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Nick Ahmed To Undergo Shoulder Surgery

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Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed has elected to undergo surgery on his ailing right shoulder, manager Torey Lovullo informed reporters (including Theo Mackie of Arizona Central). Lovullo expressed hope Ahmed would be able to return at some point this season.

That the veteran infielder will go under the knife isn’t particularly surprising. He’d headed for a consultation with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, and the team already placed him on the 60-day injured list last week. That combination of factors seemed to hint at a forthcoming procedure, and that’ll indeed come to pass. That Lovullo isn’t ruling out a possible late-season return would seem to indicate it’s not quite as invasive a surgery as some other players have undergone, but any kind of shoulder procedure is obviously notable.

Ahmed’s shoulder has given him problems dating back to 2020. He played through the issue for most of last season but eventually landed on the IL during the final week of the year. Ahmed was still bothered this spring, receiving a pair of cortisone injections and missing the first 15 days of the regular season. He returned to appear in 17 games before being diagnosed with COVID-19, and the shoulder issues again arose during his rehab process.

The 32-year-old is under contract through 2023 under the terms of an extension he signed in February 2020. He’s making $7.875MM this season and will receive a $10.375MM salary next year. The surgery all but rules out the possibility of the D-Backs finding a trade partner for him before this summer’s deadline.

With Ahmed out, the D-Backs have leaned on Geraldo Perdomo as their primary shortstop. The 22-year-old has long been viewed by evaluators as one of the better prospects in the system, and Arizona figures to give him everyday run for the bulk or all of the season with Ahmed out of action. Perdomo, a switch-hitter, owns a .214/.328/.286 line through 181 trips to the plate this year.

Diamondbacks Place Nick Ahmed On 60-Day Injured List

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The D-Backs announced last night that Nick Ahmed has been placed on the 60-day injured list. The club announced his diagnosis as right shoulder inflammation.

Ahmed had been on the COVID-19 list for three weeks, so he hadn’t been occupying a spot on the 40-man roster. He’s apparently recovered from the virus, but his shoulder issue will prevent him from playing for at least a couple months. Rather than designate someone for assignment to clear a 40-man spot, the Diamondbacks simply placed Ahmed on the 60-day IL.

The news doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as the veteran shortstop was recently shut down from his rehab process due to shoulder soreness. He’s set to visit noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache next week to gauge his treatment options, writes Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. If he were forced to go under the knife, Ahmed would almost certainly not return this season. Even if he’s able to pursue a non-surgical rehab course, it doesn’t seem there’s much chance he’ll be in game shape in the foreseeable future.

Ahmed’s right shoulder has given him problems dating back to 2020. He played through the issue for most of last season but eventually landed on the IL during the final week of the year. Ahmed was still bothered this spring, receiving a pair of cortisone injections and missing the first 15 days of the regular season. He returned to appear in 17 games before his COVID diagnosis, and the shoulder issues have again arisen during his rehab process.

The physical limitations seemed to take their toll on Ahmed last year, as he struggled through one of the worst seasons of his career. The Massachusetts native hit only .221/.280/.339 across 473 plate appearances, offense that checked in 36 percentage points below league average by measure of wRC+. Ahmed has always been a glove-first player, but that was easily his worst showing at the plate since 2016.

The 32-year-old is under contract through 2023 under the terms of an extension he signed in February 2020. He’s making $7.875MM this season and will receive a $10.375MM salary next year, a lofty enough sum the D-Backs aren’t likely to find a trade partner while he’s battling shoulder problems.

In Ahmed’s absence, the D-Backs have relied primarily on 22-year-old Geraldo Perdomo at shortstop. The switch-hitter has a .223/.337/.302 line across 164 plate appearances. Perdomo has long been regarded as one of the better prospects in the organization, so the club will probably continue to give him regular run for evaluative and developmental purposes so long as Ahmed is out.

Nick Ahmed To Visit Specialist About Continued Shoulder Soreness

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Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed has battled right shoulder issues for almost two years, and will now consult with Dr. Neal ElAttrache after continued discomfort in Ahmed’s shoulder led to a shutdown in his rehab process.  Ahmed has already been out of action on the COVID-related injury list, but as D’Backs manager Torey Lovullo told The Arizona Republic’s Jose M. Romero and other reporters on Friday, Ahmed’s shoulder was still giving him problems during a recent rehab game.

