8 D-backs Sleeper Prospects You Need to Know About

The Diamondbacks have improved their farm system in 2025. While it came at the expense of major league success, they acquired a lot of prospects. At the same time, there have been prospects in the system who have put themselves on the map.

I've identified eight sleeper prospects (not on anyone's preseason Top 30 lists) in the D-backs' system all year whose 2025 performance warrants a closer look. Let's go through all of them.

INF Jose Fernandez

Jose Fernandez once showed up on Top 30 lists, but didn't stand out in his stops with Visalia in 2023 and Hillsboro in 2024. That has changed in 2025, as he's showing signs of a breakout with Double-A Amarillo.

In 99 games, Fernandez is slashing .282/.328/.471 with 13 home runs, 69 RBI, and 55 runs scored. FanGraphs rates his offense to be slightly better than what the average Texas League hitter would produce, with a 107 wRC+.

Not only has the bat improved, but the glove has too. Originally brought in as first base depth, Fernandez has become a strong defender at shortstop.

"Well, you know, for me, he's the best shortstop in the league right now," Sod Poodles manager Javier Colina told Austin Hartsfield of Sideline Sports. "No doubt in my mind. He's come a long way. This is a new position for him. I remember after we broke camp he was our first baseman for like the first month in the season."

With a 6'3" frame, Fernandez was always going to grow into more in-game power. He's positioned himself as a potential utility infielder down the road. His ability to play all four positions on the dirt makes him an ideal candidate to play the role of a fifth infielder.

Thanks to his breakout, he's gone from a non-prospect to one of my top 40 FV bats in the system. A strong 2026 season would bump his grade up to 45 and likely mark his first major league stint. He should give Blaze Alexander a run for his money as the utility infielder. The team is unlikely to add him to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, but he'll be on their Triple-A Roster.

1B/DH Ivan Melendez

Melendez was drafted in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft due to the potential for 70+ in-game power. After stalling out in Double-A in parts of the last three seasons due to poor strikeout and walk rates, he's finally broken through. He cut his strikeout rate in Amarillo to under 25% while upping his walk rate to 10%.

The biggest takeaway in the clips I've seen of him is that Melendez is more willing to hit where he's pitched. Manager Torey Lovullo has referred to it as "touch power", where the ball just explodes off his bat upon contact. He has the rare gift of being able to generate home run power without having to pull the ball in the air. He can take a pitch off the outside edge of the plate and barrel it up to right center field, as the Aviators found out the hard way.

It was always a question of swing decisions, being more dynamic in his approach, and making more contact. He has answered those questions to the best of his abilities in 2025, likely earning a 40-man roster spot this winter.

The early returns on his Triple-A show that he's a free-swinger, posting a 39.0% chase rate and an ultra-aggressive 73.1% swing rate on pitches in the strike zone. While the approach isn't necessarily conducive to high on-base ability, he's getting wood on the ball with a 77.8% contact rate and an 85.7% zone contact rate. With the type of contact he generates, he could be a useful slugger who's a threat to put up a crooked number every time he bats with men on base.

The next 300 plate appearances by both Melendez and Tyler Locklear could determine the D-backs' future at first base and the DH role. Melendez does not have a clear path to a regular role unless Locklear busts or they trade Ketel Marte.

C Carlos Virahonda

The D-backs' system is short on catching depth, but the emergence of Carlos Virahonda in the complex is helping to fix that. Arizona still has Gabriel Moreno entrenched as their starting catcher, but Ivan Luciano and Virahonda could be potential long-term replacements.

In the complex league, he slashed .347/.464/.455, good for a 150 wRC+. He was solid at getting the bat on the ball, with just an 11.8% strikeout rate and 9.4% swinging strike rate. While a .394 BABIP is probably not sustainable at higher levels, he was hitting the ball in the air and pulling it.

That earned him an end-of-season promotion to Class A Visalia. He's holding his own there, hitting .265 with a pair of home runs and a 103 wRC+.

