SI writer chooses Goldschmidt as D-backs’ best draft pick
Jun 14, 2016, 6:30 AM | Updated: Jun 22, 2016, 6:37 pm
Arizona Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt drives in Jean Segura (not pictured) during the first inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, May 22, 2016, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Billy Hurst)
(AP Photo/Billy Hurst)
Following the 2016 MLB Draft, Sports Illustrated writer Cliff Corcoran decided to take a look at every team in baseball and find their best drafted player.
Coming as no surprise, the player he chose for the Arizona Diamondbacks is first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who ranked 15th out of 30.
Goldschmidt was the runner up for the NL MVP in 2013 and ’15 and might have won the award in ’14 if a pitch hadn’t broken his left hand at the beginning of August. He’s the best hitter in Diamondbacks history, and only his age and a comparatively slow start to this season (a 143 OPS+, his lowest mark since 2012’s 126) prevent him from ranking higher.
Goldschmidt was chosen in the 8th round of the 2009 MLB draft from Texas State University.
Goldschmidt got off to a slow start this season, but he’s managed to turn it around and is now batting .283 with 11 home runs and 39 RBI, while his on-base percentage is .430.
Since being called up in 2011, Goldschmidt is .298 from the plate with 451 RBI and 127 home runs. Goldschmidt’s single-season career best for home runs, 36, and RBI, 125, came in 2013 where he was tied for third in both categories in baseball.
His best statistical year came in 2015, when he posted a .321 batting average, which was fourth in baseball. He added 110 RBI with 182 hits for Arizona and blasted 33 home runs. His OPS was second in all of baseball at 1.005, his OBP was fourth at .435 and his slugging percentage of .570 was only bettered by just three players.
