Prospect projections: NL West rookies

We at MiLB.com are counting down the days until Minor League Opening Day (52 days from today). Dozens of prospects are in Florida and Arizona with an eye on landing big league jobs, so, as we edge closer to Spring Training, it's a good time to take a look at rookie-eligible players who could make an impact in the Majors.

Here's the last of a six-part, division-by-division look at top prospects who could exhaust their rookie status in 2015, concluding with the American League West. Below you'll find analysis regarding who could make an impact, as well as Steamer projections (taken with gratitude from FanGraphs) for those players. For those who don't know, Steamer is a projection system that uses statistics, age, level and other factors to predict player performance. The system makes for a fun point of reference in trying to gauge which prospects could play the biggest short-term roles.

Arizona Diamondbacks

After losing 98 games last year, the D-backs have hit the reset button at the Major League level, trading away notable players like Didi Gregorius, Miguel Montero and Wade Miley. If the next generation of Arizona baseball is to be successful, one of the leading players is likely to be Cuban signee Yasmany Tomas. The third baseman did not get a projection from Steamer and is not included above. Tomas did receive a projection from Dan Szymborski's ZiPS system, though. ZiPS projects Tomas for 1.9 WAR over 520 plate appearances, backed by 21 home runs, a .267 batting average and .334 wOBA. It should be noted that projecting Major League numbers based on Cuban professional statistics is a tough task, but overall, ZiPS projects Tomas to be an average Major Leaguer with scouting reports guessing he can provide even more than that.

Arizona is going to give Tomas a chance to stick at third, despite reports that he'd struggle at the hot corner and would fit better in the outfield or at first base. The good news is that third is a position of strength for Arizona. Jake Lamb made his Major League debut late last season and should compete for a Major League spot. The D-backs' No. 5 prospect is one of the Minors' better defenders at third and has the bat to profile there, too. Steamer thinks Lamb already can contribute roughly league-average statistics. Further down the ladder, Brandon Drury isn't as solid defensively but could match Lamb's offensive contributions. That said, Steamer doesn't think Drury would impact the big league team much this season if given the chance.

In trading away Montero, Arizona has opened a gaping hole behind the plate. A pair of prospects could see time this year in Peter O'Brien and Oscar Hernandez. O'Brien -- projected by Steamer as an outfielder above -- was acquired from the Yankees in the Martin Prado trade last July. Steamer thinks O'Brien's power will translate already. It also projects a lackluster 27.6 percent strikeout rate. While the bat looks pretty good, reports indicate O'Brien faces an uphill climb to be merely average defensively. Expect his playing time to be directly tied to his defensive progress. Hernandez, meanwhile, is a Rule 5 pickup with a strong defensive reputation. The 21-year-old spent last season at Class A Bowling Green, though, and hit just .249 at that level.

Arizona put four pitchers on MLB.com's latest Top 100 list, and three of them could see action in the Majors this year -- Archie Bradley, Braden Shipley and Aaron Blair. Bradley, a 2011 first-rounder (seventh overall), is the most experienced of the three, logging more than 200 innings between Double-A and Triple-A the past two seasons. The big right-hander has struggled to control his outstanding stuff, though, leading Steamer to project a nasty 5.4 walks per nine innings. The projection system actually believes Shipley and Blair are both more advanced right now. That defies conventional wisdom a bit, as that duo has a combined 66 1/3 innings at Double-A.

The D-backs have two relievers in the back half of their Top 20 prospect list who have an excellent chance to debut in 2015 -- Jake Barrett and Jimmie Sherfy. Barrett split last year between Double-A and Triple-A, picking up 28 saves to go with a 3.09 ERA. Sherfy spent time at Class A Advanced and Double-A, showing promising stuff but also compiling a 4.59 ERA. Reports indicate both pitchers have the stuff to at least handle setup duties in the Majors, but Steamer thinks both would be best deployed as middle-relief options -- or at Triple-A -- this season.

Lastly, like Tomas, Yoan Lopez is a Cuban free agent who signed with Arizona this winter. Unlike Tomas, Lopez is very likely to open the year in the Minors, though it's possible the 22-year-old right-hander could pitch his way into the Majors by season's end. Steamer does not have a projection for Lopez, however, explaining his exclusion from the above list.

