Diamondbacks' Top Outfield Prospect Introduces Himself in Las Vegas

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder and no. 4 prospect Ryan Waldschmidt might be in the midst of his first-ever big league Spring Training, but D-backs fans might want to learn his name soon.

Arizona selected Waldschmidt with the 31st overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, as part of the Prospect Promotion Incentive program. The pick was awarded to the D-backs as a result of star outfielder Corbin Carroll winning 2023 Rookie of the Year, an incentive to "home-grow" players.

Waldschmidt is (relative to MLB) on the older side of draft picks, as he was drafted out of the University of Kentucky at age 21.

He'd suffered a torn ACL in his sophomore year of college but utilized that downtime to turn himself into a player with elite plate discipline and a selfless, team-centered maturity that GM Mike Hazen and manager Torey Lovullo value so highly within the D-backs' organization.

Waldschmidt was part of the squad that traveled to Las Vegas to play the Athletics on Saturday, while the other half remained in Arizona to face the Cincinnati Reds.

Diamondbacks On SI's Jack Sommers caught up with the young prospect in Las Vegas prior to the game. The outfielder said that the transition from minor league camp to big league camp was a change, but a positive one.

"It's pretty sweet, just getting to travel with these guys and get a feel of how everything runs up here with the big league guys. It's a pretty cool experience, so I'm really excited for [Saturday].

"Everything [in major league camp] is really, really focused. I think the biggest thing is just the importance of focus and being locked in during all the little things," Waldschmidt said.

The outfielder had dealt with a hamstring issue this past season that limited him to just 14 games at Class-A Visalia. He said that he was excited to get back out onto the field after what became such a lengthy offseason. He's now fully healthy, and ready to make an impact this Spring.

"It's been really good, getting back into it again, just getting back on the field. It's really exciting to get out there and play again. You know, you have that long offseason; towards the end, you start itching for baseball again, so it's really nice to be out there and getting to play with the guys again."

Waldschmidt noted that he'd been working on his batting posture, and keeping his body in the right position to play to his biggest strengths: his plate discipline and pitch selection.

"A lot of the [things] that we talk about are just being in a good position posture-wise to get the swing off. Just cleaning up a little bit of the bat path with the posture and getting in good positions to get a swing off, being on time, obviously. But just the biggest thing is really just posture for me right now.

"Plate and strike zone discipline have been my main strengths throughout my career. So, I think sticking with that and just trusting that approach, especially as the pitchers get better. Really being able to hone in on just one pitch and finding your pitch and putting a barrel on it," Waldschmidt said.

But to this point in Spring Training, he'd only seen limited action, and was 0-for-5 with a hit-by-pitch providing his only appearance on the bases thus far.

That changed in the seventh inning on Saturday. Waldschmidt got a sinker in the heart of the zone from Athletics' right-hander Jason Alexander and destroyed the ball, sending it 419 feet nearly dead center into a stiff wind. The ball came off the bat at over 109 MPH.