Diamondbacks Calling Up New Pitching Prospect to Replace Ryne Nelson

For at least one start, the Diamondbacks have a Ryne Nelson fill-in.

Arizona Diamondbacks spring training cap at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick near Scottsdale on Feb. 20, 2024. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Arizona Diamondbacks seem to know who will take Ryne Nelson's scheduled start for Sunday afternoon's Father's Day matchup with the Minnesota Twins.

According to multiple reports, including MLB.com's Steve Gilbert, Arizona is expected to start right-handed pitching prospect Jose Cabrera on Sunday in what will be his MLB debut.

I expect Jose Cabrera will start for the @Dbacks tomorrow.

— Steve Gilbert (@SteveGilbertMLB) June 20, 2026

Cabrera was initially listed as the Aces' starter for their Friday night matchup with El Paso, but was scratched for right-hander Bryce Jarvis.

Of course, Cabrera's debut comes at the price of Nelson suffering an injury. Nelson was placed on the 15-Day IL Friday with a strained flexor. He'll be re-evaluated in 4-6 weeks, and may not return until September, if at all.

But for now, Arizona will get a chance to see one of its promising young pitching prospects in action for the first time on a major league mound.

Diamondbacks to start Jose Cabrera Sunday

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

Cabrera has risen steadily through the ranks of the D-backs' minor league system since he was signed by Arizona as an international free agent back in 2021. He's climbed from the Dominican Summer League all the way up to his Triple-A promotion just 18 days ago.

The 24-year-old righty has a 3.69 ERA across both Double-A Amarillo and Triple-A Reno. Both of those clubs reside in extremely offense-heavy environments, so these results are more than just solid.

Cabrera has only made three starts for the Aces thus far since his promotion, and has looked sharp in all three appearances. He most recently tossed six innings of scoreless baseball on June 13, striking out six and allowing only three hits in the process.

He's got a relatively deep arsenal, with a fastball-sinker combo that can climb up around 94-95 MPH at its peak. He also relies on a mid-80s changeup, with a slider and hard-biting cutter. He's been an intriguing arm for some time, despite not ranking among Arizona's top 30 prospects via MLB Pipeline.

As of this writing, it is not yet clear whether the Diamondbacks intend to insert Cabrera permanently (pending results, of course) into the rotation, or if he will serve as a stopgap until right-hander Brandon Pfaadt is stretched back out to starting length. Arizona may also dip back into the Reno rotation if needed.

There is a strong possibility Arizona will need Cabrera multiple turns through the rotation as well, as right-hander Michael Soroka was also placed on the 15-day IL on Saturday with a left glute strain.