Like Travis Henderson in 1984’s Paris, Texas, Merrill Kelly left his home, wandered across the desert, and ultimately realized he needed to head back where he came from. On Sunday morning, Ken Rosenthal reported that Kelly was finalizing a two-year, $40 million contract to return to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Kelly is as Arizona as a cactus in a backyard pool. (Meg tells me they typically aren’t actually in the pool, but you know what I mean.) He went to high school in Scottsdale, a couple dozen miles northeast of Chase Field. After a stint at Yavapai Community College, he transferred to Arizona State to finish up his college career. Drafted by the Rays, Kelly shuttled off to Korea for four years in his 20s before returning to make his MLB debut for the Diamondbacks in 2019. He has spent his entire major league career in Arizona, save for a two month sojourn to Texas following a midseason trade at the 2025 deadline. Perhaps scandalized by Arlington’s complete lack of any public transit — not even a single bus line! — he kept his time with the Rangers short. In Phoenix, he’ll return as the presumptive ace at the unlikely age of 37 and with the unlikely fastball velocity of 91.8 mph.

There will be analysis of Kelly’s game to come, but his appeal is easily summarized: The guy can just pitch. Yes, his fastball sits about three ticks slower than the average right-handed pitcher. And sure, his stuff metrics are nothing to write home about. But even with these clear limitations, Kelly succeeds because he does two extremely important things: He locates the ball, and he makes it impossible for hitters to guess which pitch is coming. Read the rest of this entry »

Below is an analysis of the prospects in the farm system of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Scouting reports were compiled with information provided by industry sources as well as my own observations. This is the sixth year we’re delineating between two anticipated relief roles, the abbreviations for which you’ll see in the “position” column below: MIRP for multi-inning relief pitchers, and SIRP for single-inning relief pitchers. The ETAs listed generally correspond to the year a player has to be added to the 40-man roster to avoid being made eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Manual adjustments are made where they seem appropriate, but we use that as a rule of thumb.

A quick overview of what FV (Future Value) means can be found here. A much deeper overview can be found here.

All of the ranked prospects below also appear on The Board, a resource the site offers featuring sortable scouting information for every organization. It has more details (and updated TrackMan data from various sources) than this article and integrates every team’s list so readers can compare prospects across farm systems. It can be found here. Read the rest of this entry »

Michael Soroka is getting another chance to start. Bright and early on Monday morning, Jesse Rogers and Jeff Passan of ESPN kicked off the Winter Meetings with news that the right-handed former sinkerballer has agreed to a one-year deal with the Diamondbacks. Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reported that the deal is for one year and $7.5 million, along with up to $2 million in incentives. Soroka slots into a new team as a starter for the second year in a row after struggling in the rotation and then pitching better out of the bullpen. He’ll now do so for a Diamondbacks team in desperate need of starting pitching, as both Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly have entered free agency. It’s a small gamble on a pitcher whose upside isn’t necessarily set in stone.

Still just 28, Soroka has already walked a long road. The Braves’ first-round pick out of high school in 2015, he debuted in 2018 at the age of 20. He dominated in 2019, going 13-4 with a 2.68 ERA and 3.45 FIP, and finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting and sixth in the Cy Young voting. A sinkerballer by trade, he ran a 51% groundball rate and allowed just 0.72 homers per nine innings. He was one of the most promising young arms in the game. Then he tore his Achilles tendon in both 2020 and 2021 and followed those up with shoulder injuries. From 2020 to 2023, he made just 10 major league appearances, missing the 2021 and 2022 seasons entirely. Read the rest of this entry »

Direct links to applications (please see job details below):

Baseball Operations Associate
International Area Scout – Barquisimeto, Venezuela
Bullpen Catcher

Baseball Operations Associate

The Arizona Diamondbacks are seeking a full-season associate to join the Baseball Operations department. This role offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience across multiple areas of the organization, with responsibilities that will evolve throughout the baseball calendar. The ideal candidate will bring strong analytical skills, creativity, and a deep passion for the game to help drive innovation and support decision-making across the department.

Reports To: Director, Baseball Administration & Director, Baseball Operations
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Term: Full-season associate, preferably beginning January 2026

Position Summary
The Baseball Operations Associate will support analysts and front office staff with ongoing projects and operational processes. Additionally, the associate will have the opportunity to take on one or more projects aligned with their skills and interests that provide value to the organization.

