The Best Offspeed Pitches in the Diamondbacks Farm System

As continued coverage of the Diamondbacks farm system, here at Inside the Diamondbacks we are going to do a tool-by-tool analysis and pick out the best prospects for each tool. Each tool is graded on the 20-80 scouting scale, where 50 is the major league average.

The final section for pitchers will be offspeed pitches. While stated in the last installment that breaking balls have become a crucial pitch, it still stands that having a quality offspeed pitch can also be very effective. The type of pitches that will be classified include splitters and changeups, since the objective of both pitches is to throw a pitch with less speed but more movement away from the bat.

Here are some of the best offspeed pitches in the system

Justin Martinez (70)

Martinez's splitter is the best individual pitch in the entire organization. Hitters already have to respect a fastball clocked as high as 103 MPH, which already cuts down on the decision time to swing. The splitter sits around 88-90 MPH with bullet/gyro like spin that makes it indistinguishable from his slider in terms of spin. In a small sample, Martinez generated a 58.3% whiff rate and a 29.6% putaway rate. Being able to establish his fastball, which draws a 70 grade as well, will allow the two pitches to play well off each other. It's that type of power arsenal that could project well in the back of the bullpen once he learns how to command it.

Yu-Min Lin (60)

While Martinez has the best secondary pitch in the organization, Lin's changeup comes in second place. While Lin's fastball doesn't like up the radar gun, sitting in the 88-92 MPH range, what he's exceptional at is a feel to change speeds on hitters. Since Lin lacks raw velocity, the ability to change speeds and locations will be paramount for him to stick as a potential No. 5 starter. What's interesting is the organization has quite a few left-handed arms with a similar profile, with Tommy Henry and Blake Walston boasting a similar repertoire.

Bryce Jarvis (60)

Once upon a time, Jarvis was a slender right-hander who threw 88-90 MPH in college, but had a plus changeup to compensate. The changeup is still there, even as he's added more velocity and fine-tuned his breaking pitches. Combined with a plus slider that breaks to the opposite side of the plate, he has the arsenal to attack three different locations with three unique pitches. In his first MLB stint, Jarvis' changeup yielded a .148 average against although not a lot of whiffs. Better command of his fastball and slider will maximize the effectiveness of the changeup, so long as the pitches tunnel well.

Keep an eye out for:

• Blake Walston (55): As a pitcher who threw 88-92 MPH last season, the changeup now becomes an essential pitch for him to stick in the big leagues. If Walston can get back to his 2022 form, which also includes a much better feel for his changeup, he should surprise people in 2024.