Biggest impactor: Tomas should be an everyday player from the get-go, so he's the best bet here. It's hard to ignore that the D-backs have a black hole behind the plate, though, and that the team has indicated more faith in O'Brien's glove than the industry. The slugging backstop will probably start the year in the Minors, but if he performs there, there isn't much standing between him and everyday big league action.

Fantasy special: If O'Brien maintains catcher eligibility, he has the upside to lead all backstops in homers, at least on a per-at-bat basis. Few catchers can match his power potential, making him a more attractive fantasy asset than real-life one. Bradley, Shipley and Blair all profile as solid fantasy options, too, though probably more for the long-term.

 Colorado Rockies

The Rockies boast touted prospects in David Dahl, Raimel Tapia, Ryan McMahon and Forrest Wall, but none of them figure to contribute in Colorado this season. There isn't a whole lot on the immediate horizon, although a replacement for defensively challenged backstop Wilin Rosario might be nearby. Most likely to bump Rosario long-term is Tom Murphy, who ranks 10th in the Rockies system. Murphy gets solid reviews for his defense and should hit enough for the position. He has his work cut out for him earning a 2015 promotion, however, after a shoulder injury limited him to 27 Double-A contests last year.

There isn't much here other than Murphy. Ryan Casteel is projected at catcher above but doesn't profile well defensively behind the dish. Instead, he's likely limited to first base, where his bat won't meet lofty Major League standards. Trevor Story and Cristhian Adames don't appear ready to make much impact, while Kyle Parker could provide some thump off the bench.

Quality starting pitching has been tough for Colorado to find, but in recent years, it's increased its focus on developing hurlers tailored to work in Coors Fields' unfriendly confines. If you ask Steamer, the team has done well enough to churn out three pitchers ready for at least spot-start duty in Jon Gray, Tyler Anderson and Eddie Butler. Gray and Butler rank first and second in Colorado's farm system and have upside to pitch near the top of the rotation. Anderson was a 2011 first-round pick (20th overall) who finally overcame a rash of injuries to piece together a 1.98 ERA in 23 Double-A starts last year. Colorado doesn't have much starting depth near the Majors, so all three should be in the running for rotation duty at some point in 2015 -- assuming they stay healthy.

In the bullpen, Steamer thinks the Rockies have found a keeper in right-hander Jairo Diaz, acquired from the Angels in December for Josh Rutledge. Diaz struck out 85 over 64 2/3 Minor League innings last year with a 3.48 ERA, then tossed 5 2/3 effective innings in the Majors. In projecting Diaz to contribute 0.6 WAR, Steamer is estimating he's ready for setup duties in a big league bullpen.

Biggest impactor: Gray spent all of 2014 in Double-A and should jump to Triple-A to start this year. His stay there could be brief, as Kyle Kendrick doesn't figure to block anybody from a rotation spot for long.

Fantasy special: Gray and Butler are both solid long-term fantasy assets, though Gray gets the edge because he induces more whiffs and has a more durable frame. Coors Field will obviously inflate the ERAs for both but shouldn't preclude either from warranting a spot on your fantasy roster.

 Los Angeles Dodgers

Cot's Baseball Contracts has the Dodgers committed to $265 million in salary for the 2015 season, but they should still receive a notable boost from players living on the Major League minimum. Headlining that list is Joc Pederson. Ranked third in Los Angeles' system, he posted a 1.017 OPS at Triple-A last season while waiting for room to clear in the Dodgers' veteran-laden outfield. Now that Matt Kemp has been traded, there's finally room for Pederson. Expect the 22-year-old to play regularly in center against right-handers, though skipper Don Mattingly may choose to keep the left-handed hitter on the bench against tougher southpaws early on.

Los Angeles has Yasmani Grandal and A.J. Ellis penned in to handle backstop duties this year, but both have discouraging injury histories. L.A. is deep at the position, though, with Steamer high on Austin Barnes and Shawn Zarraga. Barnes -- acquired from Miami in the Dee Gordon trade -- also can play second base, making him one of the game's most uniquely versatile players.

