Infielder Lugo headlines D-backs prospects in Arizona Fall League
Infielders Dawel Lugo, Jamie Westbrook and Kevin Cron and pitchers Jared Miller, Gabe Speier and Jorge Despaigne will represent the Diamondbacks on the Salt River Rafters roster in the Arizona Fall League.
All but Despaigne are currently playing for the Double-A Mobile Bay Bears. Despaigne is pitching for the Diamondbacks team in the Dominican Summer League.
The rest of the Rafters roster consists of players from the Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves organizations.
Lugo, a 21-year-old third baseman from the Dominican Republic who was acquired last season in a trade for Cliff Pennington, began the season at Advanced-A Visalia and is hitting .310 with 17 home runs in 123 games at two levels.
Westbrook, a 21-year-old second baseman, is a Gilbert resident and graduate of Basha High School. He has played the entire season at Mobile and is hitting .267 with five home runs.
Cron, a 23-year-old first baseman who graduated from Mountain Pointe High School, leads the Southern League with 25 home runs. He's driven in 86 while compiling a .221 batting average. He is the brother of Angels designated hitter C.J. Cron and the son of D-backs minor-league hitting coordinator Chris Cron.
Miller, a 6-foot-7, 23-year-old left-handed reliever, has pitched at four different levels this year and has a 2.20 ERA with five saves. In 61 1/3 innings, he's given up 36 hits and 21 walks while striking out 80.
Speier, a 21-year-old left-handed reliever, was acquired by the D-backs as part of the Shelby Miller-Dansby Swanson trade. He has a 2.35 ERA and three saves at two levels. He's struck out 40 in 57 1/3 innings, giving up 47 hits and 20 walks.
Despaigne, a 25-year-old right-hander, has made six starts in the Dominican Summer League. He's 3-0 with a 3.19 ERA, with 39 strikeouts, 10 walks and 17 hits allowed in 31 innings.
The Arizona Fall League season runs Oct. 11 through Nov. 19. Among the players selected for the league are the top-ranked minor-league prospect in all of baseball, infielder Yoan Moncada, who was just called up to the Boston Red Sox for the stretch run.
Other top-ranked prospects include Pirates outfielder Austin Meadows (No. 9), Braves infielder Ozzie Albies (14), Yankees shortstop Gleyber Torres (20), Cubs outfielder Eloy Jiminez (26), Indians outfielder Bradley Zimmer (28) and Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger (35).