The combination of solid contact ability to go with being a strong receiver behind the plate projects well into a potential starting catcher role. He's likely ticketed to bat in the bottom third of the lineup, but he won't make it easy for pitchers to get him out.

How he handles Visalia next season (Age 20) could catapult him into Top 20 status. Right now, I consider him the top catching prospect in the system.

RHP Daury Vasquez

Daury Vasquez has emerged as one of the top sleeper prospects in the lower minors. Dominating the Complex League with a 31.4% strikeout rate, the 19-year-old is now pitching with Class A Visalia.

From his MLB Pipeline scouting report, he sits mid-90s with a top speed of 98 MPH. He mixes in a sinker, a slider, and a kick-change to complement his fastball. Tightening up the slider shape will be the key, as it tends to fall into the slurvy range.

The main thing for Vasquez will be limiting the walks, as he posted an 11.9% rate at the Complex. However, the stuff is too good for him to be sufficiently challenged at that level. If he can get the walk rate down to around 8-9% while maintaining high strikeout rates, he should start progressing quicker.

Arizona's system is full of No. 3 and 4 starter types, with Daniel Eagen and Vasquez as the only pitching prospects with frontline starter upside.

OF Erick De La Cruz

De La Cruz was arguably the organization's top-performing hitter in the Dominican Summer League. The 18-year-old slashed .341/.420/.543 with four home runs in 39 games, good for a 149 wRC+.

Not only can he hit for power, as evidenced by a .203 ISO, he makes very solid swing decisions. His swinging strike rate is under 10% and has nearly as many walks (18) as strikeouts (21). It's a good combination to gamble upon in the future.

Signed as an infielder in the 2024 class, De La Cruz has moved to the outfield full-time in 2025. He's spent time in left, center, and right field, playing 200 innings in the field. Without a clearer picture of his tool set, it's difficult for me to project him as a prospect.

He should break into the Top 30 with a strong 2026 season at the complex. Getting him exposure to better pitching will be a priority next year, to see if there's legitimate sticking power behind his strong 2025.

RHP Naimer Rosario

Naimer Rosario has put up excellent numbers in the DSL, with a 27.9% strikeout rate and 5.8% walk rate. More impressive is that he's accomplishing this during his Age 18 season and a sample size of 55 innings.

Not only is he showing solid command, with a 22.1 K-BB%, but he's missing bats at a solid clip. Rosario has produced a 16.3% swinging strike rate. Since being moved to the DSL Black team on June 30th, his strikeout rate has exploded to over 35% over four starts and 19.1 innings.

Like with many prospects in the DSL, it's difficult to project their long-term role without knowing what their tools will be. But with a K-BB% of 22.1 on the season and 28.8 since June 30th, there's hope he will develop into a starter when facing tougher competition state-side in 2026.

RHP Chung-Hsiang Huang

Chung-Hsiang Huang is another arm out of Taiwan who has dazzled in the Complex League. In 13 appearances (12 starts), he's posted a 4.13 ERA/3.70 FIP between the Complex and Visalia this season.

The most notable things are his high strikeout rate and low walk rate. At both levels, he's produced a strikeout rate just below 30%. His walk rate was under 6% at the Complex, but he cut it in half in Visalia. In addition to the high strikeout rates, he's producing a solid 46% ground ball rate at both levels.

Between Huang and Vasquez, there are a couple of interesting pitchers with Visalia that will be worth watching before the prospect industry catches up.

RHP Samuel Gonzalez

Gonzalez was an older signing than most, signing at 19 years old before starting in the DSL. While older than most of his competition, he has dominated the level in 2025. The 20-year-old has produced a 1.06 ERA/2.65 FIP in 34 innings.

While opening the season as a piggyback starter with the DSL Black club, Gonzalez has converted to a starter in recent appearances. He's pitched nine innings in his last two appearances, both starts, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out 14. In both of his outings, he's struck out seven and did not allow a run.

Like Rosario, he's a pitcher putting up video game numbers in the DSL should get a strong look at the complex in 2026.