Demetrio Crisantes: Arizona’s rising star on the verge of history

Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Demetrio Crisantes has steadily become one of the most exciting young players in the organization. Drafted in the 7th round of the 2022 draft out of Nogales High School in Tucson, Arizona, the 20-year-old is on the verge of making history in the minor leagues.

Beginning 2024 in the Arizona Complex League (ACL), the infielder posted an impressive .355/.431/.521 slash line, earning him a quick promotion to Low-A Visalia. His numbers at Single-A improved even further, finishing with a .358/.455/.514 line and five home runs in 45 games for the Rawhide.

Since the beginning of June, Crisantes has reached base in 57 straight games, bringing him close to passing Mookie Betts‘ 66-game on-base streak, set in 2013 and 2014, which ultimately led to his debut with the Red Sox. The all-time MiLB record is held by Kevin Youkilis at 71 games, according to Baseball America.

Beyond his standard stats, Crisantes’ advanced metrics reveal why scouts and analysts are buzzing about his future. In the ACL, Crisantes posted one of the lowest groundball-to-flyball ratios while maintaining an elite ability to avoid swings and misses, according to Paul Beckman at Diamond Digest.

Perhaps what resonates most with Arizona fans is Crisantes’ deep connection to his home state. Growing up near the Mexico border, Crisantes used to visit Chase Field as a fan. Now, as a player in the Diamondbacks organization, he dreams of one day taking the field for the team he grew up watching.