Steamer is not so bullish on top prospect Corey Seager, at least not this season. The 20-year-old played 38 games at Double-A to end 2014 and could return to the level to start this season with an eye on a quick jump to Triple-A if things go well. Either way, Seager should be ready for a callup by September, assuming the Dodgers have space for him and want to start his service-time clock.

Projecting the career of teenager Julio Urias is tough for a system like Steamer, which relies on the game's history to project future performance. Urias is unique, having started last season at Class A Advanced while only 17 years old. Steamer is skeptical, but other systems are more optimistic. Dan Szymborski's ZiPS system, for instance, projects Urias to post a 3.77 ERA and collect 1 WAR over 90 2/3 innings. Now 18, Urias will face the Double-A challenge to start 2015. Los Angeles will keep a tight limit on his workload, probably holding him under 120 innings. If he performs well enough, though, it's not out of the question for Urias to reach the Majors this year and pick up some of those innings out of the Dodgers bullpen.

If Los Angeles does have injuries in the rotation, it's more likely that Joe Wieland, Zach Lee, Chris Reed or Carlos Frias would get the call to fill in. In the bullpen, Pedro Baez should open 2015 in the Majors after a solid debut last season. Behind him, Yimi Garcia is coming off an excellent year at Triple-A. One sleeper for the second half is hard-throwing right-hander Jacob Rhame. The 2013 sixth-rounder posted a 2.00 ERA at Class A last season and Steamer already thinks he'd be passable in Los Angeles' bullpen.

Biggest impactor: Perhaps more than any prospect in this series, Pederson has both the talent and the opportunity to run away with Rookie of the Year honors. His game isn't perfect -- Steamer projects a 25 percent strikeout rate and .225 batting average -- but he can glove it in center, drive the ball out of the park and wreak some havoc on the basepaths.

Fantasy special: Pederson hit 33 homers and stole 30 bases at Triple-A last year, so he's a legitimate 20-20 threat in the Majors. Knock him down a notch below the other 20-20 threats due to the strikeouts, but he already should be considered among the second-tier outfield options behind Mike Trout, Andrew McCutchen, Giancarlo Stanton and Carlos Gomez.

 San Diego Padres

New general manager A.J. Preller reshaped the entire organization with a series of offseason trades, leaving opportunities sparse for unproven Minor Leaguers to earn regular big league jobs. That said, two top prospects -- Austin Hedges and Hunter Renfroe -- have a chance to make their Major League debuts this season. Hedges is one of the Minors' top defensive catchers but hasn't shown much offensively. Renfroe, meanwhile, is one of the top power prospects around, though he's not much of a defender and struck out too often at Double-A last year. Steamer projects a 25 percent strikeout rate, the main reason Renfroe's batting average comes in at just .216.

San Diego could get key contributions off the bench from less heralded prospects like Alex Dickerson, Taylor Lindsey, Cory Spangenberg and Jake Goebbert. Dickerson and Goebbert both profile best at first base but also can play the corner outfield spots. One or both could fit well on a Major League bench, though the team already has a more established first baseman/outfielder on the roster in Tommy Medica. Lindsey and Spangenberg look like decent insurance policies if Jedd Gyorko continues to regress at the keystone. Both are left-handed hitters, so sliding them into a platoon with the right-handed Gyorko is a possibility, if it comes to that.

Triple-A El Paso was not a fun place for Matt Wisler last year. The right-hander logged 116 2/3 innings with the Chihuahuas and posted a 5.01 ERA, more than two runs higher than the ERA he'd posted at any other level -- save for a one-appearance stint in Rookie ball in 2011. Most of the El Paso pitching staff struggled in brand new Southwest University Park, and Wisler was no exception, compiling a 6.24 ERA at home against a 3.98 ERA on the road. The lackluster home numbers haven't disturbed Steamer all that much. The system thinks Wisler could hold his own in the Majors right now, although it's more likely the 22-year-old gets some more work at Triple-A to begin the season.

