SCOTTSDALE – With the MLB regular season set to begin in just three weeks, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ spring training complex at Salt River Fields is feeling a bit empty.
The World Baseball Classic has sent a dozen players from the organization to destinations around the world to play for their respective countries in the event, a 20-nation international tournament running from Thursday to March 17, with games held in Tokyo, Miami, Houston and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Although so many familiar faces leaving town in the heart of preseason action is not an ideal situation for the Diamondbacks’ brass, it does allow the coaching staff to work with players they might not have had the chance to otherwise – especially infielders.
Among the dozen WBC participants are Carlos Santana, Ketel Marte, Geraldo Perdomo and Nolan Arenado, the entire projected starting infield for the Diamondbacks come Opening Day. Outfielder Alek Thomas and starting rotation pitchers Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Soroka are also set to compete for their countries, meaning a sizable chunk of Arizona’s active roster will be absent from spring camp for more than two weeks.
“Our entire infield is going to step out, but they’re playing very meaningful games,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “The middle infielders combined with Santana will be playing on the same team, which is important.”
While some Diamondbacks teammates will stay teammates in the WBC, others will square off against one another.
Venezuela and the Dominican Republic are scheduled to play on March 11 in the pool play stage, potentially setting up Arizona left-hander Rodriguez to face the aforementioned trio of Dominican infielders. Canada and Puerto Rico are also positioned in the same pool, and could offer Diamondbacks fans another friendly-fire matchup between Soroka and Arenado.
“In a spring training environment that can be a little sterile at times … that adds another layer to the competitive nature of it, and I’m excited to watch them go play,” Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said.
Arenado, fresh to the team off the January trade that sent him from St. Louis to Arizona, is playing in his third WBC tournament. After competing for the United States in both the 2017 and 2023 editions of the event, he’ll suit up for Puerto Rico’s team this time around.
“Puerto Rico, I’m excited to represent. I’m going to give you guys my all,” Arenado said in an interview with the MLB Player’s Association. “Proud of the Latin culture that I have and the Latin blood that I have.”
Arenado and the rest of his fellow Diamondback WBC players may be leaving a significant void in spring training, but the exodus also provides a unique opportunity for the young players throughout the organization’s minor league ranks. Arizona still plays its regularly scheduled spring training slate, with or without the lineup mainstays. This paves the way for the team’s prospects to start making a name for themselves.
“Some of the younger players that we’re all inspired by are going to get some really good opportunities, and we’re all looking forward to that,” Lovullo said of the runway this gives to the team’s unheralded players.
“It’s a great time for them. A lot of the younger kids don’t get a chance to start games against the veteran big league starters,” Hazen added. “We’re trying to tell them this is an opportunity for you to go in ‘A’ games, and you’re going to start the games, and play probably the majority of the games.”
So who are some of these young Diamondbacks capable of taking advantage of this window?
Outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt comes to mind immediately. The No. 1 prospect in the organization, according to MLB Pipeline, already turned heads in the first week of Cactus League play after roping a home run that came off his bat at over 106 miles per hour.
Tommy Troy and LuJames Groover are two more prospects who could see an uptick in major league action during the upcoming weeks. Troy, Arizona’s first-round draft pick in 2023, was standing alone in first place on the base hits leaderboard after the team’s first 10 games of spring. Groover, aside from having one of the best names in all the sport, ranks top-10 in MLB Pipeline’s third baseman rankings.
On the mound, look for left-handed pitcher Kohl Drake to be a beneficiary of vacated innings this spring. Dealt to the Diamondbacks from the Texas Rangers in last summer’s deadline trade of Merrill Kelly, Drake has racked up over 100 strikeouts in back-to-back seasons in the minors.
Drake and company only begin to crack the surface. A bevy of Arizona players are ready to step foot on the major league field and introduce themselves to the Diamondbacks’ faithful. While the majority of eyes are on the Diamondbacks playing on the WBC stage, the team’s youngsters will be in the Cactus League spotlight, champing at the bit to establish themselves.