Noting that Ahmed bounced more than one throw to first base during the game, Lovullo said it “felt like he was trying to gut things out and the shoulder just was not responding.  It was just a little too much for him to handle, the workload.”

A visit to Dr. ElAttrache doesn’t always equal surgery, yet such a decision might be necessary given that Ahmed’s other treatment methods (including two cortisone shots during the offseason) apparently haven’t worked.  The injury has also intermittently lingered for close to two years, though Ahmed didn’t actually go on the IL due to the shoulder problem until late last September.

Never known as a big offensive threat, Ahmed’s .235/.293/.365 slash line over 744 plate appearances since the start of the 2020 season isn’t far off his overall career numbers.  However, Ahmed’s defensive decline is perhaps the greater sign that something is amiss, as Ahmed has +5 Defensive Runs Saved and 0.5 UZR/150 over that same three-season stretch.  While many shortstops would be quite pleased with these numbers, they represent a step back from Ahmed’s superb glovework from 2015-19 (73 DRS, 4.7 UZR/150), a stretch that saw him win Gold Gloves in both 2018 and 2019.

With only 17 games played in 2022, Ahmed’s season could quite possibly be over, if surgery is needed to finally correct his ailing shoulder.  Even in a best-case scenario, it seems like Ahmed will still miss quite a bit more time before he is healthy enough to get back onto the field.  Until Ahmed returns, Geraldo Perdomo will presumably continue to get most of the reps at shortstop, with Jake Hager also getting the occasional playing time.

Looking at the longer-term picture, Ahmed is in the third season of a four-year, $32.5MM contract extension signed prior to the 2020 campaign.  The extension seemed like a solid investment for the D’Backs at the time, given Ahmed’s defensive excellence and the fact that he was coming off one of his better offensive seasons (a 19-homer, 254/.316/.437 campaign in 2019).  While Ahmed still contributed 2.9 total fWAR over the 2020-21 seasons, his injury problems mean that the contract could be chalked up as another of many moves that simply haven’t worked out during two rough seasons for Arizona.

Ahmed is owed roughly $4.9MM for the rest of this season and then $10MM in 2023.  That’s a notable price tag for a player who will be 33 on Opening Day and possibly coming off a lost season, yet Ahmed’s struggles also mean that the Diamondbacks wouldn’t have much luck in trading Ahmed unless they eat much of that salary or swap Ahmed for another player on an undesirable contract.  The likeliest scenario is that the D’Backs just hang onto Ahmed as the bridge to top prospect Jordan Lawlar, who is shredding A-ball pitching but doesn’t turn 20 until July.

Diamondbacks Select Jake Hager

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The D-Backs announced tonight they’ve selected infielder Jake Hager onto the big league roster. Nick Ahmed has been placed on the COVID-19 injured list in a corresponding move.

Hager is up for the first time this season. The righty-hitting utilityman reached the big leagues last year, appearing in 14 games between the Mets and D-Backs. The Snakes outrighted him off their 40-man roster in September, and he reached minor league free agency after the season. Arizona brought him back via non-roster deal, and he’s spent the year with Triple-A Reno.

In 21 games for the Aces, Hager has a .239/.363/.380 line with one home run. He hit .240/.311/.461 in 344 Triple-A plate appearances a season ago. The 29-year-old doesn’t have a great offensive track record in the minors, but he’s played quite a bit of shortstop in his pro career. He’ll give manager Torey Lovullo some middle infield cover while Ahmed’s out.

It’s not clear for how long that’ll be, as the team hasn’t specified whether the shortstop tested positive for the virus. Ahmed, who began the year on the IL because of a right shoulder problem, is hitting .231/.259/.442 with three homers through 17 games. Geraldo Perdomo is getting the start at shortstop tonight against the Dodgers and figures to be the primary option there while Ahmed’s sidelined.

D-Backs Notes: Marte, Ahmed, Luplow

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Ketel Marte will remain in Arizona for quite some time after agreeing to this week’s contract extension. The deal, which exercised his preexisting 2023 and 2024 options, tacked on three more years and gave the Diamondbacks a 2028 club option as well. Zach Buchanan of The Athletic notes that, in total, the new contract gives the D-backs the opportunity to control Marte for another four years at a total of $63MM (although the deal contains various incentives and escalators that can further bolster that price). Marte tells Buchanan and others that he hopes to spend the remainder of his career with the Diamondbacks, citing, a strong relationship with Torey Lovullo among his reasons for wanting to stay put.

