Kohl

Drake

Drake didn’t pitch in his three days with the Diamondbacks, so he’s still looking to make his major league debut.

Drake is one of the better pitching prospects in Arizona’s system and will get his first shot in the majors after posting an inflated 7.83 ERA, 1.76 WHIP and 48/26 K/BB ratio across 54 innings for Triple-A Reno this season. The 25-year-old southpaw has operated as a traditional starter throughout his development, but is likely to pitch in relief as he acclimates to the big leagues. He came over with top pitching prospect David Hagaman from the Rangers in the Merrill Kelly trade last July.

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.

Drake allowed five hits, struck out two and didn’t walk a batter. The 25-year-old has had mixed results over the spring, and wasn’t terribly likely to make the Diamondbacks out of spring training, anyway He is a name to moniter in keeper leagues, but can safely be ignored — for now — in redraft formats.

Drake issued a pair of walks, and one of those free passes came around to score in the first inning off a fielder’s choice. Acquired in the deal that sent Merrill Kelly to Texas, Drake is one of the best pitching prospects in the Arizona system, and if he can throw consistent strikes, he has a chance to be a fantasy-relevant starter in the coming years.

The quartet of prospects will be protected from selection in next month’s Rule 5 Draft. Drake and Bratt came over from the Rangers back in July at the trade deadline although David Hagaman looks like the real gem from that deal.

Drake was ranked as the fifth best prospect in the Rangers’ system according to MLB Pipeline. The 25-year-old southpaw was terrific over 12 starts at Double-A Frisco this season but has struggled since his promotion to Triple-A Round Rock. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him earn a start or two with the Diamondbacks before the 2025 season comes to a close.