Diamondbacks Utility Player Opts Out of Contract

According to a report from FanSided's Robert Murray, Arizona Diamondbacks minor league utility man Nicky Lopez has opted out of his deal. He is free to explore free agency.

Arizona Diamondbacks' Nicky Lopez Opts Out of Contract

Lopez, 30, has bounced around with multiple organizations in 2025. He signed on with the Chicago Cubs in the offseason, but was held off their Opening Day roster and chose to opt out of that deal.

He then signed with the Los Angeles Angels, but was designated for assignment after just three games.

After another brief stint with the Cubs, Lopez inked a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks on May 27, joining the Reno Aces in Triple-A.

Despite the intense offensive environment present in the Pacific Coast League, Lopez did not showcase excellent numbers with the Aces. He hit to just a .267/.303/.317 slash, good for a below-average .620 OPS.

In 24 games, he did not record a home run.

Lopez has never been one to hit for much in the power department. Over his seven major league seasons, he's never seen a slugging percentage above .378.

That number came in 2021, when he had his best season as a member of the Kansas City Royals. While he did not hit for power and took very few walks, he hit to a round .300 in 151 games that season while playing excellent defense.

In 2025, he hit to just a .042 average in his 19 major league appearances. He recorded just one hit — a single — in 28 plate appearances.

Lopez is more of a glove-first utilityman than an offensive player. Over his seven-year career, he's been worth +7 Defensive Runs Saved per Baseball-Reference and +48 Fielding Run Value per FanGraphs, playing all four infield positions and even some outfield.

That defense has allowed him to put forward 6.85 average WAR in his career, despite posting well-below-average offensive numbers in every season except 2021.

Lopez likely is seeking a major league opportunity elsewhere. The Diamondbacks do have a young rising utilityman in rookie Tim Tawa, but the major league depth has thinned out somewhat.

Infielder Ildemaro Vargas has a fracture in his foot after being hit by a pitch. Jordan Lawlar is on the minor league injured list with a hamstring injury. Blaze Alexander is on the major league roster, but has not recorded a plate appearance yet in 2025.

The opt-out does not mean Lopez will not make a return to the D-backs' organization, although that seems unlikely at this time. Garrett Hampson had previously opted out of his minor league deal in March, but returned as the Opening Day utility infielder before his eventual May release.

Arizona Diamondbacks Latest News