The D-backs could’ve traded Marte for a king’s ransom, but Hazen tells Buchanan and others that the front office also feels it necessary to “make some commitments,” both to current stars and perhaps to future core pieces they hope will be rising up to the Majors sooner than later.

More on the D-backs…

  • Shortstop Nick Ahmed received a pair of injections in his right shoulder as he continues to battle discomfort, manager Torey Lovullo told reporters (video link via Jake Anderson of 98.7 Arizona Sports). Ahmed will be shut down from baseball activities entirely for at least the next 10 days and will be reevaluated at that point. That 10-day window will carry Ahmed through Opening Day, which makes it quite likely that he’ll begin the season on the injured list. Ahmed’s shoulder has been problematic dating back to the 2020 season, when he first says he “jammed” it while diving for a ball at shortstop. The barking shoulder seemed to impact both his offense and his throwing during the 2021 season. Ahmed acknowledged this week that surgery may ultimately prove necessary (link via Nick Piecoro and Jose Romero of the Arizona Republic), but for now it seems he’ll hope the cortisone treatment can help him avoid that fate.
  • Also likely headed to the injured list when the season begins is outfielder Jordan Luplow, who is dealing with a Grade 1 oblique strain, according to Lovullo (video link via Anderson). There’s no specific timetable for Luplow’s return just yet, but Lovullo hinted that it’ll be an absence of some note, stating that it will not be measured “in terms of days” (implying instead that it will be measured in weeks). Every injury is different, but it’s common for even Grade 1 oblique strains to sideline players for a month or more. Acquired from the Rays this winter, Luplow reported to camp as an important piece for the D-backs against left-handed pitching. The right-handed-hitting 28-year-old carries a career .245/.360/.539 batting line in 378 plate appearances against southpaws. With lefty bats David Peralta, Daulton Varsho and Pavin Smith in line for outfield work, having a righty complement carries obvious appeal, but it seems the Snakes will have to wait a bit before Luplow can help out.

Injury Notes: Vaughn, Ahmed, Urias, Coonrod

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The White Sox announced today that first baseman/outfielder Andrew Vaughn has been diagnosed with a hip pointer (a bruised pelvis bone on his right side) and is expected to return to game action in one to two weeks. Vaughn sustained the injury on a diving catch in right field yesterday, and while he was initially able to get to his feet after the play, he dropped back down and signaled for the training staff. He was eventually helped off the field on a cart.

Vaughn, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 draft, made his big league debut in 2021 while converting from first base to the outfield. He hit just .235/.309/.396 with 15 home runs on the season as a whole, in part due to a dismal September swoon that saw him collect just four hits (all singles) in his final 49 plate appearances. He’s had a nice Spring Training so far, but it’s possible that this hip injury will sideline him for the remainder of camp — if not the first few games of the season. Depending on his progress, an IL stint doesn’t seem out of the question, but time will tell whether that proves necessary.

A few more injury scenarios of particular note from around the league…

  • D-backs shortstop Nick Ahmed is headed for an MRI on his ailing right shoulder, writes Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. Ahmed’s shoulder issue dates back to the 2020 season, when he initially jammed it on the landing after diving for a ball at shortstop. Piecoro notes that Ahmed has previously sidestepped questions about the potential for surgery, but the results of the MRI will be telling. The 32-year-old Ahmed has always been a glove-first player, but last year’s offensive output cratered as he played through ongoing shoulder discomfort. In 473 trips to the plate, Ahmed slashed just .221/.280/.339 — a far cry from the .254/.316/.437 line he posted in 2019. Defensive metrics remain bullish on Ahmed’s range, although last year’s five throwing errors were the second-most of his career (perhaps not a surprise, given that it’s his throwing shoulder in question). The D-backs owe Ahmed $7.5MM this season and $10MM in 2023.
  • Brewers infielder Luis Urias has been ruled out for Opening Day, manager Craig Counsell told reporters today (Twitter link via Will Sammon of The Athletic). It’s not a big surprise given that he’s been limited to just two spring at-bats while nursing a strained quadriceps. The 24-year-old Urias looked on the verge of losing his spot in the Brewers’ lineup at one point last year, as Milwaukee swung an early trade for Willy Adames after some rough play from Urias at shortstop. Upon moving off shortstop and settling in at third base, however, Urias saw not only his defensive ratings improve but also broke out at the plate. Over his final 426 plate appearances, he slashed .262/.352/.470 with 19 home runs, 18 doubles and a triple — good for a 120 wRC+. With Urias sidelined, it’ll likely fall to journeyman Jace Peterson, former Rays infielder Mike Brosseau and utilityman Pablo Reyes to cover the hot corner.
  • Phillies right-hander Sam Coonrod has been shut down for five to seven days with a shoulder strain, manager Joe Girardi announced to reporters (Twitter link via Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia). That puts his Opening Day availability in jeopardy, though that will depend on just how he fares when he’s reevaluated a few days down the line. The 29-year-old Coonrod may not be as familiar a name as some of his veteran bullpen-mates, but he’s in line to serve as an important member of the relief corps, if healthy. In 42 1/3 innings last season, the former Giants righty posted a 4.04 ERA with a strong 25.9% strikeout rate, an 8.1% walk rate and a brilliant 57.1% grounder rate. Coonrod averaged 98.8 mph on his heater, and between the velocity, strikeouts, walks and grounders, there’s potential for a breakout performance if this shoulder issue proves minor.

