Ryan Waldschmidt is on the fast track to the Diamondbacks roster

Ryan Waldschmidt made a name for himself as a high school baseball player in Bredenton, Florida, the same place where the elite IMG Academy sits. So, playing for Braden River High School, he had no shortage of competition. 

He would go on to play his freshman year for Charleston Southern University before transferring to the University of Kentucky, and did well. 

He caught the attention of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who selected him with the 31st overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. He has played well in High-A and Double-A last year, and currently finds himself in Triple-A. 

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Ryan Waldschmidt is on the fast track to the Diamondbacks roster

Waldschmidt is advanced for his age. He has a great knowledge of the strike zone and rarely expands, putting him in an uncomfortable spot. On top of that, it doesn't take much for him to load up on a pitch, making for easy-to-repeat swings. 

With how fast he has tracked through the minors, there is some growing anticipation that he could make his MLB debut this season, which is also what Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter echoes. 

"The No. 31 overall pick in the 2024 draft, Waldschmidt hit .289/.419/.473 with 27 doubles, 18 home runs, 78 RBI and 29 steals in 134 games between High-A and Double-A in his first full pro season. The D-backs sent him to Triple-A to open the year, and there's a good chance he'll see the majors before the All-Star break."

Three years removed from an ACL tear, Waddschmidt is starting to be freer on the basepaths as well. That speed has also helped him stick in center field more than some analysts thought he could. 

This is one prospect that Arizona fans will want to familiarize themselves with, because he could have a major role here soon.

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