infield prospects and Diaz didn’t have an assignment at the start of the season.  He stayed in extended spring training all year, then finally surfaced as a relief pitcher in four games for Bristol near the end of the season.

It’s hard to see where this experiment is going, as Diaz will be a free agent again after the season.  If the Pirates see any potential, they could try to re-sign him for 2017.