Here's how the D-backs' outfield could shake out

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- As position players join pitchers for the first full-squad workout of the spring Monday, it’s clear that the starting infield seems to be in place with Eugenio Suárez (3B), Geraldo Perdomo (SS), Ketel Marte (2B) and Josh Naylor (1B).

There are still things to figure out in the infield with backups and such, but the starters appear set.

The outfield, though, is a little less settled where one starting spot still seems to be up for grabs. Let’s take a look at how it shapes up right now:

Left field
Once again, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. will get the bulk of the playing time in left field, coming off a season in which he slashed .279/.322/.435 and had an OPS+ of 109.

While his offense gets a lot of attention, Gurriel has been a pleasant surprise for Arizona over the past two years. In 2024, the 31-year-old was a finalist for an NL Gold Glove Award.

Writing Gurriel’s name in the lineup is a comfort for Arizona manager Torey Lovullo, who acknowledged he may need to do less of that in 2025.

“I need to give him some [more] days off,” Lovullo said. “I explained this to him in our [Spring Training] one-on-one. I’ve got to be mindful of that. I get monster-locked on not giving position players off because they get hot or whatever, but I’ve got to pick some good days for him to keep him strong and healthy this year.”

Right field
With Alek Thomas missing a good portion of the season either due to injury or being optioned to Triple-A Reno, the Diamondbacks had a hole in center field that they initially plugged by moving Corbin Carroll there from right field.

Don’t expect to see Carroll anywhere but in right this year, unless there are injury issues or as a possible late-inning shift if a center fielder was pulled for a pinch-hitter.

“His comfort,” Lovullo said of the reason to keep Carroll in right. “He’s a very structured guy and process-oriented guy. Not that he can’t nor has he ever complained about it. We just felt like bouncing him around was a little bit of a grind. For me, lineup-wise, for him, stability and structure-wise, I think once he became our full-time right fielder things settled in and his numbers might have taken off. We look at that stuff, and it might be real. We feel like he deserves an opportunity to play in one place at one time.”

Center field
That brings us to the one starting spot that is up for grabs with Thomas and Jake McCarthy battling for it.

Both are expected to make the team, but who ends up with the most playing time will be performance-based.

After struggling and being optioned to Reno a few times in 2023, McCarthy bounced back last year and was one of the team’s more consistent hitters with a slash line of .285/.349/.400. A speedster, McCarthy can wreak havoc on the basepaths while also playing a very good center field.

Thomas is an elite defender in center, but he has struggled to produce consistently on offense. Last year felt like a lost year for him after a hamstring injury sidelined him the first week of the season. It kept him out until July, and he was demoted to Reno in mid-August. Thomas suffered another injury in Reno and was not recalled by the Diamondbacks until the season’s final weekend.

SHELBY’S RETURN
The Diamondbacks signed right-hander Shelby Miller to a Minor League contract with a Spring Training invite, according to a source.

This will be Miller’s second stint in the Arizona organization. The 34-year-old was originally acquired by the D-backs prior to the 2016 season in a trade with Atlanta, which wound up being one of the most lopsided in franchise history.

To get Miller, the Diamondbacks parted with shortstop Dansby Swanson, who had yet to play in the big leagues, outfielder Ender Inciarte and right-hander Aaron Blair.

Over three seasons with Arizona, Miller made 29 appearances (28 starts) and compiled a 6.35 ERA.

Since that time, he reinvented himself as a reliever and has had some success, including 2023, when he had a 1.71 ERA in 36 appearances for the Dodgers. Last year with the Tigers, Miller went 6-8 with two saves and a 4.53 ERA in 51 games.