The Diamondbacks' three main camp battles have been decided. Garrett Hampson will be the utility infielder, José Herrera will be the backup catcher, and Brandon Pfaadt will be the No. 5 starter.
None of these moves should come as a surprise. All three players were the respective favorites to win their competitions, although the backup shortstop was tighter because Ildemaro Vargas made it as close as it could get. Vargas was reassigned to minor league camp and could be gone if he finds an opportunity to play with another club at the major league level. Hampson signed a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks in February with the opportunity to earn a spot on the bench.
Hampson's defensive versatility and impact as a baserunner ultimately won him the job over Vargas despite the latter putting up better numbers this spring. It was that versatility that made him an early favorite to win a spot on the roster.
In addition to being able to back up both middle infield positions and third base, he can also play center field. With Jake McCarthy, a left-handed hitter, the primary starter at the position, heis a natural complement although McCarthy doesn't have a major platoon split. Hampson could start against left-handed pitching a handful of times there.
To make room for him on the 40-man roster, the Diamondbacks placed left-hander Blake Walston on the 60-day injured list. Walston is out for the entire season with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow and will undergo Tommy John surgery.
The other major decision involved the starting rotation. Pfaadt made the most sense to insert in the rotation due to his past track record. From an unsung hero as a rookie during the team's playoff run to the only pitcher who made all of his scheduled starts in 2024, having a dependable pitcher for the No. 5 spot was important.
With Pfaadt winning the fifth starter spot, the question was what would happen with the other pitchers. Jordan Montgomery and Ryne Nelson will open the season in the bullpen, per the Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro.
Brandon Pfaadt will be in the starting rotation. Jordan Montgomery and Ryne Nelson will open the season in the bullpen.
— Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) March 23, 2025
It's unclear which pitcher would be first pushed into the rotation in the event of an injury. Nelson is further stretched out than Montgomery, throwing 52 pitches in his relief outing against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.
For the backup catcher battle, the Diamondbacks had a pair of out-of-options catchers between Herrera and René Pinto. Pinto will be designated for assignment, with the hope that he passes through outright waivers. Herrera will be the backup catcher to start the season for the fourth year in a row.
Another pitcher whose future could be decided soon is Shelby Miller. Miller has an upward mobility clause in his minor league deal that would allow him to be available to the other 29 clubs. However, that will not likely be the case. After pitching to a 2.70 ERA and a 44% strikeout rate this spring, it's much more likely he'll make the Opening Day roster. Pinto's DFA would be the corresponding 40-man roster move.