The Diamondbacks announced several roster moves in advance of tonight’s Rule 5 protection deadline. One of them was the previously reported acquisition of reliever Carlos Vargas from the Guardians. They also added infielder Blaze Alexander, outfielders Jorge Barrosa and Dominic Fletcher, as well as righty Justin Martinez to the 40-man roster. In corresponding moves, they designated four players for assignment: infielder Sergio Alcántara, left-hander Caleb Smith and outfielders Stone Garrett and Jordan Luplow.
Alcántara had two separate stints on the Arizona roster this past season, with a brief stay in San Diego intervening. He bounced around the waiver wire on the strength of his glove at shortstop. He didn’t provide much offensively, however, putting up a .220/.261/.356 line in 224 trips to the plate. That’s fairly similar to the .205/.303/.327 showing he had in 2021 as a member of the Cubs.
Garrett and Luplow each played similar roles in the desert, serving as right-handed complements to a primarily left-handed outfield. Garrett had more success, posting a .276/.309/.539 showing with four home runs and eight doubles in his first 27 MLB games. That came with a 3:27 walk-to-strikeout ratio, and Arizona’s front office clearly wasn’t bullish on his chances of replicating that kind of success. Garrett joined the organization on a minor league deal but had a decent season at Triple-A Reno and could find some interest on the waiver wire.
The Snakes acquired Luplow in a trade with the Rays last offseason. They’d hoped he could replicate his career track record of success against left-handed pitching, but the veteran outfielder didn’t meet those expectations. Through 234 plate appearances, he posted a .176/.274/.361 line, although he did connect on 11 round-trippers. That wasn’t enough to convince Arizona to keep him around on a projected $2MM arbitration salary, making today’s DFA something of an early non-tender.
That’s also true of Smith, who’d been projected for a $2.7MM salary for his final year of club control. The 31-year-old southpaw pitched 44 times and soaked up 70 innings out of the bullpen this year, posting a 4.11 ERA. He was diagnosed with a ligament tear in his throwing elbow after the season but is electing to rehab without surgery. A former starter with the Yankees and Marlins, Smith had spent the past two and a half years in Arizona.
Taking their places on the roster are Vargas, Alexander, Barrosa, Fletcher and Martinez. Alexander may be the most notable of the group. An 11th-round selection out of a Florida academy in 2018, he had an excellent season for Double-A Amarillo. In 363 plate appearances, the right-handed hitting infielder posted a .306/.388/.539 line with 17 home runs, earning a late-season bump to Reno. He’s played all throughout the infield and has an excellent arm. Baseball America considers him the #15 prospect in the Arizona system.
Fletcher went 75th overall out of the University of Arkansas in the 2019 draft. A lefty-hitting outfielder, he split the year between the D-Backs’ top two affiliates. Fletcher, the younger brother of Angels infielder David Fletcher, combined for a .312/.378/.486 showing with 35 doubles over 591 plate appearances. He can cover all three outfield spots and is the #14 prospect in the system according to BA.
Barrosa checks in 22nd on that list. He’s a switch-hitter who only struck out in 15.7% of his plate appearances with Amarillo this year. The 21-year-old from Venezuela stole 22 bases and hit .276/.374/.438 while playing primarily center field for the Sod Poodles. Martinez, a native of the Dominican Republic, returned from injury to work as a reliever this year. He traversed three minor league levels, topping out at Triple-A.
Stone Garrett looks like Ron Gant reincarnated. I only saw a few games but was impressed every time he swung the bat and then for some reason he would sit the next two games. I get that AZ has a bunch of young OFers but this guy seemed like he had potential
That’s how the Lovullo does it. Sits his players when they’re hot, starts them when they’re on a cold streak. As long as their defensive metrics say they’re good in the field the hot bats sit. I’m sure he’s pissed he can’t start Alcantara anymore. He was a big fan of his .150 ba and .200 slg.
I will admit that I am not a D-backs fan, but why drop Stone Garrett?
I’m wondering the same thing. I’ve seen a ton of articles (even on here) including him with the Diamondbacks’ other high ceiling outfielders, and he hit pretty well over a decent sample size this year.
It’s hard to argue for him being more of a long-term answer than Varsho/McCarthy/Thomas/Carroll, but I’d have to imagine someone else would have gladly taken him. Someone will probably trade for him before he even makes it to waivers.
They are stacked in the OF. Garret is just not as well regarded as the others. They are hoping to sneak him through waivers and park him in Reno. That isn’t going to happen. Somebody will scoop him up and the Snakes will probably get something in return. White Sox probably will be sniffing around.
Stone Garrett is going to be a steal for someone. That’s a surprising DFA.
They HAVE to have deal in place for him, right? They are not this stupid (right?).
Honestly shocking to see Garrett cut. I get they have a OF glut, but still.
Yes, Garrett, had a great year at AAA, earning All Star honors, and yes he got off to a blistering hot start, but in the last month of the season Stone was an automatic out. As were all of the right handed bats that played against the left handed starters and relievers thrown at the Dbacks in September. The entire crew, Stone, Luplow, Rivera, Alcantara were automatic outs. Left handed pitching was the Dback’s nightmare in 2022. Along with the bullpen, the Dbacks need to tear down and completely rebuild the right handed lineup. That is why Stone was cut. Nice guy. Hope someone picks him up but he is a below replacement level OF.
🙁
I know Suffer, you’re in mourning for Stone, whom you have supported from Day 1.
Sorry.
I am most surprised that the Dbacks didn’t protect Connor Grammes from the Rule 5 He might be selected as a bullpen piece. That’s exactly what the Dbacks need. I guess the Dbacks don’t consider Grammes quite ready and the Dbacks are pushing to compete for the playoffs in 2023.
Grammes struggled in High-A this year after recovering from Tommy John surgery. Has high octane stuff but can’t get it into the strike zone enough. He’s one of those guys who will vault quickly towards the big leagues, like Justin Martinez this year, if he can ever find the zone.
Stone Garrett in his first call up was batting .390 average and slugging .690 then the Dbacks decided to use him mainly as a DH and play him inconsistently. For a player just being called up it’s hard to get a rhythm batting when you’re not playing. When called up he was leading all AAA with 28 homers and 95 RBIs. Looking at his AAA numbers he was just as good against lefties and righties, that’s a Dbacks thing of not allowing hitters to hit against opposite pitchers, so not sure how the other Dbacks hitters will ever develop. Scottaz you have never said anything positive about Stone Garrett and look forward to you mentioning when the other Dbacks young outfielders went on long hitting struggles like most hitters do at some point.. Stone had very good numbers a .276 avg and .848 OPS in 76 ABS. Let’s hope he continues to ball elsewhere.
Oops,
Garrett hit .407 in August
He hit .242 in September
And .000 in October
His batting average dropped from a high of .424 on September 12 down to .301 by the end of September. So in less than 3 weeks, his batting average dropped 123 points.
He was flailing away at pitches out of the zone and striking out at an alarming rate. He made zero adjustments when pitchers made adjustments to the way they pitched him and exposed his weaknesses. He had no answers. The book on Stone is that you don’t need to get him out, he gets himself out. He is a one season wonder in AAA who failed in the bigs. That makes him the poster child for a AAAA player.
Stone should get claimed by someone.