Atlanta Braves Draft Day 3 review of selections in Rounds 24-30
By Fred Owens
"You ain’t never been blue, Till you’ve had that mood indigo. Duke Ellington."
Indigo Diaz RHP R/R; 6′-5″, 250; NR
Round 27 Overall pick 817 Michigan State (MI)
Diaz is a Canadian import who played his high school ball at Handsworth Secondary School. From there he played two seasons at Iowa Western Community College earning honorable mention NJCAA All-American honors as a sophomore
Diaz played on the United States NJCAA National team in the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series. earned Northern All-District accolades and garnered recognition as First-Team All-Canadian Pitcher by Canadian Baseball Network
He pitched to a 54-7 record, winning 36 consecutive games to lead his team to JUCO World Series as District D1 Region XI champs
- Freshman: 3-1 record in 16 appearances including two starts, 5.93 ERA, 39 strikeouts in 30.1 IP
- Sophomore: 11-1 in 12 starts in 16 appearances with a 1.52 ERA, striking out 101 in 65.0 IP while walking 20
- IWCC career: 14-2 with a 2.93 ERA and 40 K in 95.1 IP
| Year | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | WHIP | ERA |
| 2017 | IWCC | 3 | 1 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 27 | 20 | 3 | 21 | 39 | 1.58 | 5.93 |
| 2018 | IWCC | 11 | 1 | 16 | 12 | 0 | 65 | 35 | 11 | 1 | 20 | 101 | 0.85 | 1.52 |
| 2019 | Michigan | 2 | 4 | 25 | 4 | 7 | 44 | 42 | 28 | 5 | 29 | 51 | 1.61 | 5.73 |
| NCAA Totals | 16 | 6 | 57 | 18 | 7 | 139 | 104 | 59 | 9 | 70 | 191 | 1.25 | 3.81 |
Statistics from The Baseball Cube
Looking at the ERAs compared to others from that area could give you the blues.
In 2018 BA credited Diaz with a good fastball (88-92 mph) but unrefined secondary pitches. The video shows a high 3/4 slot that drifts down now and then, particularly in longer ABs, a slider he tends to spike and a curve or perhaps a slider that he released too soon.
The secondaries still need work; better mechanics would help. He flies open a lot and reminds me a bit of Winkler when he’s not locating.
Ben Thompson RHP R/R; 6′-5″, 220; NR
Round 28 Overall pick 847. Chandler-Gilbert CC (AZ)
Thompson is a native of Auckland, New Zealand who came to the U.S. five years ago to play baseball. He attended Foothills Composite High School in Okotoks, Alberta Canada before moving to Chandler-Gilbert, The video is old (2014), but it’s the only one I could locate.
He missed the 2017-2018 season with a torn UCL. He returned this season at full strength with a low 90’s heater and pitched well as the numbers below show.
| APP | GS | W | L | CG | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | K/9 | HR | ERA | WHIP |
| 11 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 59 | 58 | 35 | 22 | 30 | 53 | 8.08 | 0 | 3.36 | 1.49 |
Stats from Arizona CC Athletic Conf
An article in the Calgary Sun says Thompson also throws,” one heckuva moving sinker.” I don’t know what that means, but it impressed the Okotoks Dawgs baseball coach.
He told Stuff that being drafted wasn’t a complete surprise.
"… but I wasn’t sure it was going to happen and it might change the plans about university… It means a lot that an organisation (sic) of the stature of the Atlanta Braves think of me so highly, they’ve followed me from the start in Arizona. I’m ecstatic to get picked by them. They’re a class organisation (sic)"
According to the B-R Bullpen, the young man’s no stranger to big games.:
"Thompson was one of five players 18 years or younger on the New Zealand national team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers . . . He was one of three pitchers New Zealand did not use in the tournament . . . had previously played for New Zealand in the 18U Oceania Championship"
Thompson’s committed to Tulane and based on his history and a selection this far away from the big money; I suspect he’ll go to Tulane.