Alek Thomas Designated For Assignment As Diamondbacks Promote Ryan Waldschmidt
The Arizona Diamondbacks moved alek thomas off the 40-man roster on Friday, designating the outfielder for assignment while calling up Ryan Waldschmidt for his major league debut. Tyler Locklear was reinstated from the 10-day IL in the same set of moves.
Ryan Waldschmidt Joins Arizona
Waldschmidt enters the majors as Arizona's No. 1 prospect and the lone Diamondbacks player in MLB Pipeline's national Top 100 at No. 49. The club drafted him 31st overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, using the Prospect Promotion Incentive pick it received after Corbin Carroll won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 2023.
He reached this point after posting a.921 OPS with Double-A Amarillo in 2025 and then opening 2026 with the Reno Aces, where he hit.289/.400/.477 with three home runs. He also drew notice for exceptional defense in center field with Reno.
Alek Thomas Leaves The Roster
Thomas was the odd man out as Arizona turned to a younger option in center field. The move removes a struggling center fielder from the 40-man roster and creates a spot for Waldschmidt as the Diamondbacks continue to sort through an offense that has been quiet of late.
For Arizona, the call-up is a clean read on the organization’s direction: Waldschmidt is getting his first major league chance now, and Thomas has been designated for assignment rather than kept on the active depth chart. Friday’s transaction also brought Locklear back from the 10-day IL, giving the club another bat while the front office reshapes the roster around its top prospect.
