A.J.

Vukovich

The most interesting name among this batch of cuts for the Diamondbacks is Ryan Waldschmidt. He had started to gain some steam in fantasy circles as a sleeper candidate, but he was always facing an uphill battle at earning a spot on the Diamondbacks’ Opening Day roster. The 23-year-old hit .240 (6-for-25) with one homer, five RBI and one stolen base during Cactus League play. He should get an opportunity with the Snakes at some point in 2026.

James McCann and Ildemaro Vargas set the stage with singles off of Castillo to open the second inning. After Ryan Waldschmidt struck out, Vuckovich worked the count full against Castillo and clobbered a sinker (104.2 mph EV) for a three-run blast that proved to be the difference in the ballgame. That would be his only hit in three at-bats on the day. He’s not going to crack the Opening Day roster regardless of what happens in the spring, but with a strong showing he could position himself well for a promotion at some point during the season.

Vukovich came into the game on a 1-for-17 slump. Slump over. The 6-foot-5 infielder has his third homer of the season, and improves his slash with the Hops to .289/.324/.406. A fourth-round pick out of a Wisconsin high school, Vukovich has impressive raw power, but has made strides with the hit tool in his time in the Arizona system. Despite his size he’s a solid-average runner, as well, and he could be a contributor in the stolen base category at the highest level, at least comparatively to other third baseman. There’s work to be done, but Vukovich has seen his stock improve each year, and could be a regular for the D-Backs at this point in 2024.