Diamondbacks Call Up Jorge Barrosa, Make Roster Move Official

The Arizona Diamondbacks are calling up switch-hitting outfielder Jorge Barrosa, the team announced Tuesday. The move comes as a corresponding move, as struggling outfielder Jake McCarthy has been optioned to Triple-A Reno.

McCarthy had been in the midst of a rough early-season stretch, going just 3-for-41 to open the year (a .073 batting average). He'll head down to Triple-A to work on his swing as he's previously done, as Alek Thomas will likely take over primary center field duties.

The 24-year-old Barrosa will now get his second taste of the major leagues. In 2023, an injury to Alek Thomas afforded him his first cup of coffee in the bigs, but he hit just .176 with just three base hits in 18 plate appearances.

Barrosa was then sent back to Reno, where he ended up battling injuries of his own for the remainder of 2024.

In 2025, he showed out in Spring Training with a .320/.433/.480 slash over 30 plate appearances. He began the season in Reno, where he posted an .857 OPS with three homers.

There's not a great deal of power in Barrosa's bat, as he measures in at a mere 5-foot-6, 165 pounds. But his plus speed and ability to hit from both sides of plate award him opportunities to rack up base hits as a contact hitter, and even stretch singles into extra-base hits. He very rarely strikes out, with a solid eye for balls and strikes and a good approach at the plate.

He plays solid center field defense with excellent range, and will be a useful defensive replacement, in addition to providing a quality at-bat even when the results don't jump off the stat sheet.

For now, it seems likely that he'll play a minority of games, with Thomas' increased role, but Barrosa could find a way to carve out more playing time for himself if he can harness his contact-hitting ability at the major league level.

The Diamondbacks would ultimately like to see McCarthy find his swing again, and return to his excellent 2024 form. But for now, they'll hand an opportunity to one of their rising young players and a long-time member of the organization in Barrosa.

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