The 24 best players in Arizona Diamondbacks history

Randy Johnson had already firmly established himself as one of the premier pitchers in baseball before he arrived in Phoenix in 1999, but with the Diamondbacks, he took his career to an entirely new level. In 233 outings in the desert, the 'Big Unit' went 118-62 with a dominant 2.83 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. He punched out 2,077 hitters in 1,630.1 innings, fired 38 complete games--including 14 shutouts, pitched a perfect game against the Braves in 2004, and represented the D'backs in five Midsummer Classics. He won three ERA titles in an Arizona uniform and led the league in strikeouts five times, complete games three times, and innings twice. Most unbelievably, Johnson was an astounding four consecutive NL Cy Young awards from 1999-2002, all coming after his 35th birthday. He was the driving force behind the Diamondbacks' World Series victory in 2001, and the organization retired his number 51 in 2015. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame the same year. 

The Diamondbacks selected first baseman Paul Goldschmidt in the 8th round of the 2009 draft coming out of Texas State University, and the fact that he soon became one of the best hitters in baseball is a testament to the club's scouting and player development departments. In 1,092 games with Arizona, Goldschmidt slashed .297/.398/.532 with 209 home runs, 710 RBI, 267 doubles, and 124 stolen bases. He represented the Diamondbacks in six consecutive all-star games from '13-'18, won three Gold Glove Awards, and took home an impressive four Silver Slugger Awards. The Wilmington, DE native led the National League in homers, RBI, and SLG% in just his second full Major League season, and drove in more than 100 runs three times during his time in the desert. Arizona traded its franchise player to St. Louis at the 2018 winter meetings in a deal that in hindsight, looks like an absolute fleece job. 

Right-hander Brandon Webb's career ended far too early thanks to an unfortunate sequence of injuries, but in his prime there was simply no better starting pitcher in the National League. In his seven big league seasons, the University of Kentucky product worked to a 3.27 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP, while striking out 1,065 hitters in 1,319.2 innings. He represented Arizona in three all-star games, led the league in wins and starts twice, and fired 15 complete games--including eight shutouts. Webb was named the NL Cy Young award winner in 2006 and actually finished 2nd in the voting in each of the two years that followed. He gave the Diamondbacks more than 208 innings five straight times from '04-'08, but unfortunately after that a shoulder injury essentially ended his career. 

The Diamondbacks were still in their infancy when they acquired outfielder Luis Gonzalez from Detroit ahead of the 1999 campaign, and they had no idea at the time that he'd soon become the most memorable offensive player in the club's history. In the eight seasons he spent in Phoenix, Gonzalez slashed a tremendous .298/.391/.529 with 224 home runs, 774 RBI, 310 doubles, 27 triples, and 32 stolen bases. He wore a D'backs cap in five all-star games, earned a Silver Slugger, and won the 2001 Home Run Derby. He led the National League with 206 hits, drove in more than 100 runs for Arizona five times, and didn't miss a single game for more than two years. Most notably, though, obviously, is the walk-off hit he delivered against the Yankees' Mariano Rivera to win the 2001 World Series, and for that he'll always be considered a hero in Arizona. The Diamondbacks retired his number 20 in 2010. 

Righty Curt Schilling came to Arizona in a trade with the Phillies midway through the 2000 season, and while he was in Phoenix all that long, he still helped author the most noteworthy chapter of this franchise's existence. In the 108 times Schilling took the mound for the Diamondbacks, he pitched to a solid 3.14 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP in 781.2 innings. He made two all-star teams and led the league in both wins and innings once, but what he really did was give the Diamondbacks the most lethal 1-2 rotation combination in baseball. Along with Paired with Randy Johnson, Schilling helped make Arizona a nightmare for opposing teams in a short series, which is part of the reason the club won the World Series in 2001. That October, Schilling was named the MVP of the Fall Classic after making three excellent starts against the Yankees, going 21.1 innings and allowing only four runs. 

Arizona acquired switch-hitting Ketel Marte from Seattle when he was just 23 years old and still getting hit feet wet in the big leagues, and it's here in Phoenix where he's blossomed into a productive everyday player and made good on all of his minor league prospect hype. During his time with the Diamondbacks Marte has been a plus defender at three different premium positions--shortstop, second base, and center field, and has developed into a dangerous offensive player as well. He's racked up more than 20 doubles in a season six times, led the Majors with 12 triples in 2018, made an all-star team, and finished 4th in the NL MVP voting in '19. Marte was phenomenal in 2023, slashing .276/.358/.485 with 25 homers, 82 RBI, 26 doubles, and nine triples. He was a huge driving force behind the Diamondbacks surge to the National League pennant, and was even named the MVP of the team's NLCS win over Philadelphia. 

