Arizona Diamondbacks — 2017 Offseason Roster Overview
By Joseph Jacquez
On Sunday afternoon, the Arizona Diamondbacks ended their 2016 season with a walk-off victory.
Now, the off-season begins for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Within the recent past, Ken Kendrick, the club’s General Managing Partner, and team President and CEO Derrick Hall began the process to evaluate the organization. In the coming days, decisions on retaining General Manager Dave Stewart and Tony La Russa, the team’s Chief Baseball Officer, could become clearer.
On September 23, Hall appeared on local radio and discussed this subject.
"“It’s something that will happen relatively quickly after the season,” said Hall. “I mean, we decided — along with ownership — that they wanted to wait until after the season, I understand why, and there is a thorough process going on, which is great, but I think whether it’s still going to be Tony here, whether it’s going to be Stew here, the decision has to be made quickly for them because they’ve got a lot of plans.”"
Going forward, here’s is a detailed overview of the Diamondbacks’ roster.
Guaranteed Contracts (4)
SP Zack Greinke – 2017 Salary: $34,000,000
LF/RF Yasmany Tomas – 2017 Salary: $9,500,000
1B Paul Goldschmidt – 2017 Salary: $8,850,000
CF A.J. Pollock – 2017 Salary: $6,750,000
The direction this franchise takes in the coming years starts with Zack Greinke. If the Diamondbacks believe their window of contention is still open, the commitment to Greinke will remain.
However, if the Diamondbacks decide to go in a different direction, the presumed path to success could be altered. If La Russa and Stewart are dismissed, the new management team could try and move Greinke and his contract.
First baseman Paul Goldschmidt is signed through the 2018 season. The Diamondbacks could exercise an existing option on Goldschmidt for the 2019 season. Given the maladies of the past few seasons, many believe Goldschmidt deserves to play for a winner.
Outfielder Yasmany Tomas is under contract for the next three seasons, with player options for 2019 and 2020. Tomas has a clause which enables him to opt-out of his contract after four years. For the 2017 season, this would be Tomas’s third year with Arizona. Many believe the Diamondbacks may try and ship Tomas to the American League and a potential role as a Designated Hitter
Under Team Control (16)
SS Nick Ahmed
SP Robbie Ray
3B Jake Lamb
2B Phill Gosselin
INF/OF Brandon Drury
RP Zack Godley
As restricted free agents, these players can only sign with the Diamondbacks. The majority of these players will make the minimum salary.
When the Consumer Price Index number, for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, from October is known, Major League Baseball will announce the minimum salary for 2017. Cost of living increases pushed the minimum from $500,000 in 2014 to $507,500 in 2015 and it remained the same this past season.
Pre-arbitration players can negotiate their salary. In order to avoid arbitration and free agent years, teams can work out a long-term extension. The Diamondbacks did this with Goldschmidt in March, 2013.
Free Agents (2)
RP Daniel Hudson
OF Rickie Weeks Jr.
The morning after the World Series ends, all players eligible for free agency automatically become free agents.
This year, the group includes two members of the 2016 Diamondbacks, Daniel Hudson and Rickie Weeks Jr.
On several occasions, Hudson expressed interest in returning to Arizona. After he won the final game of the season over San Diego, Hudson was asked how he felt. This was a reference to a question about the possibility to pitching his final game for Arizona. Emotional, and tears streaming down his face, he respectfully told the interviewer, “I’m sorry, I can’t continue.”
Hudson and Weeks Jr. likely will not receive the one-year $15.8 million qualifying offer. Normally, when a team offers this deal, they believe the player is worth more than that amount on the open market.
If a player declines the qualifying offer, the team receives a compensatory draft pick between the first and second rounds of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft.
Arbitration Eligible (9)
2B Jean Segura
SP/RP Patrick Corbin
SS Chris Owings
C Chris Herrmann
C Tuffy Gosewisch
Currently, the Diamondbacks have $60 million on the books for 2017. The team ended the season with a $103,372,186 payroll.
Let’s assume that Miller, Owings, De La Rosa, Castillo and Segura earn salary raises. That would leave the Diamondbacks with little money to spend on free agents.
Arizona avoided arbitration with all seven eligible players last season. They signed six players to one-year deals, and A.J. Pollock to a two-year deal.
Next: Arizona Diamondbacks End Season in Walk-Off Fashion
As well, the Snakes still owe Josh Collmenter, now with the Atlanta Braves, $150,000 in 2017.