The Mt. Diablo Devils viewed 2021 as a transition year with hopes of finding lightning in a bottle before turning their Franchise over to a young core of potential stars led by the game's top prospect Wander Franco. In that respect, GM Jason Watson can view the year as a success as a second consecutive 9th place finish and some impressive deadline deals have the Devils lined up for big things in 2022.
What Went Right?
Pitching Depth
The Devils finished 7th overall in pitching led mainly by the unexpectedly dominant Adam Wainwright who finished 5th in pitcher scoring in the RDBL Regular Season with a 2.97 ERA and 1.03 WHIP at the age of 40. Waiver find Luis Garcia was another bright spot with a 3.21 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in the RDBL Regular Season, finishing 31st overall in scoring. As he was further removed from Tommy John surgery, Jameson Taillon showed major steps forward and looks well in line for a spot in the Devils rotation for 2022.
Deadline Deals
Watson looks to have aced the deadline as the club acquired a trio of pieces who look to be keys to their 2022 plans. The club landed Brandon Belt (2/$3) and AJ Pollock (2/$10) from the Alamo Short Stacks who both had surprising bounceback seasons while their acquisition of right-hander Cal Quantrill might have been the best move of their season based on his second half performance.
Young Infield Duo
Bo Bichette did everything and more in his activation season for Watson, posting the fifth most hitting points in a Regular Season in Devils Franchise History while ranking 5th in middle infield scoring overall. Top prospect Wander Franco proved everything he needed to following his mid-season promotion while also serving as a dominant presence in the Rays Playoff lineup and looks more than ready to work alongside Bichette in 2022 for the Devils.
Farm System
The addition of Quantrill gave more depth to an already impressive group of prospects that was crowned Farm System of the Year Monday. Quantrill posted a 1.94 ERA in the 2nd Half, the third best mark in baseball while Franco tied Frank Robinson for the longest on-base streak (43 games) by a player 20 years old or younger.
3rd Overall RDBL Reserve Draft pick Riley Greene was even better than advertised and now ranks as one of the top hitting prospects in all of baseball. Greene hit .301 with 25 doubles, eight triples, 24 home runs, 84 RBIs, 63 walks and 153 strikeouts, along with 16 stolen bases, in 124 games for Double-A Erie (84 games) and Triple-A Toledo (40 games). Following his Aug. 16 promotion to the Mud Hens, the left-handed hitter posted a .308 batting average, eight home runs, 30 RBIs, 22 walks and 51 strikeouts.
Additional big league performances from James Kaprelian, Luis Patiño and Jesus Sanchez to pair with strong Minor League seasons from Tyler Soderstrom, Diego Cartaya and Nick Lodolo give the Devils the deepest Farm System in the RDBL.
What Went Wrong?
Alec Bohm
Expected to be a key piece of the Devils rebuild, Alec Bohm fell flat in 2021 leaving question marks about the third baseman moving forward. Bohm limped to a .243/.298/.343 line in 362 at-bats before receiving a demotion to Triple-A. He's expected back as the starting corner infielder for the Phillies in 2022 but a down Spring Training could leave his spot on the Devils in some doubt.
Lack of Offense
The additions of Belt and Pollock won't squash the club's need to add more offense for 2022 this off-season and in the Auction Draft. The Devils ranked 11th in hitter scoring while posting a .249 team average. The club had a steady presence of everyday players with the 8th most at-bats in the league but plate discipline looks to have been a major average after posting just 526 walks which ranked 14th in the league.
Blake Snell
Possibly the biggest bust in the 2021 season, Snell's $45 contract was a major drag on the roster. While Snell recovered over the final five weeks of the MLB season, his RDBL Regular Season was something to forget as he posted a 4.84 ERA and 1.43 WHIP. He's expected to be among the first players cut this off-season and will be one of the more interesting names to following entering the 2022 Draft.
2022 Early Roster Projection
The Devils look ready to make a significant push for a contending spot in 2022 and should come into the 2022 Auction with the money to make impact additions. A young infield of Bichette, Franco and Bohm are joined by veteran performers Jean Segura, Brandon Belt and Isiah Kiner-Falefa who all had strong 2021 campaigns which should result in a strong unit next season.
Veterans Avisail Garcia and AJ Pollock could be joined by potential activation Jesus Sanchez who hit 14 home runs in 227 at-bats for the Marlins last season.
The emergence of Quantrill gives the Devils some depth in the starting rotation and eases the pressure on a 40-year-old Adam Wainwright.
While Kaprielian is currently projected in the rotation, Watson should also have the option of Luis Patiño who made 15 starts for the Rays in 2021 with strong peripherals. Nick Lodolo could also make some noise in Cincinnati as the Reds look to shed payroll which could open a spot in the Opening Day rotation for the power throwing lefty.
Farm System
The Devils will select third overall for the second consecutive season and if they can land a player of Riley Greene's ilk again, Watson will start to turn eyes as one of the league's top evaluators. Franco, Quantrill and Kaprelian look to be the safest bets for Opening Day activations while Luis Patiño, Jesus Sanchez and Nick Lodolo could each play their way into contention for a similar fate.
Soderstrom looks to be the club's next star after tearing up Low-A for the Oakland Athletics with a chance to maintain catcher eligibility with a plus bat that has peak value in the RDBL.
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