NL Injury Notes: Giants, Floro, Ahmed, Simmons

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The Giants provided updates on some veteran names who have yet to appear in Spring Training games, though Brandon Belt and Evan Longoria are both expected to be ready for Opening Day, manager Gabe Kapler told MLB.com’s Maria Guardado and other reporters.  Longoria has been dealing with right index finger tendinitis, while Belt has inflammation in his right knee.  The latter issue might be the bigger problem on paper, given Belt’s history of knee injuries, but Kapler said “We don’t really have concerns.  It’s just going to be a later start for Brandon.”

Tommy La Stella has also yet to take the field this spring, but is running the bases and taking part in other baseball activities.  After undergoing Achilles surgery in October, La Stella is now “getting very close to being ready,” Kapler said, and “Tommy has shared strongly that he wants the opportunity to be ahead of schedule and be ready for Opening Day.”  The final call will be up to La Stella and the team’s training staff, but even if La Stella isn’t quite ready to go when San Francisco begins play, Kapler intimated that the infielder wouldn’t miss too much time.

Some other injury notes from around the National League…

  • Dylan Floro has yet to pitch during Spring Training, as the right-hander is dealing with some arm soreness.  Marlins manager Don Mattingly was non-committal about Floro’s readiness for the Opening Day roster, telling MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola and other reporters that “We’ll just have to see how that goes,” though Mattingly did note that Floro worked through some similar issues last year with no ill effects during the season.  One of baseball’s more underrated relievers of the last four seasons, Floro posted a 2.81 ERA over 64 innings in 2021, his first year in Miami.  This performance had put Floro in line for perhaps the majority of ninth-inning work for the Marlins this season, though Mattingly said “I think we’re going to be more of a mix-and-match club” for save situations.  Some new faces could also be joining the bullpen, as GM Kim Ng has stated the Marlins are exploring the relief market.
  • Nick Ahmed’s bothersome right shoulder is “good enough” for the Diamondbacks shortstop “to be out there right now,” but Ahmed told The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro that his shoulder still isn’t 100 percent after almost two years of intermittent soreness.  Even after receiving two injections in his shoulder this past offseason, Ahmed said the treatment “didn’t go great, how I wanted them to go.  I just ended up rehabbing it most of the offseason.”  Surgery doesn’t appear to be an option at this point, as Ahmed said he has been working out a training regiment to help keep his shoulder strong and capable of holding up over 162 games.  Between his nagging shoulder injury and a knee problem, Ahmed admitted that injuries played a big part in his steep dropoff at the plate, as the shortstop batted only .221/.280/.339 in 473 plate appearances in 2021.  On the plus side, Ahmed’s health didn’t hamper his fielding, as he was still one of the game’s better defensive shortstops.
  • Speaking of Gold Glove shortstops, Andrelton Simmons is also dealing with some right shoulder soreness, Cubs manager told reporters (including The Chicago Tribune’s Meghan Montemurro).  Simmons hasn’t played the last two days and was in Thursday’s lineup only as the DH.  Simmons joined the Cubs on a one-year, $4MM deal soon after the lockout ended.

