Meet Ryan Waldschmidt: The Diamondbacks' Left Fielder of the Future

The Arizona Diamondbacks' organization has developed a distinct pedigree of outfield success in recent years — the most obvious such example being star outfielder Corbin Carroll and his explosive rise.

So it's only fitting that, with the Prospect Promotion Incentive Draft pick awarded to Arizona for Carroll's 2023 Rookie of the Year season, the D-backs zeroed in on another high-ceiling outfielder.

I had the privilege to talk one-on-one with Diamondbacks' No. 3 prospect Ryan Waldschmidt. Waldschmidt is currently experiencing his first full season's worth of games after being drafted 31st overall in 2024, to a high level of success thus far.

Due to his level, Waldschmidt might not be the highest on many D-backs fans' radars. But his maturity, intelligence and disciplined approach make him stand out in a farm system filled with talent. He's undoubtedly a name fans will want to learn, if they haven't already.

College to High-A

Waldschmidt only played 14 games with Low-A Visalia in 2024 due to a hamstring issue. Despite that, he began 2025 in High-A, and is raking to the tune of a .945 OPS with the Hillsboro Hops.

At 22 years old, it's not as if Waldschmidt is "old" for his level. But with so many prospects taken out of high school, the outfielder's SEC college baseball experience at Kentucky clearly helped refine him into one of the more mature young players in the system.

"I think college is just kind of a good experience on where you learn a lot," Waldschmidt reflected.

"A lot of time coming out of high school, it's all about the development and developing as a player. ... The biggest difference for me and what I learned in college was all mental. It was a mental game.

"The biggest skill that I learned in college was just being mentally tough, and just being able to withstand the highs and the lows," Waldschmidt said.

Perspective Through Injury

Waldschmidt has certainly experienced his fair share of aforementioned lows. He suffered a pair of freak injuries in high school and college — the latter of which was an ACL tear that required an eight-month recovery.

But he put that downtime to work. He spent his time taking mental and visual reps while assuming TrackMan duties, developing his eye and plate discipline to an impressive level. But Waldschmidt said the injuries taught him more than simply baseball skills.

"When I was a younger kid through high school, even early in college it was always you did everything in baseball for results. ... everything you want to do is to be successful. And the definition of success was always getting a hit, or going 2-for-3. It was always numbers.

"I think going through that injury really opened my eyes to a different perspective of just enjoying the game itself and just having fun with baseball. ... So for me it was just being grateful to be out there playing and losing that burden of just being successful all the time and just being loose and having fun," Waldschmidt said.

That looseness and gratitude goes a long way in putting a difficult game into proper perspective. That perspective then translates into a better approach at the plate. Waldschmidt said he tries not to focus too much on each individual result.

"If you strike out your first at-bat, you have three more. You can't harp on that one. ... And when I looked at it that way, it really helped me as a baseball player when we talked about being able to move on to the next day, being able to move on to the next at-bat.

"So when you just go out there and you have a good time, that really is when you play your best and you play loose and you play aggressive. And that's the style of game I think I like to play," he said.

Plate Discipline

Taking the game one at-bat at a time or one pitch at a time isn't some grand revelation. But Waldschmidt's commitment to that mentality is very on-brand for his mature playstyle. The outfielder boasts an elite eye and excellent plate discipline.

In 34 High-A games this year — 154 plate appearances — Waldschmidt has walked 34 times. He's struck out 32. His .468 on-base percentage is nearly 200 points higher than his .279 average and translates to a 22.1% walk rate.

Waldschmidt gave an intriguing peek into that aspect of his game. Though it was one of the core aspects of his development in college, his eye has been a strength since he was young.

"I remember as a little kid, my dad would always get on me about striking out looking sometimes," he said. "I'm like, 'Dad, that's a ball. Like, it's not a strike. I know he called it a strike, but that's not in the zone, I guarantee you.'

"And as I got older and as time progressed, I just stuck with that belief. I knew the strike zone and I wouldn't swing at those pitches and I never gave in. ... And now in the minor leagues and professional baseball, the umpires get better. That strike zone that I've always believed in is the real strike zone. So those pitches that I've taken my entire life are now balls."

He emphasized the importance of knowing his own strengths. When Waldschmidt sticks to those strengths and his plan at the plate, it makes it much easier to lay off and force opposing pitchers to offer him a mistake.

"Everyone wants to hit the ball, everyone wants to swing, but to be able to take your walks, getting on base helps the team win," Waldschmidt said.

Organizational Player

Taking walks and getting on base by any means necessary is a familiar moniker for the Diamondbacks' brand of chaos ball. In speaking to Waldschmidt about his offensive mindset, it became evident why general manger Mike Hazen pulled the trigger on the selection.

"That's my goal, to try and get on base every time, however, that might be: error, hit, walk, whatever it is, find a way to get on base, find a way to score a run. ... just that ability to take what they're giving me and just be ready for their mistakes," he said.

Waldschmidt cited some of the Diamondbacks' current big-leaguers as well. He said he connected with outfielder Alek Thomas while Thomas was rehabbing in the Arizona Complex League for continuation camp.

He also pointed to first baseman Josh Naylor. Naylor's blend of contact hitting, plate discipline and punishing mistakes provided an example for the young outfielder to take back to the minors from MLB Spring Training.

The big-league mentality is one that can take years to develop. Baseball is a difficult game across the board, but Waldschmidt has been able to glean an important concept from being around Arizona's MLB club.

"I think a lot of the talk about just having fun with the game and being loose and relaxed and just playing and having a good time, I think that's a big thing that kind of shines through the big leaguers. Nothing really ever phases them too much," he said.

"You go 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, and they're the same guy the next day, which I think that comes with time. Through my injuries and through my career so far, I think I've gotten that feeling a little bit earlier possibly."

Personal Goal

Undoubtedly, Waldschmidt is a bright young man and a player with a serious toolkit. He has a high ceiling ahead of him, despite being in just his second level of the minor leagues.

But when I asked him what his one goal for the 2025 was, the outfielder didn't cite a statistic. He didn't mention an intangible facet of player development, or anything related to his personal growth. His answer was simple, yet surprising.

"I'd like to win the championship in some form," Waldschmidt said, without an ounce of hesitation.

"You play this game of baseball to win. However fashion I can help the team win baseball games is my goal. ... It's all about winning, and that's the thing I want to do best.

"I think that as long as I keep my eyes on that goal, then that's what's really going to make me successful, and it's what's going to make people around me successful," said Waldschmidt. "As long as you're focused on just winning and doing what you can to help out the team and just everyone around you, then it makes you better."

Waldschmidt might still be a decent distance from reaching the majors, but he's anything but mentally young.

His perseverance through multiple injuries, and a mature, resilient approach at the plate have allowed those tangible statistics to manifest right away. It's easy to see why he stood out to Arizona's scouting department and front office.

The Diamondbacks have another deadeye waiting in their farm system, and the young outfielder will only see improvement. It's time to the learn the name Ryan Waldschmidt.

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