D-backs Under Review 2025 Top Prospect Awards
Both our Pitcher and Hitter of the Year come from Arizona's 2024 draft class, which has produced strong returns in their first year.
The minor league season is officially over for the Diamondbacks system in 2025. Here at D-backs Under Review, we not only do deep dives of D-backs players but also focus on Arizona's top prospects.
It was obvious by the end of July who the Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year would be. Both our Pitcher and Hitter of the Year come from Arizona's 2024 draft class, which has produced strong returns in their first year.
Hitter: OF Ryan Waldschmidt
Ryan Waldschmidt was the second of three first round picks by the D-backs in the 2024 MLB Draft. He had been a strong performer at Kentucky heading into his draft year, putting him on the fast track.
In his first year with High-A Hillsboro and Double-A Amarillo, Waldschmidt put together a .289/.419/.473 slash line. FanGraphs rates his offense to be about 43% what the average hitter would have produced with a 143 wRC+. At each stop, he's posted a mark of 142 or better so far.
The most notable trait in Waldschmidt's skill set is his elite plate discipline. We don't have chase rates for the Northwest and Texas Leagues, but a 38.7% swing rate suggests a very selective approach. As a result of that approach, he drew 96 walks compared to only 106 strikeouts. On a rate basis, that's a 17.6% strikeout rate compared to a 16.0% walk rate.
Waldschmidt's offensive game profiles well at the top or middle of the order. His on-base abilities profile well for the top, and there's enough power impact to bat in the middle. He projects to hit around .260 with a .350 OBP, 30 doubles, 20 homers, and 20 steals.
He'll likely debut at some point in 2026, although how quickly will depend on how strong a spring he has. He'll likely be a consensus Top 100 prospect, so he'd be eligible for the Prospect Promotion Incentive. Without any experience at the Triple-A level, he's going to have to shine to force his way onto the roster. He had some of those at-bats last spring.
Pitcher: RHP Daniel Eagen
Daniel Eagen was talked about as a potential small school gem in the D-backs' 2024 class. A full season later, he's in the discussion for the top pitching prospect in the system.
He was the top starting pitcher prospect in the Northwest League, pitching to a 2.49 ERA in 19 starts with Hillsboro. That earned him a promotion to Amarillo, where he had an electrifying debut on August 23rd. While he was unable to follow up on that promising start, ultimately, it should be viewed as a successful season.
Between both levels, he struck out 32.4% of hitters while walking 11.0%. He'll need to work on his walk rate, especially considering where he'll be pitching in 2026. Hodgetown is one of the more extreme parks due to elevation, which will impact his fastball and curveball movement. He'll likely expect more of the same in Reno and the Pacific Coast League's extreme offensive environment.
The four-seamer and big down-breaking curveball are Eagen's bread-and-butter pitches. The fastball sits mid-90s and gets a healthy amount of rise coming from an overhand arm slot. He also features a slider and a newly developed splitter to serve as complementary offerings. His ability to develop those pitches will be the key to unlocking his mid-rotation starter upside.
Early 2026 Predictions: Kayson Cunningham (Hitter), David Hagaman (Pitcher)
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