Lewin Diaz

LEWIN DIAZ, FIRST BASEMAN
Born: November 19, 1996
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 217
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Signed: Int’l Free Agent, 2013, Minnesota Twins
How Acquired: Waiver Claim (from Marlins)
Country: Dominican Republic
Agent: CAA Sports
WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE
Diaz was a prominent signing for Minnesota.  He’s always been regarded as having significant raw power, but it hasn’t consistently shown up in games, especially in the majors.  He made slow progress through the minors and his plate discipline, in particular, has been weak since he got to full season ball.  He’s struggled against LHPs sometimes, but not always.  The defensive metrics see him as an outstanding defender at first.  He doesn’t run well.  The Pirates obtained Diaz on a waiver claim.

2014
DSL:  257/385/451, 144 AB, 13 2B, 5 HR, 26 BB, 24 K

Diaz had a good debut season, hitting for power and walking more than he struck out.  Baseball America ranked him 18th in the Twins’ system after the season.

2015
R:  261/354/369, 111 AB, 7 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 14 BB, 24 K, 2-2 SB
R+:  167/245/375, 48 AB, 1 2B, 3 HR, 3 BB, 17 K

The Twins moved Diaz up to the GCL, where he had more trouble with plate discipline and didn’t show much power.  He got on a 12-for-23 run in August, though, which brought a promotion to advanced rookie ball.  He struggled to make contact there.  BA dropped him to 21st in the system.

2016
R+:  310/353/575, 174 AB, 15 2B, 2 3B, 9 HR, 12 BB, 35 K

The Twins kept Diaz in advanced rookie ball for the season and he had a much better year, albeit with a weak BB:K ratio.  BA ranked him 26th in the system.

2017
A:  292/329/444, 466 AB, 33 2B, 1 3B, 12 HR, 25 BB, 80 K, 2-3 SB

Finally in full season ball, Diaz had a good, but not a breakout, year.  BA again ranked him 26th.

2018
A+:  225/255/344, 294 AB, 11 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 10 BB, 56 K, 1-1 SB

In the pitching-dominated Florida State League, Diaz had a very rough time.  He hit for a little power, but showed no patience at all.  BA dropped him off Minnesota’s top prospects list.

2019
A+ (Minn):  290/333/533, 214 AB, 11 2B, 1 3B, 13 HR, 14 BB, 40 K
AA (Minn):  302/341/587, 126 AB, 16 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 8 BB, 23 K
AA (Mia):  200/279/461, 115 AB, 6 2B, 8 HR, 11 BB, 28 K, 0-1 SB

The Twins sent Diaz back to the FSL and he had a far better season, partly as a result of getting in better shape.  He continued hitting well after moving up to AA, although at both levels he didn’t show much patience.  At the trade deadline, the Twins sent him to Miami.  He didn’t hit as well after the trade, but BA ranked him 7th in the Marlins’ system.  Miami added him to its 40-man roster after the season.

2020
MLB:  154/195/205, 39 AB, 2 2B, 2 BB, 12 K

Diaz played briefly in the majors during the pandemic season.

2021
AAA:  248/327/518, 278 AB, 15 2B, 20 HR, 26 BB, 60 K, 2-2 SB
MLB:  205/242/451, 122 AB, 4 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 6 BB, 33 K

Diaz opened the season in AAA, but bounced back and forth between there and the majors all year.  He hit for good power at both levels, but had poor walk and strikeout rates in the majors.

2022
AAA:  252/323/492, 325 AB, 19 2B, 1 3B, 19 HR, 32 BB, 75 K
MLB:  169/224/288, 160 AB, 4 2B, 5 HR, 11 BB, 54 K, 1-1 SB

Diaz spent most of the season in AAA until late July, when he joined the Marlins for good.  He hit about the same in AAA as the previous season, but struggled badly in the majors as his K rate increased sharply.  Miami designated him for assignment after the season.

Like nearly all of Ben Cherington’s personnel moves, this one appeared to be simply pointless, random shuffling of low-upside players rather than an attempt to improve the team.  As a left-handed hitter, Diaz failed to address the Pirates’ need for a right-handed hitter to complement Ji-Man Choi.  It was especially puzzling that they would claim Diaz after declining to put the right-handed hitting Malcom Nunez on the 40-man roster.  The claim quickly became moot, though, as the Pirates designated Diaz for assignment after they signed Carlos Santana.

CONTRACT INFORMATION
2023: Major League Minimum
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: $1,400,000
MiLB Debut: 2014
MLB Debut: 8/15/2020
MiLB FA Eligible: N/A
MLB FA Eligible: 2028
Rule 5 Eligible: N/A
Added to 40-Man: 11/20/2013
Options Remaining: 0 (USED:  2020, 2021, 2022)
MLB Service Time: 1.004
TRANSACTIONS
July 2, 2013: Signed by the Minnesota Twins as an international free agent.
July 27, 2019: Traded by the Minnesota Twins to the Miami Marlins for Sergio Romo and Chris Vallimont.
November 20, 2019: Contract purchased by the Miami Marlins.
November 15, 2022:
Designated for assignment by the Miami Marlins.
November 22, 2022: Claimed off waivers from the Miami Marlins by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
November 30, 2022:
Designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates.