Diamondbacks Top Minor League Hitting Prospects Shine

The Arizona Diamondbacks received some excellent hitting performances from several of their top hitting prospects on Thursday. We feature an under-the-radar prospect you should know as well.

Ryan Waldschmidt Stays Hot

Ryan Waldschmidt has been featured frequently of late, and for good reason. He has been scorching hot in August, and that continued in the Amarillo Sod Poodles 10-1 victory over the San Antonio Missions.

Waldschmidt went 4-for-5 with a double and three runs scored. Over his last 16 games, 76 PA he's batting .424 with a 1.332 OPS , including five homers, 20 runs scored and 14 RBI. He's also walked 15 times while striking out just 8.

Waldschmidt is now ranked seventh in the Texas League with a 141 wRC+ among hitters with at least 200 PA in the league. wRC+ is a metric that takes all offensive output into account, with the scale set to 100 as league average. 141 represents about 41% greater than league average.

LuJames Groover Displays Bat Control and Discipline

LuJames Groover reached base in each of his five plate appearances with a four singles and a walk. He scored twice and drove in a run. Groover is batting .329 over his last 20 games, and has walked 14 times while striking out a microscopic six times in 91 PA.

For the full season Groover is batting .301/.384/.422, good for a 115 wRC+. He's yet to homer in August, but has 10 on the season.

Groover has held his own playing exclusively at third base all season. While he is behind Jordan Lawlar and Blaze Alexander on the depth chart at the position, he is a very solid player on track to make the majors sometime in 2026 or early 2027 at the latest.

Ben McLaughlin is an Under-the-Radar Player You Should Know

Ben McLaughlin was a ninth-round draft pick out of the University of Arkansas in 2024. He had a three-hit game, including a three-run homer in the ninth inning.

He was hitting a solid, if unspectacular .250/.378/.395 with five homers for the Hillsboro Hops, good for a 118 wRC+ in the pitcher-friendly park and league up in the northwest.

That earned him a promotion August 3, and he's gotten off to a hot start at the higher level. In 11 games he's gone 15 for 42, .357 with four homers and 15 RBI.

McLaughlin stands 6'3" tall and weighs 210 pounds. Remarkably, the big lefty has not made an error yet this year at first base in 775 innings. Already 23 years old, don't be surprised if he's a fast mover up the system if he continues to hit anything close to his current pace.

Kayson Cunningham Bounces Back with Three-Hit Game

The Diamondbacks' No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft, shortstop Kayson Cunningham, had a three-hit game, including a two-run single up the middle in a four run ninth inning for the Visalia Rawhide.

Cunningham is now 4-for-10 in two games, and will look to display his hit tool over the remaining few weeks of the minor league schedule