Primary Responsibilities

• Collaborate across departments (Analytics/R&D, Baseball Operations, Player Development, and Scouting) assisting all departments with necessary tasks.
• Produce statistical analyses and daily reports for baseball operations staff.
• Conduct exploratory research to uncover trends and insights that may lead to competitive advantages.
• Recommend advancements to Baseball Operations procedures and infrastructure to enhance efficiency.
• Assist with the setup, capture, and processing of on-field technology at Chase Field and Salt River Fields.
• Perform ad hoc analyses and research projects for various Baseball Operations groups.
• Support front office staff in preparation for key events such as Salary Arbitration, the Rule 4 Draft, and the MLB Trade Deadline.
• Contribute to ongoing projects within the R&D and Baseball Operations teams.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, or equivalent experience
• Strong quantitative background demonstrated through academic coursework or work samples is strongly preferred (SQL, R, Python, Tableau, or similar tools).
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and time management skills.
• Deep understanding of and passion for baseball.
• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities in a fast-paced environment with strong attention to detail.
• Familiarity with current trends and development in baseball analytics is preferred but not required.
• Willingness to work evenings, weekends, and holidays
• Ability to relocate to the Phoenix area
• Valid driver’s license required

Application Requirements
Please submit the following:
A cover letter and resume, including any relevant baseball research or applicable project work.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.

To Apply
To apply, please follow this link.

International Area Scout – Barquisimeto, Venezuela

Reports To: Director, International Scouting & Assistant Director of International Scouting
Location: Barquisimeto, Venezuela (Lara State & surrounding regions)
Term: Full-time, year-round role

Position Summary
The International Area Scout for the Barquisimeto region will serve as the organization’s primary evaluator and representative within Lara State and surrounding territories. This role involves consistent field presence, player evaluation, market intelligence, and coordination with the broader International Scouting department. The ideal candidate will possess strong observational skills, deep regional baseball knowledge, and the ability to build trusted relationships in the Venezuelan amateur market.

Primary Responsibilities

• Identify, evaluate, and track amateur players within Barquisimeto, Lara State, and nearby regions.
• Submit detailed scouting reports, evaluations, and supporting video through the organization’s scouting system.
• Establish and maintain relationships with buscones, trainers, academies, leagues, and local baseball contacts.
• Attend games, tournaments, showcases, and private workouts on a regular and structured schedule.
• Provide timely updates on prospect movement, development progress, market dynamics, and sign ability considerations.
• Coordinate player looks, tryouts, and evaluation opportunities for crosscheckers and scouting directors.
• Assist with administrative tasks related to scheduling, data entry, video capture, and event coordination.
• Maintain compliance with MLB International rules, organizational policies, and ethical scouting standards.
• Collaborate with International Scouting leadership on projects or region-specific initiatives as identified.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Prior experience as a player, scouting, coaching, or player development within the Venezuelan amateur market preferred.
• Strong understanding of baseball tools, biomechanics, and player projection.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and time-management skills.
• Ability to work independently and travel frequently within the assigned region.
• Fluency in Spanish required; proficiency in English preferred.
• Deep passion for player evaluation and international amateur baseball.
• High attention to detail and timely reporting habits.
• Familiarity with scouting technology, video tools, or player-tracking systems is a plus.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, and irregular hours as required by the baseball calendar.
• Valid Venezuelan identification, driver’s license, and reliable transportation.

Preferred Skills

Application Requirements
Please submit the following:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Any relevant scouting samples, reports, or player evaluations (optional but preferred)

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.

To Apply
To apply, please follow this link.

Bullpen Catcher

Position Summary
The Arizona Diamondbacks are seeking a part time Bullpen Catcher to assist in catching bullpens at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale , AZ. This role will work closely with minor league pitching and rehab coordinators to assist in minor league bullpens and throwing programs. There is also opportunity to spend time in different areas across Player Development depending on the skillset.

Reports To: Director, Player Development & Minor League Pitching Coordinators
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
Term: Part Time. January 2026 – October 2026

Primary Responsibilities:

• Assist pitchers with warmups, throwing program, and side sessions.
• Assist rehab coordinators with on field work ( PFP, Batting practice, Fungos, etc).
• Assist video department with data collection as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Experience catching college or professional pitchers.
• Ability to catch multiple bullpens daily
• Strong work ethic willingness to learn.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.

To Apply
To apply, please follow this link.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“OK, but what if you could steal first base?” is surely a thought that’s occurred to just about every baseball fan. We’ve all seen players come up who look like absolute studs, except for one thing: They can’t hit. It’s only one skill, but it’s the most important skill for a position player.

