I was checking out the draft prospects the other day, and this guy Tommy Troy caught my eye. He was the 12th pick in the 2023 draft, playing for the Diamondbacks. I decided to follow him through and see what he could do.
I started by watching some of his games at Stanford. He was their starting third baseman, and I saw that he had a foot injury back in March. It seemed like a pretty bad injury, but he kept playing through it. That’s some real toughness right there, and it definitely impressed me.
After he signed with Arizona, I followed his progress in the Arizona Fall League. He started off really slow, only getting 1 hit in his first 25 at-bats across six games. I was thinking, “Oh boy, is this guy going to be a bust?” But then, I remembered something important: even the best players go through slumps. It’s part of the game, and how they handle those slumps really shows what they’re made of.
Started to Follow His Data
So, I started digging into his stats. I saw that when he was with High-A, he hit .227 with an OPS of .666. He also had 13 doubles, a triple, and five home runs. Not amazing, but not terrible either. He walked 30 times, which showed he had a decent eye at the plate. I mean, 30 times, that’s not too bad. Then I learned that he had faced a lot of tough pitchers, like 48 of them. That’s a lot of heat for a young player.
What really got me interested was how he dealt with this slump. I read that he had gone through something similar before, and he talked about trusting the process and sticking with his approach. I thought, “Okay, this guy has the right mindset.” It’s easy to get down on yourself when you’re struggling, but he seemed to have the mental toughness to stay focused.
Watched Him Turn Things Around
Then, I started watching his games again, and I saw a change. He started hitting the ball better, making more solid contact. He looked more confident at the plate. It was like he had flipped a switch. I was really happy to see him turn things around. I even saw some highlights of him making some great plays on defense. He’s got some serious skills as a hitter and a defender, I tell you.
- First Game: Started slow, not many hits.
- Kept Playing: Showed improvement, more hits.
- Stayed Positive: Didn’t get down, kept working.
In the end, seeing Tommy Troy go through that slump and come out stronger on the other side was pretty inspiring. It reminded me that even when things get tough, you have to keep believing in yourself and keep working hard. I’m definitely going to keep an eye on this guy. He’s got the potential to be a real star, and I’m excited to see what he does in the future.
