Jun 15, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Kentucky Wildcats left fielder Ryan Waldschmidt (21) catches a fly-ball for an out against the NC State Wolfpack during the first inning at Charles Schwab Filed Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

New MLB Prospect Rankings Reveal Harsh D-backs Reality

Originally posted on Arizona Diamondbacks on SI
By Alex D'Agostino | Last updated Jan 26, 2026 8:00 AM ET

The Arizona Diamondbacks have, in the past, been a team brimming with prospect talent and depth. But that has begun to dwindle significantly as players have graduated.

Recently, MLB Pipeline rolled out its newest MLB Top 100 prospect rankings list. The Diamondbacks were featured just once on this list, as No. 1 prospect and outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt landed at No. 66 overall.

Waldschmidt is certainly deserving of a nod. But it does highlight the harsh reality that Arizona's prospect depth has taken a step back, at least, at the national level.

Diamondbacks' Ryan Waldschmidt Lands in MLB Pipeline Top 100

These rankings do not necessarily guarantee the D-backs won't see players take a leap this year. There are certainly plenty of relatively new faces in the organization that could rise up the ranks — particularly in the pitching department. It's also possible that many of Arizona's more talented prospects have flown under the radar.

But there is a bit of a drop-off in terms of instant impact. There are few players in the D-backs' system who are ready to contribute as depth at the MLB level right away.

That said, Waldschmidt may very well be one who can. The outfielder has rocketed up the farm system after a brilliant 2025 season. After a brief slump during his leap from High-A to Double-A, Waldschmidt quickly surged to life. He finished his time in Amarillo with a .921 OPS and nine homers in 66 games.

But his real asset is his eye. Waldschmidt hit .309 in Double-A, but also posted a .423 on-base percentage. He worked 45 walks against 53 strikeouts in 300 plate appearances.

That eye has been the outfielder's calling card for some time, and is one of the reasons a 2026 debut in the majors feels so within reach.

"I remember as a little kid, my dad would always get on me about striking out looking sometimes," Waldschmidt told Diamondbacks On SI in an interview last season. "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."