Center fielder A.J. Pollock was chosen by the Diamondbacks with the 17th overall pick in the 2009 draft coming out of Notre Dame, and an inability to avoid the injured list was the only thing that prevented him from becoming one of the premier two way outfielders in the sport. In 637 games with Arizona-- spanned over seven years-- Pollock slashed an excellent .281/338/.482 with 247 extra-base hits, 264 RBI, and 103 stolen bases. He made the NL all-star team and won a Gold Glove award in 2015 when he played in a career-high 157 games. Following the 2018 season he signed with the Dodgers as a free agent. 

Polarizing right-hander Zack Greinke spent only three and a half of his 20+ year career in Phoenix, but he still made quite an impact with the Diamondbacks. In 114 starts with the club, Greinke went 55-29 with a 3.40 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in 714.2 innings, while striking out 683 hitters and tossing a pair of complete games. He represented the team in three all-star games, won the Gold Glove in each of his four seasons in the desert, and even captured a Silver Slugger award back when pitchers were allowed to hit. At the trade deadline in 2019 Arizona sent him to Houston to give him a chance to pursue a World Series victory with the Astros. 

Center fielder Steve Finley arrived in Phoenix in 1999 with a well earned reputation as one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball, and while he had been a solid offensive contributor, the thin desert air in Arizona helped him become much more than that. In 849 games in a Diamondbacks uniform, the Union City, TN native slashed .278/.351/.500 with 153 home runs, 479 RBI, 150 doubles, 34 triples, and 70 stolen bases. He belted 34 or more home runs for the D'backs twice, drove in a career high 103 runs in 1999, and earned a ticket to the all-star game in 2000. Finley captured three more Gold Glove awards while with Arizona, and most importantly was the team's starting center fielder when they defeated the Yankees in the 2001 Fall Classic. 

Righty Zac Gallen was picked by the Cardinals in the 3rd round of the 2016 draft, and was involved in a pair of high-profile trades before ever having a chance to really establish himself in the Majors. Gallen first went to Miami as part of a deal that sent Marcell Ozuna to St. Louis, and after seven big league games for the Marlins he was flipped to the desert in exchange for Jazz Chisholm Jr. Luckily for him, the Diamondbacks have no plans to move him anytime soon. In Phoenix Gallen has blossomed into one of the most dependable starters in the National League. His 0.91 WHIP in 2022 was the best among qualified starters, and now, with just over 100 career starts under his belt, he's pitched to an excellent 3.21 lifetime ERA. 

Left-handed swinging David Peralta spent parts of nine seasons with the Diamondbacks, and for much of that time was one of the more underrated outfielders in the National League. In 961 games with the club, Peralta slashed a strong .283/.340/.463 with 110 homers, 468 RBI, 191 doubles, 46 triples, and 33 stolen bases. He contributed more than 25 doubles six times, led the NL in triples twice, and earned a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger. Somewhat stunningly, Peralta was never chosen to represent the Diamondbacks in an all-star game, but he was a fan favorite in Phoenix for a long time, and that's unlikely to change any time soon even with him currently wearing Dodgers blue. 

Pepperdine product Dan Haren made only 87 starts for the Diamondbacks, but it wouldn't be dramatic to say the two-and-a-half seasons he pitched in Phoenix were the best in his career. With Arizona, Haren went 37-26 with a 3.56 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in 586.1 innings. He never missed a single start with the D'Backs, qualified for the NL all-star team in both '08 and '09, and gave Arizona well over 200 innings in each of his two full seasons with the club. With the Diamondbacks out of the race in the summer of 2010 they traded Haren to the Angels in a blockbuster deadline deal. 

Outfielder Chris Young spent the first seven seasons of his career in Arizona with the Diamondbacks, and was quietly one of the more productive offensive players in the National League during that timeframe. In just under 900 games with the D'backs, the Houston, TX native slashed .239/.318/.437 with 132 home runs, 408 RBI, 198 doubles, 17 triples, and 112 stolen bases. He represented Arizona in the 2010 all-star game, doubled more than 24 times in six straight seasons from '07-'12, and was consistently a plus defender in center field. 

The Diamondbacks selected Norfolk, VA native Justin Upton with the first overall pick in the 2005 draft, and before long he became a mainstay in the club's outfield. In six seasons with Arizona, Upton slashed .278/.357/.475 with 108 home runs, 363 RBI, 147 doubles, 28 triples, and 80 stolen bases. He was an all-star in both '09 and '11, won a Silver Slugger, and contributed a pair of 20/20 campaigns. He may never have blossomed into the perennial MVP candidate the D'backs were looking for with the top pick in the draft, but Upton was still a solid regular for a long time, and it would be disingenuous to say the club missed on the pick. 

Venezuelan-born backstop Miguel Montero spent the first nine years of his big league career in Arizona, and for much of that time was one of the more productive offensive catchers in the National League. In 906 games in a Diamondbacks uniform, Montero slashed .264/.342/.421 with 275 extra-base hits and 448 RBI. He was selected to represent the club in a pair of all-star teams, drove in more than 70 runs three times, and contributed more than 20 doubles in five out of six seasons from '09-'14. 

