D-backs Top 40 Prospects in 2024: No. 4 Ryan Waldschmidt

Waldschmidt has a chance to be an impact player in the D-backs system next year in his first full professional season

Jun 8, 2024; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt (21) steals third base during the seventh inning against the Oregon State Beavers at Kentucky Proud Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

This article is part of a series reviewing the seasons of the top 40 prospects still in the Arizona Diamondbacks system as of the end of 2024.

Ryan Waldschmidt, RHB, Outfielder, DOB: 10/07/2002, 6'2, 205

Acquired: PPI, Pick 31 Overall of 2024 MLB Draft

With the Corbin Carroll Rookie of Year pick thanks to the Prospect Promotion Incentive, the Arizona Diamondbacks selected a college outfielder in Ryan Waldschmidt. The Kentucky Wildcat helped lead his team to the College World Series for the first time while serving as perhaps the best hitter and player on the team.

At Kentucky this year, Waldschmidt slashed .359/.482/.657 with 14 homers, 24 stolen bases, a 15.5% strikeout rate, and a 13.5% walk rate in 54 games in the intense SEC.

He was the 23rd ranked player in the draft and had a shot to go much higher than 31 thanks to his elite contact skills, 55-grade hit tool, 55-grade power and the speed to be a future 20/20 player in MLB.

D-backs Amateur Scouting Director Ian Rebhan spoke on Ryan Waldschmidt and why they drafted him below.

"He doesn't swing-and-miss, he hits for power, he doesn't expand the zone, he performed in the best conference in college baseball, but you also have the scouting group that loved the kid and got to know him well and liked the player, the bat, the power, and all the ways he can impact the game so I would say that was just a really good blend of everybody involved in the process."

To find out more about why the team drafted Waldschmidt and what Arizona sees in him, be sure to read this article.

With such a successful year in college and after the team signed him to a bonus of $2,904,000, it was not a surprise that Arizona had him skip the Arizona Complex League and go straight to Single-A. He finished the year with the Visalia Rawhide.

Albeit, he did only get into 14 games before suffering a pulled hamstring that ended his season with roughly a week or so of games to go.

But, that small 14-game sample might've been enough to prove to the Diamondbacks organization that he's ready to move up to the next level.

Over that cup of coffee, Waldschmidt hit .273/.485/.318 with an OPS of .803. While the slugging was down, albeit in a tough offensive environment, he had 12 hits, seven RBI, and four stolen bases.

His mastery of the strike-zone was on full showing too as he walked an eye-popping 15 times and struck out just nine times. He was simply not over-matched by Single-A pitchers. His wRC+ was a terrific 142 which shows that there isn't much more for him to do there.

2025 Outlook

As mentioned above, aside from showing more power ability in Single-A, there isn't much left for Ryan Waldschmidt to accomplish there. Excelling against inferior competition will not help a player develop or grow.

That's why there's a good chance that he gets moved up to High-A to start 2025 or will be up there soon after Opening Day. High-A and it's even tougher offensive environment would provide a stronger challenge for him to develop his power and contact skills.

Either way, he's likely to spend most of 2025 with the Hillsboro Hops with the potential for a late-season cameo with the Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles depending upon how he does next year.

If he excels, the Arizona Diamondbacks could be aggressive to move the left fielder up the levels since he's a proven college bat that should have less polishing needing to be done. Expect to see Waldschmidt have a chance to make his Chase Field debut near the end of the 2026 season or earlier if he excels at each level.

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