Position Player of the Year: Ryan Waldschmidt
After taking high school outfielder Slade Caldwell with the 29th overall pick, the Arizona Diamondbacks would be able to make a selection just two picks later, after being awarded an extra draft pick from Corbin Carroll winning the 2023 NL Rookie of the Year award. With that extra pick, they decided to go with a right handed hitting outfielder out of the University of Kentucky, Ryan Waldschmidt. After signing with the Dbacks, Waldschmidt would be assigned
to A level Visalia and play 14 games there. In those 14 games he’d go 12-44 with 15 walks and just 9 strikeouts., with a triple slash line of .273/.485/.318, a .422 wOBA and a 142 wRC+.
In 2025, Waldschmidt hasn’t missed a stride. In his 68 games with the A+ Level Hillsboro Hops, he’s hit .268/.415/.447 with 13 doubles, a triple, 9 homeruns, 10 stolen bases, and a .401 wOBA (weighted On Base Average) and a 142 wRC+. Waldy also had three outfield assists while playing left field for the Hops, with no errors. After being promoted to the AA level Amarillo Sod Poodles, Waldschmidt hit .309/.423/.498 with 19 stolen bases, 14 doubles, three triples, and nine HRs, good for a .423 wOBa and a 145 wRC+. He also grabbed two more outfield assists from left field, along with a third from right, while continuing his error-free play in Amarillo. In 134 games altogether in 2025, Waldschmidt hit .289/.419/.473 with 27 doubles, four triples, 18 HRs, 29 stolen bases, a .412 wOBa and 143 wRC+. Extrapolating those numbers to a full 162 game season, and we’re talking about an outfielder with 20+ HR power and 35+ stolen bases.
Based on Waldschmidt’s consistent progression and results at each level, I don’t think its unreasonable to expect Waldschmidt to be called up early enough to qualify for the prospect promotion incentive. Waldschmidt has gotten better after each promotion, and is easily the most impressive outfield prospect I’ve seen since, well, Corbin Carroll. If he’s not called up early on, I’d then expect instead for the Dbacks to try and keep his rookie status intact for the 2027 season. Regardless, that all depends on what Dbacks GM Mike Hazen does this offseason. If Waldschmidt has a scorching hot spring, I would consider rolling the dice and have him skip AAA, but I think it’s safe to safe to say that Hazen won’t be considering that this spring.
Pitcher of the Year RHP Daniel Eagen
76 picks after Waldschmidt was taken in the 2024 draft, Daniel Eagen was selected by the Diamondbacks out of Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina. Unlike Waldy, Eagen did not make his pro debut until 2025, but like Waldschmidt started the year in High A level Hillsboro. Eagen started 19 games and pitched 97 ⅔ innings with a 2.49 ERA, 54 ERA-(100 is average, lower is better), 2.97 FIP, 3.27 xFIP, with a monstrous 34.1% strikeout percentage vs a 10.6% walk percentage.
The only real speedbump Eagen has faced in his pro career is his less than stellar results in his four games in AA. In 19.2 innings he’s put up a 5.49 ERA, 114 ERA-, 6.30 FIP, and 4.21 xFIP. His numbers would look even worse if we excluded his AA debut, when he pitched 7⅔ scoreless innings while striking out eight, with just a pair of hits and a walk. I’d do the math on those last three games but I’m far too lazy, so somone let me know what his stats are for his last three games.
I’d expect Eagen to begin 2026 back in AA. Considering the many, many pitchers coming of the injured list over the course of the next season, I wouldn’t expect Eagen to be called up until September at the earliest, unless it’s for a random spot start. The more than likely scenario is that we won’t see him until mid-2027.
Do you agree or disagree with Ryan Waldchmidt as the Dbacks MILB Position Player of the year, or with Daniel Eagen as the D’Backs MILB Pitcher of the Year? Who do you think are the runner ups? Leave your thoughts in the comment section down below!
