With a breakout campaign in 2025, Ryan Waldschmidt headlines the Arizona Diamondbacks‘ farm system. Entering 2026, he is the organization’s consensus top prospect and should rank highly on Top 100 lists.
Waldschmidt, 23, was drafted by the Diamondbacks with the No. 29 pick of the 2024 MLB Draft. He was the second player ever selected with a draft pick awarded to a team through the Prospect Promotion Incentive. Arizona got that pick thanks to Corbin Carroll’s unanimous National League Rookie of the Year win in 2023.
Just two years later, the organization could benefit from a similar situation. Baseball America listed Waldschmidt as the No. 48 prospect. MLB Pipeline isn’t quite as bullish, ranking him at No. 59.
Waldschmidt’s placement on those lists means the Diamondbacks stand to gain more draft capital if he has a strong start to his career.
What Ryan Waldschmidt’s Ranking Means for the Diamondbacks
The Prospect Promotion Incentive seeks to reward teams for promoting their top prospects at the start of the season. A prospect must rank in at least two of the Top 100 lists for Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and ESPN to be eligible.
Players who are eligible for the incentive can net their teams a first-round pick in two different ways. They must accrue a year of service time on the active roster (172 days) and either…
- Win the Rookie of the Year Award
- Be a finalist (Top 3) for the MVP or Cy Young Award before becoming eligible for salary arbitration
It’s also worth noting that players can only net their teams a total of one draft pick. Since the Prospect Promotion Incentive began, six players have netted their teams a first-round pick.
- Julio Rodriguez (Mariners): 2022 AL ROY
- Corbin Carroll (D-backs): 2023 NL ROY
- Gunnar Henderson (Orioles): 2023 AL ROY
- Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals): 2024 AL MVP Finalist
- Drake Baldwin (Braves): 2025 NL ROY
- Hunter Brown (Astros): 2025 AL Cy Young Finalist
By landing on both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline’s lists, Waldschmidt is an eligible prospect. The last time Arizona opened the season with its top prospect on the Opening Day roster was Carroll in 2023. Although it’s worth noting that the star outfielder signed a long-term extension that March and played in 32 games the prior season.
With the possibility of draft pick compensation, the Diamondbacks could give Waldschmidt a fair shot at winning the left field job next spring. There’s a vacancy at the position after Lourdes Gurriel Jr. tore his ACL in August. The club has not made any additions in the outfield and may have to rely on some of their young infielders to fill the gaps.
The odds of Waldschmidt winning the Rookie of the Year award seem low before the 2026 season’s outset. MLB Pipeline surveyed various executives, and none of them picked the Diamondbacks prospect to win. The Mets‘ Nolan McLean and the Cardinals’ JJ Wetherholt got more consideration, with clearer paths to playing time with their respective teams.
When Could Waldschmidt Arrive in Arizona?
The window is open for Waldschmidt to take the job. With High-A Hillsboro and Double-A Amarillo, he put together a .289/.419/.473 slash with 18 home runs and a 142 wRC+.
He carries one of the best batting eyes in the system, with a 16.0% walk rate. But the one risk is that he hasn’t played a game above Double-A. That brings into question his readiness to win and hold onto the left field role in 2026.
Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen didn’t rule out the possibility, in a conference call with the media chronicled by Jack Sommers of Arizona Diamondbacks On SI.
If Waldschmidt doesn’t win the left field job out of camp, he’s likely ticketed for Triple-A Reno. There, it would be more about getting that last bit of polish before an opportunity opens up. In that scenario, he’s looking at a debut around the All-Star break.
Given the Diamondbacks’ outfield situation, an opportunity could come sooner rather than later. Arizona doesn’t have a clear starter in left field. Roster Resource projects Blaze Alexander to be the starting left fielder, although he’ll play more of a utility role. He’s a candidate to split time in center field with Alek Thomas and will also pick up some starts on the infield.
Ryan Waldschmidt’s Rise Creates a New Twist in Diamondbacks’ 2026 Outfield Plan