I remember having a simply overpowering version of this thought in the press box at Camden Yards during the 2024 ALDS. Maikel Garcia’s tools sizzled and crackled with potential. He’s stolen 37 bases in 39 regular-season attempts. His defense at third base was very good, good enough to play shortstop on a team that had not been built around the best shortstop on the planet. Garcia played 157 regular-season games for the Royals in 2024, and he was about as good a player as you can be with a single-digit home run total and a .281 OBP.

Those two headline numbers do limit one’s potential, unfortunately.

In October, Garcia poked enough grounders through the infield to eke out a .318 batting average in Kansas City’s six playoff games, teasing us with the hope of what could have been if he just learned how to hit. Read the rest of this entry »

The Arizona Diamondbacks might have the best middle-infield duo in MLB, which is something most people outside of their fanbase probably aren’t aware of. Mike Hazen didn’t disagree when I suggested as much to him in Las Vegas.

“We’ve always dealt with that,” the D-Backs general manager replied. “We play on the West Coast — we play late for the East Coast — and we’re not on national TV a lot, so it comes with the territory. But yeah, [Geraldo] Perdomo probably had a top-five season in all of baseball this year, and [Ketel] Marte does it every year. With those two guys, along with [Corbin] Carroll, I think we have three of the top 25-30 guys in all of baseball.”

That was certainly the case in 2025. Carroll, the club’s right-fielder, ranked seventh-best in MLB with 6.5 WAR, while the keystone combination came in at fifth-best (Perdomo at 7.1) and 24th-best (Marte at 4.6) respectively. Productive bats were a big reason for that. Carroll put up a 139 wRC+, Perdomo was a tick below at 138, and Marte was fourth-highest in the senior circuit at 145.

How long Arizona’s middle infield will remain intact is currently in question. Rumors that Marte — on tap to gain 10-5 rights in the coming season — could be traded have been circulating, and while Hazen has reportedly said that moving the 32-year-old second baseman is “mostly unlikely,” he has also acknowledged a need to listen to offers. Howe many of those he has received to this point is unknown, but given Marte’s résumé — the three-time All-Star has a 140 wRC+ and 15.3 WAR over the past three seasons — the return would be noteworthy. Read the rest of this entry »

We’re less than a month from the Winter Meetings and the Rule 5 Draft, which means it’s a good time to evaluate every team’s 40-man roster situation. This is the time of year when teams have one final chance to protect Rule 5 eligible players by placing them on the 40-man. Eligibility is determined by a mix of how long a player has been with their parent organization and how young they were when they signed: Players who signed at 18 or younger must be added to the 40-man within five seasons, while everyone else must be added within four. RosterResource monitors Rule 5 eligibility, if you’re curious to see the lay of the land.

During the season, teams can free up roster space by placing an injured player on the 60-day IL. In the offseason, teams don’t get extra slots for injured players, which tends to put pressure on the back of the roster. The Diamondbacks are a good example of how space can tighten quickly, as they’ve currently got six pitchers battling long-term injuries occupying a spot. You may have noticed a flurry of moves immediately following the World Series, with many teams outrighting players off the 40-man in order to make room for all the guys who were on the IL.

Below, I’ve assessed every National League team’s 40-man roster situation (Eric will sort through the American League tomorrow). Some teams, like the Braves, have plenty of roster space, and thus a lot of flexibility in adding whoever they like. Others, like the Cardinals and Marlins, will face some tough choices as they seek to balance protecting interesting prospects with retaining players already on the roster, as well as finding room for prospective additions via trade or free agency. Some clubs don’t have many impact players to add, while others may need to protect a half-dozen or so guys. I’ve tried to identify which players are most likely to be added, which guys on the 40-man are vulnerable to getting lopped off in a roster crunch, and who could be moved in a deal to free up roster space. Let’s dig in. Read the rest of this entry »

Analyst, Pitching Integration

Overview
Member of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitching infrastructure, specializing in the application of biomechanics and performance data to support developmental initiatives and systems. Serves as the conduit between multiple departments, presenting information to coaches, front office, strength & conditioning, and training staff to drive action in the player development space while also collaborating with the Baseball Systems team to incorporate biomechanical data into usable applications capable of supporting multiple departments. Based in Arizona, this individual will also be responsible for operating our pitching lab space.

