D-backs Dylan Ray Back on Track Following Spring Breakout Performance

The right-hander was impressive in the prospect showcase, and his stuff is back up following an offseason of rest.

Arizona Diamondbacks pitching prospect Dylan Ray fist bumps teammates in dugout after Arizona Fall League outing at Salt River Fields Oct 8. 2024 / MLBTW.net Hung-Cheng Li

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitching prospect Dylan Ray got the ball to begin the Spring Breakout game against the Kansas City Royals prospects this past Friday. That was quite a statement from the organization, reiterating how important Ray is as part of the next wave of starting pitching to come along over the next couple of years.

He plowed through the Royals lineup, needing just 25 pitches to get through two innings. He gave up one hit, struck out two, and didn't walk a batter. He mixed his entire arsenal, throwing the four seamer, slider, changeup and curveball.

The fastball topped out at 95 MPH, averaging 93.5. All of the breaking stuff was sharp, as he kept hitters off balance. It was a short outing, as the D-backs needed to showcase numerous other pitchers, but it was impressive nonetheless. Speaking after the outing, Ray was pleased with how things went and how his spring is going overall.

"I think I've made some strides, I feel good. Throwing every pitch across the plate right now. It feels good to be able to do that, especially early on in spring training. Sometimes it takes a little bit to get going. I feel like I'm in a comfortable spot to begin the season, and keep the momentum going."

Ray was taken by the Diamondbacks in the fourth round of the 2022 draft following a good showing in the Cape Cod league. He'd missed much of his college career at Alabama due to Tommy John Surgery in 2020. But the D-backs took a chance on him. Speaking at the time, Scouting Director Ian Rebhan explained:

"He's a guy that our scouts had a lot of conviction in, in addition to our analysts on our data team. He's a right-hander that's been up to 96 mph. He's relieved at Alabama, but he's got kind of a starter mix -- so intriguing arm upside there. The overall strike quality is really good and we think he's got four pitches." - Scouting director Ian Rebhan, July 2022.

Ray had a very solid season in 2023 at High-A Hillsboro, breaking out with over 11 strikeouts per nine while walking fewer than three. A 3.36 FIP was almost half a run better than his 3.83 ERA.

Promoted to Double-A Amarillo, he got bumped around in his final three starts, 14 innings of the year in that hitter's paradise, posting a 8.36 ERA. Ray still ended up at number nine in the Arizona Diamondbacks On SI top prospects ranking heading into 2023.

Ray suffered forearm tightness in spring last year, and his return to Amarillo was delayed b two months.

He continued to struggle in that environment upon his return. His K/9 dropped to 8.7 while his BB/9 went up to 4.1, all while giving up 16 homers in 70 innings. That resulted in a 5.22 ERA and 5.91 FIP. It's notable that some of those homers might have been unlucky due to the environment, as his xFIP was just 4.26.

Due to the missed time Ray was sent to the Arizona Fall league to make up some innings. He made five starts and posted a 7.62 ERA in 13 innings. He struck out 18, but was hit hard, allowing 18 base hits.

Ray's stuff was down in the fall league. The fastball was in the low 90's, the slider was just not as sharp as it had been in 2023. The 2024 results, and the way he looked in the Fall League cause his ranking to drop to 15 in our top 40. Ray explained the difference between then and now.

"I think it comes down to a couple of things. One, it's the beginning of the season. I was a little worn down last year coming off injury. I had the offseason to recover, I feel fresh, ready to go. The other thing is I switched up a few things mechanics wise, a couple reoriented grips on the fastball and slider. Those have helped out a lot too. So I feel good."

Just as projected by Aaron Hughes, Ray told us he would be heading back to Amarillo to start the year, but don't be surprised if he's one of the first pitchers moved up to Triple-A Reno during the season.

"I don't know how long I'm going to be there. Obviously I don't know how long I'm going to be there, I'm just going to control what I can control and pitch my best. I'm looking forward to it."

The challenge to develop pitchers in Amarillo has long been a topic of conversation. At 3600 feet elevation, Hodgetown is at the highest elevation in the Texas League. Going back there to pitch for the third consecutive season is not something Ray is shying away from though.

"I would say it helps a lot mentally. The biggest thing is you can only control what you can control, you need to execute the next pitch. It's always building off the next pitch. The more pitches you execute, the better you're going to do. Especially in Amarillo you really need to make your pitches count, get ahead in the count, execute with two strikes."

Of course in a park like that you can still get hurt when you do execute your pitches. But Ray has learned to put things into the proper perspective.

"When that does happen, it's not the end of the world. I'll look back at it not from a results oriented standpoint, but more process oriented. Did I execute the pitch, throw it where I wanted it to go. The results take care of themselves at the end of the day."

Ray is a player to watch. Whether he remains a starter, or is ultimately converted to reliever, he has the stuff to get hitters out if he can remain healthy. We'll continue to track his progress in our prospects coverage throughout the year.