The Diamondbacks' No. 2 Prospect is Getting a Well-Deserved Promotion

The Arizona Diamondbacks' No. 2 prospect has been tearing up the California League this season, and he's getting a well-deserved promotion as a result.

Shortstop Kayson Cunningham, who the Diamondbacks selected with their first-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft (18th overall), has been promoted from Class-A Visalia to High-A Hillsboro, according to the transaction log on his MiLB player page.

It's exceptionally clear he has nothing left to prove at the Low-A level, and he'll move on to the next step in his journey through Arizona's minor league system.

Cunningham has been posting numbers with the Rawhide that, at times, have felt difficult to believe. Even considering the low level, he's held an OPS close to 1.000 for most of the season.

Let's take a look at those numbers:

Diamondbacks' Kayson Cunningham destroying Class-A pitching

Visalia Rawhide's Kayson Cunningham watches his hit sail into the outfield against Fresno Grizzlies on Friday, April 3, 2026. | Ron Holman / Visalia Times-Delta / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cunningham's slash line over the course of his first 43 games in Visalia goes beyond the normal signs of a necessary promotion. The 19-year-old infielder hit to an astounding .381/.471/.506, with a .977 OPS and 16 extra-base hits.

He had only one home run in those 43 games, but collected 11 doubles and four triples. There's clearly some power in his bat, and he has enough speed to capitalize on well-struck balls.

Not only was he finding success when making contact with the ball, Cunningham only recorded 38 strikeouts in 207 Class-A plate appearances. That translates to roughly an 18.4% strikeout rate, with 30 walks (a 14.5% walk rate) to go along with it.

Though Cunningham does not possess the most imposing frame, standing at 5-foot-10, he's looked like the typical profile of a D-backs draft selection — above-average contact, speed and overall plate discipline. He fits that description nearly perfectly.

Kayson Cunningham has been on FIRE down in Single-A.

"He is hitting ropes from wall to wall." pic.twitter.com/7SiYYfgeQv
— Snakes Territory (@SnakesTerritory) June 9, 2026

Cunningham will head to the Northwest League in Hillsboro, which may present him a bit of a challenge.

He'll be younger than the average batter (22.4 by nearly three years, and the Northwest League is notoriously more of a pitcher-friendly environment than some of Arizona's other affiliate stops. Cunningham will join fellow top-five prospect and outfielder Slade Caldwell, who is of a similar age and batter profile, but struggling to a .680 OPS for the Hops.

Cunningham is currently Arizona's No. 2 prospect, but he seems destined to take over the No. 1 spot sooner than later. Once current No. 1 Ryan Waldschmidt — who does not appear to be headed back to the minor leagues anytime soon — graduates from prospect status, that title should be Cunningham's, barring intense struggles at his newest level.

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