Diamondbacks Make Massive 15-player Roster Move

The Arizona Diamondbacks continue to pare down their roster as spring training progresses. On Sunday, the D-backs made a 15-player roster move, optioning five players to Triple-A Reno and assigning 10 to minor league camp.

Among those sent to minor league camp was No. 1 prospect and outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt, who has stood out on both sides of the plate for Arizona in the Cactus League.

All players who have been optioned or sent to minor league camp are still eligible to appear in Cactus League games. Arizona's major league camp is down to 47 total players.

The full roster move is as follows:

Arizona Diamondbacks Make 15-Player Roster Move

Optioned to Triple-A Reno:

• LHP Mitch Bratt
• RHP Juan Burgos
• LHP Kohl Drake
• RHP Grant Holman

• INF Jose Fernandez

Fernandez has come on strong this spring, crushing his third home run of spring training in Saturday's loss to the San Francisco Giants at Salt River Fields. Fernandez is hitting .280/.308/.840 over 26 plate appearances.

"He's been coming on strong from the first month of last season," manager Torey Lovullo said of Fernandez. "His minor league coaches have been talking about the improvements, the overall body strength and his ability to just duplicate good swings."

Lefties Kohl Drake and Mitch Bratt — two returns from the Merrill Kelly trade — have struggled. Drake has pitched to a 10.50 ERA in his first three appearances, while Bratt has allowed six runs in six innings.

Reassigned to minor league camp:

• RHP Gerardo Carrillo
• RHP Hayden Durke
• RHP Junior Fernandez
• LHP Spencer Giesting
• RHP Taylor Rashi

• INF LuJames Groover
• INF Cristofer Torin
• INF Tommy Troy

• OF A.J. Vukovich
• OF Ryan Waldschmidt

Waldschmidt may be the most disappointing name for D-backs fans to see on this list, as the No. 1 prospect and exciting outfielder had garnered plenty of attention thus far in the Cactus League, with a possibility — however improbable — of cracking the major league roster.

While Waldschmidt did collect four extra-base hits this spring (including a homer), was hitting the ball extremely hard, and was playing solid defense, he also displayed more swing-and-miss than usual.

Waldschmidt's 34.6% strikeout percentage was an uncharacteristic number for a player who walked nearly as many times as he struck out in the minor leagues. He has yet to play an inning at the Triple-A level, and it would not be a surprise if the D-backs wanted to see him get some more development time before being called up in 2026.