D-backs promote top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt and DFA veteran Alek Thomas

PHOENIX (AP) — The struggling Arizona Diamondbacks shook up their roster on Friday, promoting their top prospect, outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt, from Triple-A and designating veteran outfielder Alek Thomas for assignment.

The 23-year-old Waldschmidt was batting .289 with three homers, 22 RBIs and had a .877 OPS at Triple-A Reno. He was the 31st overall pick in the 2024 draft out of Kentucky.

The Diamondbacks entered Friday having lost 11 of 15 to fall to 17-19 this season.

The 26-year-old Thomas was hitting .181 with two homers in 100 plate appearances. The speedy center fielder has been a good defensive player throughout his five-year tenure with the club, but he often struggled at the plate.

He has a .230 career batting average and a .273 on-base percentage.

Thomas had his share of big moments with the club, particularly during the team’s run to the World Series in 2023. He hit four homers during the postseason, including a tying, two-run shot against the Phillies in Game 4 of the NLCS.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

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