Trade Candidate: Nick Ahmed

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This winter’s free-agent shortstop market has long-promised to shake up the league, and it’s lived up to its billing thus far. But we’re only part-way through the transfiguration. The Rangers signed two of the top shortstops available, adding a wrinkle that the other 29 clubs have yet to iron out. If nothing else, two significant dominoes – Carlos Correa and Trevor Story – have yet to fall, so there are even more twists-and-turns when the lockout ends.

For those teams not willing to plunk down six figures for a long-term solution like Correa or Story, however, it would be worth giving Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen a call to see about the availability of veteran Nick Ahmed. Ahmed struggled mightly at the plate in 2021, slashing just .221/.280/.339 over 473 plate appearances, but that’s never been his calling card.

If nothing else, he’s affordable. He’s entering his age-32 season with two years and $18.25MM left on his deal. The contract is affordable, but it could also be a potential obstacle. The money owed is substantial enough that teams may doubt whether he offers enough of an upgrade whatever they have in-house. Any rookie shortstop will offer better value potential because of a rookie minimum contract. Besides, it’s easy to dream on the untapped potential of a young player that you haven’t yet seen fail at the Major League level.

There is still, however, the question of whether the Diamondbacks would be willing to sell a player that’s come into his own with their franchise, becoming a fan favorite in the process. But after a disastrous 110-loss season, it’s hard to consider the Diamondbacks as anything but sellers.

They’ve finished last in the NL West for consecutive seasons and only made the playoffs once in the past decade. What’s more, they’re staring down what might be the most competitive division in baseball as the Dodgers, Giants, and Padres are each in pedal-to-the-metal, World-Series-hopeful mode.

As teams look to upgrade their rosters, there are only so many rosters to scour. This time of year, belief is rampant, so finding a trade partner requires either an aligning of team needs, a team looking to cut payroll, or as in the Diamondbacks case, a team in rebuilding mode with an outside shot at contention next season. Whether the Diamondbacks see themselves in that light is unclear, given that they’re just two offseasons removed from signing Madison Bumgarner to a five-year, $85MM deal.

Even this winter, they made a win-now-ish move by signing veteran closer Mark Melancon to a two-year, $14MM deal. Of course, there are levels of rebuilding, and the Diamondbacks have to field a full roster just like any other team. Signing Melancon could just as easily be the acquisition of a future trade piece as it is a sign that the front office thinks they can win the NL West this season. Teams around the league have definitely called to inquire about the availability of Ketel Marte, but they’ve thus far been rebuffed–another sign that Arizona might be leaning towards a soft bid for a wild card spot.

Ahmed, however, has never been a high-impact player, and the Diamondbacks can almost certainly find another solution, should they decide to move him. He’s never posted higher than a 96 wRC+, and his career mark sits at 74 wRC+. His 2.3 fWAR season in 2019 is the only time he’s topped 2.o fWAR over a full season (though he was on pace to surpass that mark in 2020, had there been a full season).

Frankly, Ahmed is pretty close to being a prototypical second-division starter, and that’s not the type of guy that teams really look to trade for in the offseason. What makes Ahmed appealing, however, is that he does have an elite skill: defense. Certain teams have grown adept at maximizing flawed players with elite skills, and there’s no reason to think that the right organization couldn’t maximize Ahmed’s talents in a similar fashion.

Bottom line: Ahmed is a veteran who should probably transition to a part-time role, but that might be something he’s willing to do if he’s on a contender. The Diamondbacks don’t need a win-now veteran like Ahmed, and they should probably be using that spot to audition young players who have a chance to stick long-term. That’s the calculus for a trade.

So who might be interested in Ahmed? The right team would be a competitive club looking to make the playoffs who has a solution up the middle, but not a surefire All-Star in that spot. Ahmed would be a perfect third middle infielder to compliment a lefty bat or a bat-first option up the middle. Some options:

The Astros could use Ahmed to ease Jeremy Pena into regular playing time. He would essentially be the glove-first version of Aledmys Diaz. They probably have enough pop to slide another glove-first body into the bottom of the lineup, though this probably only works if one of their young centerfielders proves a genuine offensive weapon, as they’re already giving one lineup spot to a glove-only vet in Martin Maldonado.

