The Texas Rangers selected Thomas Diamond with their first round pick (10th overall) in the 2004 draft. The one-time top prospect in the Rangers organization has been slowed by injuries, including Tommy John surgery in the spring of 2007. Diamond dealt with a bone spur in his ankle when he got back on the mound in 2008 that ended that season early as well.
The Rangers DFA’d Diamond last September, the Cubs picked him up and added him to their 40-man roster. Diamond was removed from the Major League roster later in the fall and signed a minor league contract with Cubs over the winter. Diamond was in big league camp last spring … and has pitched rather well for Ryne Sandberg in Triple-A this season.
Thomas Diamond was named to the PCL All-Star team and started the game last week. Diamond pitched two scoreless innings in the Triple-A All-Star game and appears to be healthy for the first time in several seasons. Thomas Diamond is a bit old to retain “prospect status”. At 27 years old, he has yet to make it to the majors due to injuries. Diamond was considered a huge piece of the future of the Texas Rangers, a part of the “DVD Trio” of John Danks and Edinson Volquez. He shows strong potential to be a future back of the rotation starter, or a solid reliever.
Diamond has been fragile to this point of his pro career, but has stayed healthy since the Cubs picked him up. Diamond is a hard-nosed pitcher with an intimidating mound presence, and still draws comparisons to Roger Clemens. Diamond features a fastball in the mid-90s, a plus change-up and a solid slider.
Thomas Diamond is having a very good season at Iowa … posting a 5-3 record and a 2.86 ERA with a team leading 92 strikeouts and 36 walks in 94.1 innings of work.
The former top draft pick could make his major league debut at some point this year.
Full Name: Thomas Nicklaus Diamond
Age: 27 (April 6,1983)
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 240
Position: Pitcher
Bats/Throws: R/R
Baseball America ranked Thomas Diamond in the top 100 prospects in the game prior to the 2005 and 2006 seasons. Diamond was listed as high as number 52 (2005) but dropped to number 72 in 2006.
Thomas Diamond’s Page on Baseball-Reference.com
CCO Prospect Profiles