Shortstop Stephen Drew debuted in Phoenix in July of 2006, and arrived with immense pressure and expectations after being selected in the first round by the Diamondbacks two years earlier. Unfortunately for Drew, he was never able to blossom into a legitimate star at the sport's highest level, and because of that was often treated unfairly by fans in the southwest. It's true that Drew was never really considered among the elite players at his position, but that's not to say he wasn't a productive piece. In just shy of 800 games in an Arizona uniform he slashed .266/.328/.436 with 303 extra-base hits, 333 RBI, and 33 steals, and defensively he was never a liability. 

Big right-handed swinging first baseman Christian Walker landed in Arizona in 2017, and while it took him a few years, he eventually blossomed into a highly productive regular for the team at position number three on your scorecard. The Norristown, PA native has never been a high batting average hitter, but he's already got seasons of 29, 33, and 36 home runs under his belt, and in 2023 he drove in a career-high 103 runs. Defensively he's no slouch either as evidenced by the back-to-back Gold Glove awards he's earned. Walker has never qualified for the National League all-star team, which is somewhat of a sin, and solely a reflection of just how many dynamic offensive first basemen play on the senior circuit. 

Notre Dame alum Craig Counsell was not flashy and was not a star, but he spent more than a decade and a half in the big leagues as a versatile, gritty, player that could do a lot of different things to help his team. Six of his sixteen Major League seasons were spent in Arizona, where the scrappy infielder became a fan favorite for his ability to be a consistent nuisance for the opposition. In the 664 games he took the field in a Diamondbacks uniform, Counsell slashed .266/.348/.357 with 146 extra-base hits, 193 RBI, and 68 stolen bases. He was never better than in October of 2001, when he was named the MVP of the NLCS on his way to helping Arizona win the franchise's first World Series championship. 

Right-hander Merrill Kelly's entire big-league career to date has been spent with the Diamondbacks, and for five years running he's given Arizona a reliable and durable middle-of-the-rotation starter. The Houston, TX native has yet to qualify for an all-star game during his career--though that probably should have changed in 2023--but he's consistently among the league leaders in starts, and his 3.80 lifetime ERA is certainly serviceable. 

Slick fielding shortstop Nick Ahmed has been patrolling the left side of the infield in Phoenix since 2014, and while offensively, he's never been more than a peripheral contributor, very few infielders in baseball are as naturally gifted with the glove. The East Longmeadow, MA native already has two career Gold Gloves awards under his belt, and while his lifetime .235 batting average obviously leaves something to be desired, he has given the Diamondbacks three seasons with 30 or more doubles. 

Right-hander Miguel Batista was a bit of a journeyman, pitching for 11 different teams during his 18-year Major League career, but it's safe to say his most successful seasons came in an Arizona Diamondbacks uniform. In 154 outings (109 starts) for the Snakes, Batista worked to a 3.99 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP across 723.2 frames. He tossed more than 180 innings for Arizona three times, earned 40 victories with the club, and was a valuable member of the D'backs pitching staff when they won the World Series in 2001. 

Long before Patrick Corbin became a postseason hero in Washington D.C., the Clay, NY native was a young southpaw learning to navigate life in the Major Leagues on the other side of the country. Corbin debuted for the Diamondbacks as a 22-year-old rookie in 2012, and while he experienced some ups and downs early, eventually he blossomed into the ace of Arizona's staff. In 172 appearances for the club (154 of which were starts), Corbin earned 56 victories and pitched to a 3.91 ERA. He posted a respectable 1.28 WHIP in 945.2 innings, punched out 897 hitters, tossed more than 200 innings in three different seasons, and represented Arizona in the 2018 all-star game. Following the '18 campaign he signed a monstrous free-agent contract with the Nationals, whom he still pitches for today. 

Affable outfielder Gerardo Parra spent the first five and a half seasons of his career in Phoenix, and was consistently a productive role player for the Diamondbacks. In 787 games with the club, he slashed .274/.326/.395 with 212 extra-base hits, 250 RBI, and 51 stolen bases. Parra was never named to a National League all-star team, but he did capture two Gold Glove awards during his time in the desert, and at the trade deadline in 2014 netted the D'backs right-handed swinging Mitch Haniger in a trade with Milwaukee. 

Switch-hitting second baseman Orlando Hudson only played in Arizona for three seasons, but the Darlington, SC native still found a way to make quite an impression. In the 403 games he played with the Diamondbacks, the 'O-Dog', slashed a fantastic .294/.365/.448 with 33 homers, 171 RBI, 91 doubles, 21 triples, and 23 stolen bases. He was named to the National League all-star team in 2007, won two Gold Glove awards while with the Diamondbacks, and racked up more than 40 extra-base hits in all three of his seasons with the team.