Patrick Corbin was never considered an elite prospect and had a decent but unspectacular rookie season for the Diamondbacks last year, throwing 107 innings with a 4.54 ERA and 86/25 K/BB ratio. He had to compete for the fifth starter job this spring and now ... well, it’s safe to say his rotation spot is secure.
Corbin tossed a complete game against the Rockies last night, allowing just one run on three hits at Coors Field, and the 2009 second-round pick is now 7-0 with a 1.44 ERA overall this season.
His secondary numbers aren’t a whole lot different than last season, with nearly identical strikeout and walk rates, but he’s allowed just two homers in 62.1 innings after serving up 14 in 107 innings last year. He’s also been extremely fortunate in terms of batting average on balls in play and men left on base and all the usual stuff that says he’ll come back down to earth soon enough.
But for now ... wow. Corbin has thrown at least six innings in all nine starts and has yet to allow more than two runs. He finished April with a 1.91 ERA and it’s gone down in each of his four starts this month, which is pretty damn hard to do. Not bad for a guy who was considered the “other” prospect in the Diamondbacks’ haul from the Angels for Dan Haren.