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World Baseball Classic empties Diamondbacks’ spring camp, opens door for club’s prospects
Shay Moloney, Cronkite News
March 4, 2026
SCOTTSDALE – With the MLB regular season set to begin in just three weeks, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ spring training complex at Salt River Fields is feeling a bit empty.
The World Baseball Classic has sent a dozen players from the organization to destinations around the world to play for their respective countries in the event, a 20-nation international tournament running from Thursday to March 17, with games held in Tokyo, Miami, Houston and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Although so many familiar faces leaving town in the heart of preseason action is not an ideal situation for the Diamondbacks’ brass, it does allow the coaching staff to work with players they might not have had the chance to otherwise – especially infielders.
Among the dozen WBC participants are Carlos Santana, Ketel Marte, Geraldo Perdomo and Nolan Arenado, the entire projected starting infield for the Diamondbacks come Opening Day. Outfielder Alek Thomas and starting rotation pitchers Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Soroka are also set to compete for their countries, meaning a sizable chunk of Arizona’s active roster will be absent from spring camp for more than two weeks.
“Our entire infield is going to step out, but they’re playing very meaningful games,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “The middle infielders combined with Santana will be playing on the same team, which is important.”
While some Diamondbacks teammates will stay teammates in the WBC, others will square off against one another.
Venezuela and the Dominican Republic are scheduled to play on March 11 in the pool play stage, potentially setting up Arizona left-hander Rodriguez to face the aforementioned trio of Dominican infielders. Canada and Puerto Rico are also positioned in the same pool, and could offer Diamondbacks fans another friendly-fire matchup between Soroka and Arenado.
“In a spring training environment that can be a little sterile at times … that adds another layer to the competitive nature of it, and I’m excited to watch them go play,” Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said.
Arenado, fresh to the team off the January trade that sent him from St. Louis to Arizona, is playing in his third WBC tournament. After competing for the United States in both the 2017 and 2023 editions of the event, he’ll suit up for Puerto Rico’s team this time around.
“Puerto Rico, I’m excited to represent. I’m going to give you guys my all,” Arenado said in an interview with the MLB Player’s Association. “Proud of the Latin culture that I have and the Latin blood that I have.”
Arenado and the rest of his fellow Diamondback WBC players may be leaving a significant void in spring training, but the exodus also provides a unique opportunity for the young players throughout the organization’s minor league ranks. Arizona still plays its regularly scheduled spring training slate, with or without the lineup mainstays. This paves the way for the team’s prospects to start making a name for themselves.
“Some of the younger players that we’re all inspired by are going to get some really good opportunities, and we’re all looking forward to that,” Lovullo said of the runway this gives to the team’s unheralded players.
“It’s a great time for them. A lot of the younger kids don’t get a chance to start games against the veteran big league starters,” Hazen added. “We’re trying to tell them this is an opportunity for you to go in ‘A’ games, and you’re going to start the games, and play probably the majority of the games.”
So who are some of these young Diamondbacks capable of taking advantage of this window?
Outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt comes to mind immediately. The No. 1 prospect in the organization, according to MLB Pipeline, already turned heads in the first week of Cactus League play after roping a home run that came off his bat at over 106 miles per hour.
Tommy Troy and LuJames Groover are two more prospects who could see an uptick in major league action during the upcoming weeks. Troy, Arizona’s first-round draft pick in 2023, was standing alone in first place on the base hits leaderboard after the team’s first 10 games of spring. Groover, aside from having one of the best names in all the sport, ranks top-10 in MLB Pipeline’s third baseman rankings.
On the mound, look for left-handed pitcher Kohl Drake to be a beneficiary of vacated innings this spring. Dealt to the Diamondbacks from the Texas Rangers in last summer’s deadline trade of Merrill Kelly, Drake has racked up over 100 strikeouts in back-to-back seasons in the minors.
Drake and company only begin to crack the surface. A bevy of Arizona players are ready to step foot on the major league field and introduce themselves to the Diamondbacks’ faithful. While the majority of eyes are on the Diamondbacks playing on the WBC stage, the team’s youngsters will be in the Cactus League spotlight, champing at the bit to establish themselves.
This article first appeared on Cronkite News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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