Projecting the Diamondbacks' Opening Day Roster

Who's going to take the field for Arizona come Opening Day?

Apr 4, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; A detailed view of an Arizona Diamondbacks hat at the game between the Washington Nationals and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images | Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

There are just over two weeks remaining before pitchers and catchers report for the Arizona Diamondbacks, with the offseason beginning to wind down.

Arizona has made some small additions this offseason, but has not delivered the splash move some may have been expecting.

So what does the Opening Day roster look like in the team's current state? With the roster appearing to be set — barring additional smaller moves — we take a look at Arizona's potential makeup come regular season.

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Projecting Diamondbacks' Opening Day Roster

Lineup Locks

Below are the players who are — barring injury or another major addition — guaranteed to slot into Arizona's lineup come Opening Day. This is not a projection of the specific batting order.

Diamondbacks Lineup | Jack Sommers

As it stands now, Pavin Smith will be the starting first baseman. Perhaps he'll be the heavy side of a platoon with Tyler Locklear once he comes back from injury later in the season. But Smith will start against right-hand pitching. James McCann was re-signed to maintain his backup catcher role.

Jordan Lawlar and Blaze Alexander, with the acquisition of Nolan Arenado, may see much, if not most of their time in the outfield. Both have experience doing so, although Alexander has the slight advantage in that area.

There will be, however, two more bench spots available.

Bench Bubble

These players will have somewhat of a competition ahead of them. It seems most likely that Jorge Barrosa (who is out of minor league options) and Tim Tawa (who asserted himself as a valuable utility player with power upside in 2025) will fill the extra bench spots. Tawa also may be a right-handed first base platoon option.

Diamondbacks bench | Jack Sommers

Of course, Ildemaro Vargas recently re-signed on a minor league deal. He is not on the 40-man roster, but spent a hefty chunk of time on the MLB roster last season, to a relatively high level of success. The D-backs may opt to go with a versatile, switch-hitting veteran, but a 40-man subtraction would have to be made to clear a spot.

No. 1 prospect Ryan Waldschmidt looks to be barreling towards an MLB debut in 2026, but barring an exceptional spring, has a high chance of heading to Triple-A Reno to begin the year. Waldschmidt rose from High-A to Double-A, but did not crack Reno in 2025. He could still force Arizona's hand in the Cactus League, however.

No. 5 prospect Tommy Troy has already hit in Triple-A, and will likely see some MLB action in 2026, as well. A.J. Vukovich and Kristian Robinson are long shots.

Starting Rotation

There aren't many surprises here. Unless the D-backs bring back Zac Gallen or add another pitcher (or there's another injury), the rotation is fairly set. This is not a projection of specific rotation order, but is ranked by seniority.

Diamondbacks Rotation | Jack Sommers

Bullpen

Diamondbacks Bullpen | Jack Sommers

Kevin Ginkel, Ryan Thompson, Taylor Clarke and Andrew Saalfrank are expected to take on prominent roles in Arizona's bullpen. Beyond those names, the water is somewhat murky.

The team did just sign Jonathan Loaisiga to a minor league deal, but with his stuff and track record of success, the former Yankees righty appears to be a serious back-end option right away, as long as he can stay healthy.

Lefty Brandyn Garcia showed potential at the end of his 2025 season, and is one of the few left-handed options available. He will most likely take a spot.

With Loaisiga and Garcia both leaning toward "lock" status, that leaves just two more slots until Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk return. Cristian Mena and Drey Jameson have a leg up in that battle due to major league experience (and Mena's ability to provide length) but it's not at all out of the question that one of the younger arms like Morillo, Diaz or Hoffmann take a step forward.

For more of a breakdown on the Opening Day roster situation, check out the below episode of Snakes Territory with Jesse Friedman and Jack Sommers.