Analyst: D-backs' prospect ready to emerge

While their 2012 starting rotation is projected to be one of the best in the National League, it's their farm system that continues to make headlines and reap national accolades.

But this time, the spotlight is being shone on one of the club's lesser-known prospects.

ESPN's Kevin Goldstein says the D-backs' Anthony Meo is among the 10 best non-first-round picks from 2011 who are ready to flourish.

Meo made headlines last May at Coastal Carolina when he threw a no-hitter against Radford in the Big South tournament, and many thought he could slide into the first round last June. Arizona was pleasantly surprised to see him still on the board when its second-round pick arrived. At 6-2, 185 pounds, he's not the most physical of pitchers, but he does have above-average velocity and command and a good breaking ball.

That combination could have him moving quickly through the Arizona system, even if his upside is a bit limited.

While Meo's ceiling may not match those of highly-touted prospects Trevor Bauer, Tyler Skaggs and Patrick Corbin -- and he is certainly further away from being Major League ready -- the tremendous depth of the D-backs' system, even in the lower Minor League affiliates, should be applauded.

An abundance of arms is usually synonymous with a club's funnel to their farm system and their ability to contend over the long haul. Luckily for the D-backs, they will be able to tap into an ever-evolving surplus of talent for many years to come.