Professional Career
Scouts from every MLB team evaluated Corbin prior to the 2009 MLB Draft, including Tom Kotchman of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, a personal friend of Chipola's head coach. With Kotchman's recommendation, the Angels drafted Corbin in the second round of the draft, with the 80th overall selection. He was the first junior college player selected in the draft. Corbin signed with the Angels, receiving a $450,000 signing bonus, foregoing his commitment to Southern Miss. Corbin pitched for the Orem Owlz of the Rookie-level Pioneer League in 2009, where Kotchman served as his manager. Corbin struggled in his first professional experience. In his first six appearances, five of them starts, he allowed 23 hits and 12 earned runs in 17 1⁄3 innings, giving him a 6.23 ERA. Corbin later related that he attempted to strike out too many batters while pitching for Orem.
Baseball America ranked Corbin the Angels' 12th best prospect prior to the 2010 season, projecting him as a mid-rotation starting pitcher. Corbin altered his approach, as he sought to pitch to contact. He began the 2010 season with the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Class A Midwest League and was later promoted to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the Class A-Advanced California League. For Cedar Rapids, Corbin had an 8–0 record and 3.86 ERA, allowing 25 earned runs in 58 1⁄3 innings in nine starts. He struck out 70 batters while allowing 78 hits and 20 walks. With Rancho Cucamonga, Corbin had a 5–3 record and 3.88 ERA, allowing 26 earned runs in 60 1⁄3 innings in 11 starts. Combined, Corbin had a 3.87 ERA, 106 strikeouts, and 28 walks in 118 2⁄3 innings pitched with Cedar Rapids and Rancho Cucamonga.
At the trade deadline, Corbin was traded to the Diamondbacks with Joe Saunders, Rafael Rodríguez and Tyler Skaggs for Dan Haren. The Diamondbacks assigned Corbin to the Visalia Rawhide of the California League. In 2011, while pitching for the Mobile Bay Bears of the Class AA Southern League, he set a franchise record with 27 1⁄3 consecutive scoreless innings. He finished the season with a 9–8 win-loss record and 142 strikeouts in 160 1⁄3 innings pitched. His strikeout total led the Southern League, and Mobile won the league championship.
The Diamondbacks invited Corbin to spring training in 2012, where he pitched to a 0.57 earned run average. Corbin began the 2012 season with Mobile, pitching to a 2–0 record and 1.67 ERA in four starts. On April 30, 2012, he was called up by the Diamondbacks to start in place of Josh Collmenter, who was moved to the bullpen. Joe Martinez was optioned to the Reno Aces of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League to make room for Corbin on the roster. Corbin allowed three runs in 5 2⁄3 innings in his MLB debut against the Miami Marlins, picking up the win. Corbin also had two sacrifice bunts and scored a run in the victory.
Corbin made the Diamondbacks' Opening Day roster out of spring training in 2013, pitching in the starting rotation. He began the season with a 7-0 win-loss record and a 1.44 ERA in his first nine starts.
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