The Outfield Paradox Helping Turn Ryan Waldschmidt Into Top Defender

Often, a remarkable outfield catch resides in paradox. The athleticism of a contorted snag comes juxtaposed against analytical data that suggests the player made it a more difficult event than was necessary, based on his first steps.

Arizona Diamondbacks rookie outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt is somewhat of a personification of that paradox. And yet, in his small sample of playing time, his defensive metrics have jumped from deep in the negatives to positives across the board.

Waldschmidt's Defensive Runs Saved measurement has leapt to +4. His Range (Outs Above Average) is +2. His Fielding Run Value leads the group at +5; even his arm value (+3) is in the top 6% of MLB — an anomaly among Diamondbacks outfielders.

So, how is that? In part, it's because of that self-inflicted difficulty spike.

Ryan Waldschmidt on his defensive improvements

Jul 31, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder Ryan Waldschmidt (15) catches a fly ball during the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The generalized hinge point in outfield defensive prowess is the jump. A perfect first step in an outfielder's route can bury a five-star catch's outward-facing difficulty. In the same light, a poor outset can force an acrobatic lunge on a ball with a sky-high catch probability.

Waldschmidt said that first step is of the utmost importance to Arizona outfield coach Dave McKay.

"We really prioritize first step jump here," Waldschmidt said. "We get a paperback every day grading on our first step from the day before. That's something I've definitely been working on throughout the entire year, being caught up early. ... And then, at the end of it, it's just going all out, not being afraid to dive or not being afraid to jump into the wall."

Waldschmidt said that, in the past, he would try to react on time — timing his jump based on the bat making contact with the ball. Now, he's bumped up that internal clock. Early is on time.

"Same thing as hitting: if you think you're on time, you're probably late," he said. "If you think you're early, you're probably on time. ... It's just trying to be early when it comes to being ready for the pitch, and then you're going to be on time when the bat's making contact. I think that is the one adjustment I've kind of made as a defender."

And so, in the process, Waldschmidt can make a "poor" jump work in his favor — covering more ground as a result of beginning his route earlier.

"When you're trying to get your first step as quick as possible, you've got to make a decision right away," he said. "So when you make that decision initially right away, that might be a step in the wrong direction.

"Yeah, you could sit on the ball for a second, and then your first step will be... 1.2, 1.3 [seconds] and you get to the ball. But if you made up .6, one step in, the make-up time is the same as if you were to have just sat on the ball.

"From the naked eye, it could look like, 'oh, that was a terrible read.' But in reality, your reaction time was elite, so you were able to make up the ground. And to have an elite reaction time, you have to make a decision pretty quick."

Aug 1, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Ryan Waldschmidt (15) catches a fly ball for an out during the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This paradigm shift and ensuing defensive improvement are another bullet point in the lengthy resume of McKay, who is known as one of the elite outfield coaches in the industry.

Waldschmidt said McKay's intensity and attention to minute detail is unlike anything else he'd experienced in his baseball life.

"This is an elite standard," the 23-year-old said. "If you can't take this criticism sometimes, then I don't think you're in the right profession or around the right people. So I think it's great.

"It's opportunity to be better every time and be held accountable because I might have made a great play, and you look at the thing, and it's like, 'Oh, that was kind of a slow jump. You might have been able to catch it on your feet.'

"I think if you have that kind of growth mindset and you're willing to learn and be coached, I don't think there's anyone better," Waldschmidt said.

And in the spirit of paradoxical improvement, the fact is Waldschmidt's jump metrics still show room for growth.

According to Statcast, he grades out -0.1 below average in reaction time and -0.6 feet below average in overall distance covered. And yet, he's posting high-level wholesale defensive metrics.

There is a defensive ceiling for Waldschmidt that still sits well above the positive values he's provided as a rookie. It speaks to both McKay's coaching prowess and Waldschmidt's ability to learn and grow at the rapid pace that earned him a No. 1 prospect ranking and a lightning-fast journey to major league success.

The best is yet to come.

Add us as a preferred source on Google