Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll has battled COVID and overcome shoulder surgery to be named the USA TODAY Sports' Minor League Player of the Year award, writes BNightengale
in the final days of August after tearing up Class AA Amarillo and Triple-A Reno.
“Obviously, there were a lot of great performances this year, a lot of great players, even in our organization. But without all of the great resources I have, no matter how hard I worked, I don’t think I would be in the same position.’’ You see, by assuring that Carroll is still rookie-eligible in 2023, they can put him on their opening-day roster, and if he wins the Rookie of the Year award, they will receive an extra draft pick in 2024.
This is a guy who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery after his shoulder rotated awkwardly after homering early in 2021. He could have gone home, rehabbed his shoulder and returned in 2022. Instead, he stuck around, and went to every single D-backs’ home game, sitting in the scouts section with quality control coach Jeff Gardner, picking his brain.
“If you don’t take that seriously, there is a chance you don’t come back at the level you want. My approach was not to come back the same player, but to come back better.’’ “That stretch of two days was one of those times everything came natural,’’ Carroll says. “I felt like I was totally in flow, going out there and not having to think, just going out and playing baseball. That’s the way I like to play. I was fully being encompassed in that.’’
The routine includes living again with his parents and 17-year-old sister during the offseason. He may be making the pro-rated $700,000 minimum salary this year, but there are no plans to buy a home, or even rent an apartment.