Duties & Responsibilities

System Development & Biomechanics

• Collaborate with the Baseball Systems team to design and refine applications/tools that can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness with which biomechanical data is integrated into the pitching development process.
• Translate biomechanical data and assessments into clear, actionable insights for coaches, coordinators, and players.

Lab & Technology Oversight

• Facilitate lab scheduling throughout the year with the front office, ML Staff, and Pitching Coordinator group.
• Operate the pitching biomechanics lab space, including motion capture systems, force plates, and other tech.
• Ensure data collection is accurate, reliable, and consistent across environments.
• Interpret and communicate lab findings to the pitching department, S&C, and Medical staff for use in player plans.

Monitoring & Flagging Performance Trends

• Track and flag pitcher performance indicators such as velocity drops, shape/axis changes, release consistency changes, spin and spin-axis variations, and usage trends/workload patterns.
• Raise objective flags to the pitching coordinator group and coaching staff with clarity and urgency when needed.

Cross-Department Communication

• Serve as a conduit from Player Development/ML Staff to the Baseball Systems and Sports Medicine Performance Team.
• Present findings in coach and player friendly formats that simplify complexity without losing depth.
• Provide ad hoc biomechanical assessments in the player procurement process.
• Contribute to org-wide discussions through internal research on workload management, pitcher health, and development strategies.

Travel & On-Site Presence
Work on-site in Arizona at Salt River Fields, ensuring presence in the lab.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Communicator – excellent written and verbal communication skills, capable of connecting with coaches, players, and staff; able to effectively communicate biomechanical insights across a range of stakeholders.
• Systems Oriented – ability to design frameworks that turn complex data into usable, repeatable processes.
• Technical Skillset – proficiency in R, Python, or similar, as well as SQL preferred; applied experience with data visualization.
• Biomechanics Expertise – foundation in pitching biomechanics a plus, ideally with prior experience in applied baseball settings.
• Problem-Solver – proactive in identifying issues and offering solutions.
• Collaborative – thrives in cross-department environments, balancing scientific rigor with practical coaching needs.
• Forward-Thinking – motivated to push the biomechanical analytics space forward and keep the organization on the cutting edge.

Experience / Education Requirements

• Preferred degree OR professional experience in biomechanics, kinesiology, sports science, or related field.
• Experience applying biomechanics within baseball or high-performance sport is a plus.
• Professional experience in a quantitative position is a plus.
• Preferred technical skills with motion capture and ball flight data.

To Apply
Please email bbopsjob@dbacks.com with the subject line “Pitching Integration”.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Mike Burrows was rated as having the best curveball in the Pittsburgh Pirates system when I talked to him to for our old Learning and Developing a Pitch series back in 2022. Then a highly-regarded prospect, the 25-year-old right-hander relied heavily on his hook, a pitch that Eric Longenhagen assigned a 70 on the scouting scale and described as having “devastating bite and depth.” Our lead prospect analyst referred to it as his “meal ticket.”

Burrows is now a bona fide big-leaguer, but not because of a bender. Pitching in his first full MLB season — he made one appearance in 2024 — Burrows threw his erstwhile go-to just 11.9% of the time while logging a 3.94 ERA and a 24.1% strikeout rate over 96 innings. He’s evolved into split-change artist. Burrows threw what has become his most-used secondary pitch at a 23.7% clip this year. Moreover, he did so to the tune of a .147 BAA, a .220 slug, and a 43.1% whiff rate.

Why and how did he go from a killer curveball to a bat-missing splitter variant?
Read the rest of this entry »

It sure seems like the Diamondbacks knew something the rest of us didn’t. Back in February, when Arizona signed shortstop Geraldo Perdomo to a four-year contract extension to keep him around through the 2029 season, I wrote, “I think the Diamondbacks are paying for floor rather than ceiling. However he gets there, if Perdomo keeps performing like a two-win player, the contract will work out well for both sides.” Perdomo was coming off a knee injury and two straight seasons of absolutely average offensive performance. It may have looked like the Diamondbacks were comfortable with that level of production, but the 2025 season has put things in an entirely new light.

