Kentucky Wildcats pitcher Sean Harney (34) pitches during the SEC baseball tournament at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Ala., on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. Kentucky Wildcats defeated Auburn Tigers 3-1. Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

Diamondbacks Take Right-hander From Cardinals

Originally posted on Arizona Diamondbacks on SI
By Alex D'Agostino | Last updated Dec 10, 2025 3:45 PM ET

The Arizona Diamondbacks made three selections in the Triple-A phase of the 2025 Rule 5 Draft this year.

Due to not owning an available 40-man roster spot, they did not make any selections during the major league portion of the Draft.

Arizona's second selection of the day was right-hander Sean Harney, a Double-A arm from the St. Louis Cardinals' organization. They took righty reliever Antonio Menendez from the Tampa Bay Rays with their previous selection.

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Arizona Diamondbacks Take Sean Harney from Cardinals

Harney was taken out of the University of Kentucky in the eighth round of the 2022 MLB Draft — ironically by the Rays. He had enjoyed two very solid years with the Wildcats, primarily serving as a closer, but eventually making some starts at the college level.

That trend has continued into his pro career, as he's served in both leverage relief and as a starting pitcher through the years.

Harney then spent three seasons in Tampa Bay's organization, getting as far as Double-A in 2024. He was then traded to the Mets and eventually flipped to the Cardinals in the offseason ahead of 2025.

The righty has thrown to a 3.97 ERA in his four-year minor league career. He posted a 4.24 figure with the Double-A Springfield Cardinals. It's worth noting that the Texas League (which Springfield resides in) is a slightly hitter-friendly environment.

Harney is not an exceptional strikeout arm, with just 31 strikeouts in 34 innings in 2025. He also issued 20 walks — a problem that was not as much of an issue in the 2023 and 2024 seasons. With that said, Harney only surrendered two homers in the entirety of his 34 innings — a pace of 0.53 homers per nine innings.

Harney likely won't carry significant impact on the D-backs' roster, as their pitching needs are most severe at the major league level. The Rule 5 Draft does occasionally contain plenty of hidden gems, but the minor league portion serves more to help organizations add depth to their farm systems.

The D-backs will have to turn their sights back towards major league acquisitions sooner than later if they hope to find a way to contend again in the 2026 season. It's certainly not going to be easy for Mike Hazen and co. to fill every need.