The D-backs Prospect That Could Help Fans Forget About Daniel Eagen

The Diamondbacks will not be without intriguing pitching prospects.

Arizona Diamondbacks pitching prospect David Hagaman at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Arizona. | Jack Sommers.

When the Arizona Diamondbacks traded for St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar at the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline, the excitement was muted among fans, in no small part due to the price.

Right-handed starting pitcher Daniel Eagen, who was the Diamondbacks' No. 5 prospect at the time of the deal, had been an arm that caught the eye of many prospect-interested fans. His 2.49 ERA in High-A Hillsboro during 2025 and his 109 strikeouts over 87.1 innings in Double-A Amarillo this season certainly stood out prior to his trade to St. Louis.

But once he departed the Diamondbacks' system, Arizona promoted another highly-anticipated pitching prospect to Amarillo to take Eagen's place. This arm's successful Double-A debut could very well kick-start of a new brand of hope for the future of the Diamondbacks' rotation.

Diamondbacks' David Hagaman makes strong Sod Poodles debut

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 | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Right-hander David Hagaman joined the Diamondbacks' organization at the 2025 Deadline. He was part of the trio of starting pitchers who came over in the deal that sent veteran righty Merrill Kelly to the Texas Rangers.

Since that deal, both Kohl Drake and Mitch Bratt — the other two arms involved — have made their major league debuts. They were both ahead of Hagaman in their development path.

But Hagaman is now the highest-ranked pitching prospect in the organization. He slots in at No. 3 overall. And his first taste of action with the Amarillo Sod Poodles was quite encouraging, especially for a debut.

Hagaman pitched five innings on Friday night. He allowed two runs — one earned — on six hits and three walks, but the 23-year-old righty racked up an eye-popping 10 strikeouts.

He's been a strikeout-heavy arm for the entirety of his minor league journey. Hagaman struck out 27 batters in his first 20 innings in Arizona's organization, and had punched out 86 over 70.1 innings for the Hillsboro Hops to open 2026.

He held a 3.03 ERA at the High-A level in a pitcher-friendly Northwest League, but the challenge of Double-A might come with some bumps. The Texas League is nearly as volatile as the Pacific Coast League these days; the average ERA is 5.01.

Often, a highly-successful pitching prospect making the jump from High-A to Double-A in Arizona's system is met with a harsh welcome. Such was the case with Eagen, who held a 4.95 ERA with the Sod Poodles in 2026 despite his 2025 brilliance.

Hagaman is still a long way off from contributing to Arizona's major league club, but his debut provides plenty of hope that he could develop into a pitcher worthy of his No. 3 ranking, and help erase the pan of parting with an arm like Eagen at the Deadline.