Casey Kelly also is likely to work into the rotation at some point. The right-hander debuted in 2012 and looked prime to lock down a rotation spot, then missed all of 2013 following Tommy John surgery. The 25-year-old made four Minor League starts in May but missed the rest of the season following a setback. Kelly could compete for a rotation spot in Spring Training, but it's more likely he'll be one of the first players on the shuttle from El Paso to San Diego if there's an injury.

Biggest impactor: San Diego has big league veterans entrenched more or less across the diamond, but it lacks standout infielders and left-handed hitters. Even if it's not at second base, either Lindsey or Spangenberg could work his way into regular at-bats. Neither is guaranteed to provide much, but one or both should get the chance to contribute.

Fantasy special: Wisler profiles best as a mid-rotation pitcher, but he'll be slightly more valuable to fantasy owners since Petco Park is so pitcher-friendly. The right-hander should become a solid fantasy starter when he gets his shot at the Padres rotation.

 San Francisco Giants

The Giants don't have a ton on the way when it comes to offensive prospects, but the players who should graduate this year fit remarkably well with San Francisco's roster.

In almost any other city, fans might be clamoring to get a look at Andrew Susac behind the dish. However, Buster Posey is going nowhere. That said, Posey has averaged only 115 games behind the plate the past three seasons, leaving room for Susac to play a couple times per week as his backup. Susac seems poised to thrive in that role after posting a .792 OPS in 35 big league games last year. He's solid behind the plate, and many young catchers benefit long-term from learning the intricacies of the position in the Majors while in backup roles. The 24-year-old could earn more playing time if he can learn to play first base or a corner outfield spot, but he doesn't have notable experience at any other position and may lack the athleticism for the outfield.

San Francisco graduated one promising middle infielder last year in Joe Panik. This year, Matt Duffy should do the same, albeit with a little less fanfare. Duffy lacks Panik's offensive upside, though the gap isn't that large. Conversely, Duffy is a sharper defender than Panik, capable of manning shortstop but with a skill set that translates best in a utility role. Panik and Brandon Crawford are both left-handed hitters, so the right-handed Duffy could step into a platoon role if either struggles to replicate last season's successes.

Elsewhere, Gary Brown made enough progress last year repeating Triple-A to earn a September promotion. His prospect status has tarnished, but his defense and speed profile well in a fourth or fifth outfielder role. Steamer is skeptical he'll contribute offensively, though.

Steamer thinks the Giants have some solid bullpen candidates who have yet to exceed rookie eligibility, led by Hunter Strickland. Fans are probably familiar with Strickland -- the right-hander logged 8 1/3 postseason innings in San Francisco's World Series run last year, allowing six homers while recording a 7.56 ERA. He struggled keeping the ball in the park at times in the Minors, too, though he was much better for the non-postseason portion of 2014, surrendering only three homers over 45 2/3 innings across three levels. The 26-year-old should post solid strikeout and walk numbers in the Majors this year. His home run rate will determine his overall success. Steamer, at least, is bullish.

Beyond Strickland, Steamer thinks Erik Cordier and Cody Hall are promising bullpen options. Cordier reached the Majors last year, posting a 1.50 ERA over six innings and averaging 99.2 mph on his fastball. Hall, meanwhile, pitched out of the 'pen at Double-A, compiling a 3.14 ERA with more than a strikeout per inning.

A number of the team's top starting pitching prospects also workhed at Double-A last season, including Kyle Crick, Adalberto Mejia, Ty Blach, Clayton Blackburn, Chris Stratton and Derek Law. Steamer doesn't think any of that crew is ready for the Major League rotation, though.

Biggest impactor: Susac and Strickland are both good bets to spend most of the year in the Majors. If Susac can adapt to playing only a couple days a week, expect him to pair with Posey to form one of the best catching tandems in baseball. His offense won't quite match Posey's, but he'll provide way more with the stick than the usual backup backstop.

Fantasy special: Santiago Casilla and Sergio Romo have plenty of closing experience, but Casilla turns 35 this year and Romo has been trending the wrong direction for years. Strickland could be in line for save opportunities this season if one or both of that duo falters. Consider him a solid handcuff for Casilla and a must-watch on the waiver wire.