D-backs' Mediocre 2025 Trade Deadline Results Prove Buying is Better

It's a very mixed bag so far looking back on the Diamondbacks' sell-off from a year ago

Arizona Diamondbacks Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Hazen signs his autograph during spring training practice at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Feb. 12, 2025, in Scottsdale. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As has been the case for the previous three seasons, the Arizona Diamondbacks find themselves in the middle of another NL Wild Card dogfight. They're just 0.5 games behind a three team gaggle in the standings for the third and final playoff berth.

We've learned in the last 24 hours that general manager Mike Hazen has declared the Diamondbacks to be buyers at the trade deadline.

That's in contrast to last year, when Hazen made the decision to sell the last week of July to due to the team's under performance. With multiple players in the final year of their contracts, he used the opportunity to bring in a large number of pitching prospects.

Diamondbacks 2025 Trade Deadline Review & Update

July 24, 2025

Traded Josh Naylor to the Seattle Mariners. Received RHP Ashton Izzi (minors) and LHP Brandyn Garcia.

Jun 4, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Brandyn Garcia (55) throws a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the eighth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Anna Carrington-Imagn Images | Anna Carrington-Imagn Images

Naylor was the first domino to fall. In retrospect, Hazen could have held on to Naylor and made a qualifying offer, which would have provided a high draft pick. But what the D-backs received back has looked pretty good so far.

Garcia is on the MLB roster after a tough spring, and he's throwing strikes. When he does that, his plus sinker/slider combination is a handful for hitters. In 15.2 innings he has a 2.87 ERA and an even better 2.17 xERA and 2.52 FIP. The 26-year-old is becoming a valuable member of the bullpen and is under team control through the 2031 season.

Izzi has made 12 starts this year for the Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles. The 22-year-old has a 4.47 ERA in 54 innings pitched. At first glance that may seem mediocre, but the average ERA for the Texas league is 5.04.

Hodgetown is considered a hitters park even within that league, so Izzi has a 76 ERA- (ERA minus) once park factors taken into account.

July 26, 2025

Traded Randal Grichuk to the Kansas City Royals. Received RHP Andrew Hoffmann.

Apr 28, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Andrew Hoffmann (56) delivers a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers in the sixth inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Hoffman is a tall righty with a plus changeup and mid 90's fastball. Struggles with control have lead to a 7.58 ERA in 19 big league innings for the D-backs last year and this. He was optioned to Triple-A not long ago, and has since has ended up on the MiLB injured list with a shoulder injury.

Hoffmann is 26 years old and it's not too late to become an effective reliever. The stuff is there, but he'll have to overcome health and control issues.

July 31,2025

Traded Merrill Kelly to the Texas Rangers. Received LHP Mitch Bratt (minors), LHP Kohl Drake (minors) and RHP David Hagaman (minors).

Feb 18, 2026; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Mitch Bratt (60) poses for a photo for MLB media day at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images | Allan Henry-Imagn Images

Bratt has emerged as one of, if not the top-performing pitching prospect in the organization. He has a 2.84 ERA in the Pacific Coast League, which averages 5.49. Reno is also a hitter's paradise, even in the PCL. Bratt's FIP doesn't quite match, at 4.17. But his park- and league-adjusted ERA- (48) and 73 FIP- are outstanding.

Bratt throws just a 90-91 MPH fastball, but also throws a slider, curve, and cutter. He has plus command on all of them. He's still just in his age-22 season, but pitches mature beyond his years.

Drake was considered a stuff guy, and was ranked the highest among pitchers brought in at the time of the trade. But his velocity has dipped significantly, and the results have not been pretty. Drake has a 7.38 ERA and 6.38 FIP in 14 starts, 54 innings for Reno. This is on top of a 9.18 ERA in 17 innings for Reno last year. Now 25 years old, it may be time to consider a conversion to reliever.

Hagaman impressed at High-A Hillsboro last year, posting a 3.15 ERA in 20 innings. That included a 27 strikeouts to just four walks. He was sent to the Arizona Fall League, but was not as effective there, and so far this year has struggled with walks.

In 31 innings for Hillsboro Hagaman has an impressive 40 strikeouts, but has issued 22 free passes. His ERA is 4.06, which is still better than league average, as indicated by 87 ERA-. But the FIP is 4.96.

These are typical growing pains for a young pitcher, and Hagaman is just 23. But he'll need to throw more strikes to be a viable starting option going forward.

Traded Eugenio Suárez to the Seattle Mariners. Received RHP Hunter Cranton (minors), RHP Juan Burgos and 1B Tyler Locklear.

Sep 1, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first base Tyler Locklear (28) in the second inning during the game between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images

Cranton has a big-time fastball, but just hasn't been healthy. He's pitched just 1.1 innings in 2026 for the Reno Aces.

Burgos was called up late in 2025 to the Diamondbacks, but gave up six earned runs on 10 hits, six walks and two homers in 6.2 innings of work. In 27.1 innings for Reno he has a 6.91 ERA and 6.61 FIP. He's allowed five homers as well.

Locklear was given some run last year to take over first base, but only hit .175 with three homers in 116 PA. His season ended after a collision at first base, injuring both his shoulder and elbow. Those injuries required surgery, and Locklear missed all of Cactus League play.

He's since rehabbed and been playing for Reno. He's batting .285 with thee homers and a .754 OPS. His wRC+ is just 87, or about 13% worse than league average.

Traded Shelby Miller and Jordan Montgomery to the Milwaukee Brewers. Received cash considerations in lieu of player to be named later.

Jun 30, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Shelby Miller (18) throws in the ninth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

This was a straight salary dump by the Diamondbacks. Miller had injured his elbow earlier in the year while with Arizona. He pitched briefly for Milwaukee but ultimately went back on the iL and end up getting Tommy John Surgery.

Montgomery had Tommy John surgery early in 2025, and signed with the Chicago Cubs during the offseason. He is currently rehabbing and is targeting an August return.

Summary

While expectations for returns should always be tempered when trading players on expiring contracts, it's a very mixed bag for Mike Hazen. But it does look like they have a useful reliever in Garcia and some good depth at starting pitching with Bratt. The rest of the returns have been underwhelming or worse.

Perhaps Arizona Diamondbacks On SI publisher Alex D'Agostino summarized it best on the X platform.

I am firmly of the belief that buying controllable players is significantly more helpful toward future contention than picking up middling prospects whose future viability depends entirely on their development.

Selling never works as well as people think.

— Alex D’Agostino (@AlexDagAZ) June 17, 2026

The 2026 Trade Deadline is on August 3.