The Cubs might take a flyer on Ahmed to bolster the young and injury-prone up-the-middle duo of Nico Hoerner and Nick Madrigal. Both young infielders are natural second baseman, and both are coming off injury-ravaged seasons. Ahmed would find playing time as Hoerner gets moved around the diamond, and he could serve as insurance should one of the pair end up back in the trainer’s room.

If the Yankees don’t pony up for one of the top free agents, Ahmed would nicely protect the offensive asset that is Gleyber Torres by allowing their young slugger to mostly stay at the keystone. The plan to convert 30-year-old Gio Urshela to a full-time shortstop has some legs after a 24-start tryout in 2021 (-1 DRS, -0.2 UZR), but it would be a lot to expect him to handle the full load. Ahmed would instantly become the best defender in an offensively potent Yankee infield, and they could find ways to maximize his glovework and minimize trips to the dish.

The Phillies really need more offense, but so long as Didi Gregorius is their starting shortstop, there would be a place for Ahmed. After a 68 wRC+ season from Gregorius, the Phils might just as soon improve their infield defense – which also needs work.

Given the stars that have been on the free-agent market this winter, and the stars that might be on the market next year (Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts), Ahmed represents a decidedly milquetoast solution to a premier position. But he’s not a solution on his own. He’s a capable veteran who can absolutely help defensively if fit into a bench role on the right club. There’s a team out there that can use Ahmed to help them win games and reach the postseason. Unfortunately, the Diamondbacks probably aren’t that team.

Injured List Activations: Ahmed, Stewart, Adams

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After a flurry of injury news and updates around baseball today, here are some players who are getting back to action…

  • The Diamondbacks activated shortstop Nick Ahmed from the 10-day injured list.  Ahmed suffered some right knee inflammation near the end of Spring Training and received a PRP injection as part of his treatment.  The two-time Gold Glove winner is now ready to begin his 2021 season and take his usual place as the defensive anchor of the Diamondbacks infield.  Infielder Geraldo Perdomo was optioned to the alternate training site after last night’s game in preparation for Ahmed’s return.
  • The Orioles reinstated DJ Stewart from the 10-day IL, and Stewart is set for his season debut tonight, scheduled to hit fifth in Baltimore’s lineup.  Due to a left hamstring strain, the outfielder hasn’t seen any game action since a Spring Training outing on March 5.  While strikeouts continue to be a troublingly large part of Stewart’s offensive game, he has hit .224/.334/433 with 14 homers at the MLB level, good for an above-average 107 OPS+/108 wRC+ over 301 career plate appearances.
  • Right-hander Austin Adams has been reinstated from the Padres’ 10-day IL, and righty Nabil Crismatt has been optioned to the alternate training site to make room on the active roster.  Adams had been suffering from a minor elbow strain during Spring Training.  San Diego acquired Adams as part of their seven-player deal with the Mariners last August, and he stands out as a potentially nasty bullpen weapon if he can get his free passes in check.  Adams has an eye-popping 70 strikeouts over 42 career innings in the majors, but control has also been a major issue (a 15.8% walk rate).

Diamondbacks Place Nick Ahmed On 10-Day Injured List, Promote Geraldo Perdomo

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3:18PM: The D’Backs have officially announced the move.  Ahmed’s IL placement is retroactive to March 31.

11:27AM: The Diamondbacks are preparing to promote shortstop Geraldo Perdomo to make his Major League debut, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan (via Twitter). It’s certainly early in the season for this type of promotion, but Nick Ahmed’s continued knee pain may be forcing the issue. It’s looking like Ahmed will soon head to the injured list.

The 21-year-old Perdomo has just 26 games at High-A, so his promotion does come as somewhat of a surprise. With the minor league season yet to get underway, however, there’s certainly some sense to getting Perdomo some game action in a short-term fill-in capacity. Thus far in his professional career, Perdomo has shown a tremendous approach at the plate with well-above-average bat-to-ball skills. He has not yet displayed much power, but between his approach at the plate, speed, and defensive skill-set, the Diamondbacks expect Perdomo to eventually take over as their starting shortstop.

That said, Ahmed signed a contract extension in February 2020 that runs through 2023 season, so he is very much still Arizona’s shortstop of the present and the team can take its time in developing Perdomo. Fangraphs ranked Perdomo 68th on their list of the game’s best prospects, his highest finish as a consensus choice in top-100 rankings from Baseball America (75th), MLB.com (79th), Baseball Prospectus (90th), and The Athletic’s Keith Law (91st).

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