Arizona made two significant roster moves on May 8, one of which saw the D-Backs promote, arguably, the best prospect in the system. Ryan Waldschmidt, one of the team’s first-round picks two years ago, will join the Diamondbacks’ outfield.
A Look at Waldschimdt
The Diamondbacks took Ryan Waldschmidt nearly two years ago in the 2024 MLB Draft after what was a very strong junior season with the Kentucky Wildcats.
After a nine-home run campaign with Charleston Southern in 2022, Waldschmidt transferred to Kentucky, a challenging environment not just because of the SEC but also because of an extreme pitcher-friendly ballpark in Lexington. Still, neither was a problem for Waldschmidt, who hit 14 home runs and stole 25 bases with the Wildcats in 2024.
Waldschmidt spent 14 games in Low-A Visalia to cap off the 2024 campaign. Then, the outfielder rolled through High-A and Low-A during the 2025 campaign, as Waldschmidt slashed .289/.419/.473 with 18 home runs and 49 extra-base hits, plus 29 stolen bases.
This past April was a very strong one for Waldschmidt, who slashed .313/.404/.500 with three home runs and 10 extra-base hits, plus five stolen bases. Additionally, a 26% Whiff% and a respectable 8.6% Barrel% with Reno.
Waldschmidt popped down in the Minors, to say the least. Athletic player with a smooth, athletic swing at the dish. And his tools go beyond that.
The 23-year-old was able to cover the fastball consistently. A 12.5% Whiff% on four-seamers, and an even lower one (6.7%), unsurprisingly, on two-seamers. As one would expect, the swing-and-miss rates ticked up more on offspeed and breaking balls. Still, he posted a sub-40% Whiff% on both sliders and sweepers.
And overall, Waldschmidt covered the inside — and mostly all of the strike zone — well enough.
He posted one of the 20 best Chase% in Triple-A among hitters who saw at least 85 pitches out of the strike zone in April. No, it wasn’t as good as Sam Antonacci, who had the best Chase% (10.8%) in the circuit before his promotion to Chicago. But it was good for the 95th percentile in the circuit.
It follows what’s been a repeated pattern for Waldschmidt. While he didn’t take a lot of pitches in terms of P/PA, he had one of the 20 best take rates in the Texas League a year ago. It takes a lot for him to expand.
Defensively, Waldschmidt played all three outfield positions in the Minors. But so far this season, all but two of his starts in the field came in center field.
The Diamondbacks officially selected Ryan Waldschmidt on the 8th, and added him to the 40-man and active rosters.
Analysis
Waldschmidt’s promotion was going to come at some point this season, at least it felt that way heading into 2026. The 23-year-old had a disciplined approach, one that benefited him very well, and Waldschmidt posted strong numbers at every single level he played at professionally.
The move to promote Waldschmidt came in conjunction with the move to DFA Alek Thomas, who, like Waldschmidt, was once a top prospect in the D-Backs system several years earlier. Thomas’ bat never fully developed, despite signs of promise in 2023 and other tools that made him valuable.
But now, Waldschmidt is poised to fill out an outfield that presently includes Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Corbin Carroll, with Jordan Lawlar also likely in the mix once he returns from the IL.
It’s pretty clear why the move was made. Waldschmidt has more offensive upside than Thomas. The former UK star has five-tool potential all around, making him not just an asset now but also for the future.
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