Diamondbacks: Former Rookie of the Year Ready to Make an Impact on New Team

After falling out of the Seattle Mariners' long-term plans, 2020 American League Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks over the winter. Lewis has impressed this spring and appears to have landed a spot on the club's Opening Day roster. Lewis hopes to put his last two injury-riddled seasons in the rearview and return to form on his new team in 2023.

Three years ago, Kyle Lewis was named the American League Rookie of the Year. This spring, Lewis had to battle for a roster spot with the Arizona Diamondbacks, but it appears he has earned a spot on the club's Opening Day roster.

Formerly a top prospect and breakout rookie, Lewis fell out of the Seattle Mariners' long-term plans after sustaining a pair of crushing injuries in 2021 and 2022. A knee injury limited Lewis to just 36 games in his sophomore season.

Lewis finally returned to game action in May 2022 and picked up where he left off from 2020, hitting two home runs in four games, before he was struck in the head by a pitch and went into MLB's concussion protocol.

After battling lingering issues with his knee and struggling at the plate following his return, Lewis was sent down to Triple-A, where he spent the remainder of the 2022 season, entirely missing out on the Mariners' first postseason trip since 2001. In November, the Mariners dealt him to the Diamondbacks for Cooper Hummel.

“I was surprised of being traded just because I had never gotten traded before," Lewis said. "I just had to wrap my mind around that. It wasn’t a big shock to the system. It was just kind of like, 'This is a new experience. Try to take it in stride.”

The trade forced Lewis out of his comfort zone, but now he feels at home in Arizona.

"I was super nervous at first, just to switch and meet new people over time, ya know?" Lewis said. "When you meet a whole new group of people, it’s kind of a new experience but after a few days it was cool, once I got to get on the phone with everybody, it was cool. I feel like I fit right in. I'm just trying to be myself and be friendly to everybody. Everybody seems like they all got a good energy. They all play hard and want to be here."

A resurgent spring earned Lewis a spot on the club's Opening Day roster. In 11 Cactus League games, Lewis batted .429 with three home runs, 11 RBI, a .529 On Base Percentage and 1.386 OPS.

Now, Lewis looks forward to embracing whatever role manager Torey Luvollo has for him.

“Honestly I think, anywhere they need me," Lewis said. "I’ll stay ready in the outfield. If they need me to DH. We got some lefty matchups that I might be used in, so things like that. I’ll try to be as versatile as I can and be ready everyday. Some days the team might need a pinch-hit, and that’s me. I don’t know how it’s going to play out. I just know I’m going to show up and give my best.”

Lewis, 27, hopes to turn the page from a disappointing 2022, return to form in 2023, and sustain success beyond the season.

"Obviously my goal is always health," Lewis said. "And then on top of the health I would say getting back to being the type of hitter I want to be: a complete hitter. I think last year I was dealing with some injuries and things where I wasn’t having good balance and stuff. It was hard. Just getting back to that type of hitter. Trying to be a complete hitter. Hit the ball hard and hit it all over the field. Those are my two main goals.”

Lewis hopes to be a key piece for a Diamondbacks club that is looking to turn a corner and put together its first winning season since 2019. The Diamondbacks have not clinched a playoff berth since 2017. Prior to that, the club hadn't appeared in the postseason since 2011.

Now, with a formidable group of promising young players, headlined by top prospect Corbin Carroll, many around the sport believe the Diamondbacks could be a sleeper team that could sneak into the playoffs in 2023.

"We have higher expectations this year," Lewis said. "We want to win a lot of games this year and be competitive all the time. We want to be competitive every day. Until you elevate, you don’t want to set a ceiling. So I don’t like to put ceilings on it as far as team goals, but I think if we go out here and we play hard and play smart, and do the best version of what we can do, I think we got a lot of talent and a lot of intensity.”

The Diamondbacks optioned outfielder Pavin Smith to Triple-A on Sunday, signaling that Lewis has made the Diamondbacks' Opening Day roster.

Lewis should see time in the designated hitter position to open the season, with Alek Thomas, Corbin Carroll, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Jake McCarthy all in the outfield.

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