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2013 D'BACKS PROSPECT HANDBOOK Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers hasn't been shy about overhauling his roster. He made changes after taking the job at the end of the 2010 season, most notably to the bullpen, and Arizona improved by 29 victories and won the National League West in 2011. The Diamondbacks geared up for another run at the postseason in 2012 by signing free agent Jason Kubel and trading prospects Jarrod Parker, Ryan Cook and Collin Cowgill to the Athletics for Trevor Cahill and Craig Breslow. But injuries and the inability to duplicate the 48 come-from-behind victories of 2011 contributed to 13 fewer wins, a .500 record and a third-place finish. Towers started remaking the 2013 roster before last season ended. When former franchise cornerstone Stephen Drew never got his bat going after he came back from ankle surgery, Towers shipped him to Oakland for fringe shortstop prospect Sean Jamieson. He swung another deal with the A's in October, a three-team transaction with the Marlins that brought Heath Bell and Cliff Pennington to Arizona in exchange for Chris Young, who wasn't the same after injuring his shoulder crashing into an outfield wall in April. Towers added more bullpen help by swapping third-base prospect Ryan Wheeler to the Rockies for Matt Reynolds, and signed veteran free agents Brandon McCarthy and Cody Ross. Towers made his biggest deal in mid-December when he gave up the third overall pick in the 2011 draft (Trevor Bauer) in a three-team deal to get shortstop Didi Gregorius as a replacement for Drew. And rumors continued to swirl that the Diamondbacks' best player, Justin Upton, was on the block. While the team's 2012 performance was a disappointment, a steady stream of rookies provided some hope for the future and more fodder with which Towers could remake his club. Wade Miley won 16 games, made the All-Star Game and finished second in NL rookie of the year voting. Top prospects Tyler Skaggs and Bauer also joined the rotation, though neither was particularly effective. Bauer was demoted after four midseason starts, while Skaggs was shut down after six starts with a tired arm in mid-September. They were outperformed by Patrick Corbin, who provided six wins. Adam Eaton, a 19th-round pick as senior sign from Miami (Ohio) in 2010, made Young expendable as he continued his meteoric rise through the farm system. Arizona's minor league player of the year, Eaton led the minors in batting (.375), hits (198) and doubles (47) and won the Triple-A Pacific Coast League MVP award. He drilled his first two major league homers in September and will start in center field in 2013. Eaton was just part of the good news down on the farm. Reno won both the PCL playoffs and the Triple-A National Championship, Mobile grabbed its second straight Double-A Southern League title and Missoula earned the Rookie-level Pioneer League crown. After Towers arrived in 2010 and senior vice president of scouting and player development Jerry DiPoto left to become Angels GM following the 2011 season, the front office was relatively stable in 2012. The only significant change came in November, when international scouting director Carlos Gomez followed DiPoto to the Angels in the same role. Arizona hired former Red Sox international director Craig Shipley as an assistant to Towers a week later. TOP FIVE DIAMONDBACK PROSPECTS 1. TYLER SKAGGS, LHP Scouting Report: The jewel of Skaggs' repertoire is a sharp 12-to-6 curveball that he throws in the mid-70s. It features late, sharp break and is regarded as one of the best in the minors. He set it up with a fastball that ranges from 89-94 mph and features some armside run. He delivers his heater with good downhill plane and spots it to both sides of the plate. He throws in the low 90s more consistently than he ever has, and he also has improved his fastball command as well. Skaggs' changeup gives him a potential third plus pitch, but he needs to trust it more. It arrives at 78-80 mph, has some fade and plays well off his fastball. He can dominate hitters when all three pitches are working for him. Skaggs has smooth, easy mechanics and uses a high three-quarters arm slot. His athleticism allows him to repeat his delivery and consistently command his pitches. He also stands out for his composure on the mound and his idea of what he needs to do with each hitter. He holds runners well with a strong pickoff move, permitting just five steals in eight attempts last year. He didn't give up a single stolen base in his six major league starts and he uses his athleticism to field his position well. 2. ARCHIE BRADLEY, RHP Scouting Report: Arizona has a pair of potential No. 1 starters in the system, and Bradley has the most electric arm. His fastball ranges from 93-98 mph, though he doesn't always command it well because a high leg kick can throw off his mechanics. At least when he misses, he misses down in the strike zone. Bradley's above-average 12-to-6 curveball gives him a second swing-and-miss pitch, and he's developing feel for an average changeup with nice sink. He has the athleticism and easy delivery to develop solid control, as well as a strong build for durability. 3. ADAM EATON, OF Scouting Report: Though Eaton is undersized at 5-foot-9, he has plenty of tools. His plus-plus speed stands out the most, and he does an excellent job of putting the ball in play so he can use it. He gets to top speed quickly, making him a basestealing threat. He led the PCL with 38 in 48 tries last year. A prototypical leadoff hitter, Eaton consistently puts together good at-bats and gets on base. He added more pop to his package in 2012 and now projects as a double-digit home run threat. He also made big strides defensively, convincing scouts that he can be a big league center fielder. He has a strong, accurate arm. 4. MATT DAVIDSON, 3B Scouting Report: Davidson brings a professional approach and plenty of power to the plate. When he doesn't try to do too much, he can drive the ball to all fields. While he continued to improve his plate discipline in 2012, he'll always accumulate strikeouts and probably won't hit for a high average. The opportunity to play regularly at third base helped Davidson enhance his range and actions. His 28 errors led SL third basemen by a wide margin, so he needs more consistency, but he has the soft hands and average arm to play there. Better positioning would help him. He's a below-average runner. 5. DIDI GREGORIUS, SS Scouting Report: Most scouts see Gregorius as the opposite of Jeter, a gifted defender with questions about his bat. Gregorius has smooth actions, plus range and a sniper rifle of an arm, allowing him to make plays from deep in the hole. He showed improved consistency in 2012, making just 18 errors in 128 games. Scouts are divided on Gregorius' bat. Some think he could end up as a No. 2 hitter, while others think he'll fit at the bottom of a lineup. He's too aggressive and needs to use the whole field more, but he does have gap power. He's an average runner. *Scouting Reports are brought to you by BaseballAmerica.com