Diamondbacks' Star Catcher is Reaping the Benefits of Recent Changes

Entering his third season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, young superstar catcher Gabriel Moreno has taken his preparation to another level. Already hailed as one of the best defensive backstops to touch a glove in recent baseball history, Moreno's changes are already showing results.

Arizona Diamondbacks ON SI's Jack Sommers caught up with the D-backs catcher and conversed with him about a trend in his recent batted ball results.

While his overall spring stats look rather pedestrian, posting a .217 batting average with a .786 OPS, the righty has been mashing baseballs at the plate.

Moreno has already hit 8 batted balls with an exit velocity of 108 mph or higher, according to Chris Clegg on X, tying his total from the entire 2024 regular season. Of course most excitingly this has come in 325 fewer plate appearances.

"I've been feeling good," Moreno told Sommers. "I've been seeing everything. I feel like I'm moving well. I've been working on something in the cage. Trying to get more consistent with my bat barrell, and I feel like I've been doing a good job this spring."

His process is working. Not only is he hitting the ball hard, and connecting with the barrell, but he is doing so at a proper launch angle to put the ball in the air. When the process is sound and the ball is being hit hard, it wont be long until the results show.

Moreno has blasted two home runs this spring, only three shy of his 2024 total. While this lack of home runs last year was in part due to time missed with injury, it does seem as though the young backstop is tapping into his raw power potential.

It isn't just his work in the cage that is paying off however, as his work in the kitchen may be nearly as important. Coming into spring the already muscular catcher has appeared significantly more trim and fit.

"I've been working a lot, working in the gym and all my stuff and eating healthy," he told Sommers. "It's great for my body and I gotta keep doing that. It's helped me a lot to get to where I am now."

Diet doesn't just impact physical stature, but also overall body health and durability. A more lean, but still muscular and athletic Moreno will hopefully allow for a more full season, allowing him to find a rhythm and show off his new changes at the plate.

Of course his work at the plate is only half of Moreno's job. When dawning the catchers mask there is little to no competition on the defensive front. After winning the Gold Glove Award in 2023, his first season with Arizona, he backed it up with another strong year in 2024, even improving on his framing and pop time.

This is a part of the game that he treasures dearly. "Receiving, blocking, throwing, game calling. All of it is important to me because that's what I'm going to do every night behind the plate," said Moreno. "I don't have to confirm if I feel good or not. I just got to keep working, trying to get better and be better in the little things. That's what I'm focusing on every day here when I'm working. Trying to get more consistent."

That work continues off the field, communicating and working with the pitchers, something that the 25-year-old Moreno has become well versed in. 2025 brings a new challenge with a new trend of arms joining the team.

With the additions of ace pitcher Corbin Burnes, and backend arm Kendall Graveman, as well as the return of flamethrowing Drey Jameson, the pitching staff has certainly gained velocity in the offseason. This is something the young backstop has also taken notice of.

"They are doing a good job in the metrics. They are always paying attention to the numbers and are putting in the work."

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