Perdomo has been unequivocally one of the best players in baseball. He leads all National League position players in bWAR, and if not for Shohei Ohtani, he would have a very good argument for the MVP. Geraldo Perdomo, whom I first wrote about because he was a great test case for players with extremely low exit velocities. Geraldo Perdomo, whose offensive approach I summed up earlier this year as, “Try with all your might to avoid swinging.” Geraldo Perdomo, whose 12th-percentile hard-hit rate represents a career-high! That guy has 6.7 WAR. That guy has 19 home runs after coming into this season with a combined 14 for his major league career, which began in 2021. That guy is running a 138 wRC+ and none of the advanced numbers is saying it’s because of batted ball luck. Perdomo really has been a great hitter. We’ve been all over the story. Michael Baumann has written about him twice, I’ve broken down his breakout and documented one of his trademark swingless plate appearances. Now that October is near, we need to acknowledge how big a deal it is that Perdomo has kept this going all season long.

Perdomo has gotten bigger and stronger. He’s changed his mechanics from both sides of the plate. He’s somehow chasing and whiffing even less than he did last season, and he’s somehow doing so while lifting the ball more, swinging a bit harder, and hitting the ball a bit harder. We’ve broken down all those points in the articles I linked to above, so I’m not going cover that ground again. I’m here to show you one graph that cracks me up.

This is from the last paragraph of my article back in February: “I am so, so curious to see what it would look like if Perdomo were to start attacking the ball. He’s still young, and I really do think it’s possible that he has the capacity to be more than an average hitter.” I’m not trying to say I called this. I definitely did not. One sentence later, I wrote “Still, I don’t think we should expect that going forward.” But Perdomo really did start attacking the ball in his own way, so I can now show you what it looks like.

In terms of average exit velocity, it doesn’t look like all that much. He’s running a career-high 87.6 mph, up half a tick from last season. That’s still only enough to put him in the 19th percentile. However, you know better than to just look at average EV and call it a day. His 90th-percentile exit velocity jumped from 100.4 mph to 101.5. That’s a bigger jump, but in terms of percentiles, it only moves him from the 14th to the 18th. So, uh, that doesn’t look like that much either.

It’s impressive that Perdomo can swing harder, lift the ball more with a steeper swing, and maintain his absurdly high contact and squared-up rates. Regardless of where you’re starting out, that’s not normally how things work. But it’s also not enough to earn him respect. For all the reasons in the previous paragraph, pitchers still aren’t afraid of Perdomo, like at all. He ranks fifth among qualified players in zone rate. He’s seen 873 pitches over the heart of the plate. That’s the most in the game, and nobody else is even close. But Perdomo has the best hard-hit rate of his career by a wide margin, and that does matter. He’s never going to break the power scale, but let me show you Tom Tango’s graph for the thousandth time.

Going from a 25.8% hard-hit rate to a 31.5% hard-hit rate means crossing that threshold way more often. Even if you’re just barely crossing it, it’s still a big deal. There are way more hits on the right side of the line. The odds have changed on all those pitchers who are content to let Perdomo put the ball in play. Perdomo is still not a big, powerful guy, but he’s got a new A-swing. Here’s Baseball Savant’s distribution graph of his bat speed. This is for all swings.

Perdomo’s right-handed numbers from the 2025 season are in orange in the front. It’s still not as fast as the dotted line that represents the league average, and even though its peak is more than 1 mph higher than the peaks of the previous seasons, its shape doesn’t look all that different. It’s just that the tails on either side are fatter. That’s really noticeable on the left of the graph. Perdomo isn’t taking fewer super-weak, 57-63 mph swings than he did in previous seasons. What he’s cut down on are the medium-speed swings, and he’s getting off more fast swings than ever before. In other words, when he knows he has a chance to hit the ball hard, he’s making sure he does it. I know that looks pretty subtle here, and the difference between the green and blue areas that represent his 2024 and 2025 stats batting left-handed is even smaller. But now we’re getting to the graph I really want to show you, the one that has me cackling. Here’s the same exact thing, except it only shows the swings that result in hard-hit balls.

Well that’s different! Look how far the 2025 distributions are from the 2024 ones. The blue left-handed peak is roughly 2 mph faster than it was in 2024, and the orange right-handed peak is 5 mph faster! All of a sudden, Perdomo is getting his getting his money’s worth. He’s still happy to take a slow swing and put the ball in play – that’s why the tail on the left side of even this graph extends farther than in any of the previous seasons. But not only is he kicking into high gear more often, it’s a higher gear than he ever had before. Perdomo still doesn’t have the top-end bat speed to keep up with the league average on the right side of the chart, but he’s way above that dotted distribution line until we get to 77 mph or so. He’s more than doubled his fast-swing rate from 2024. That’s what it looks like when Perdomo starts attacking the ball, and it’s even more fun than we could’ve hoped.