Diamondbacks: Opening Day Roster
Following the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 win over the Kansas City Royals in the Cactus League finale, the team announced their final roster cuts and who would be making the Opening Day Roster.
The youth movement that began last season continues as more prospects are making the jump to the Major League further solidifying the young core. There are some familiar faces along with a few new veteran guys.
Here’s the roster that will be introduced Monday night:
Starting Rotation
Bullpen
Infielders
- Paul Goldschmidt
- Nick Ahmed
- Chris Owings
- Jean Segura
- Jake Lamb
- Welington Castillo
- Brandon Drury
- Phil Gosselin
- Chris Herrmann
- Rickie Weeks
Outfielders
Disabled List
So, there you have it. The 2016 Arizona Diamondbacks.
Obviously, this wont stay the exact same through out the entirety of the 162 game season. There will be call ups, demotions or possibly even trades as the year progresses, but for the most part, this is what the roster will resemble.
Two of the keys to this roster are versatility and depth. There are multiple players on this roster that can be put into different positions on the diamond. This gives manager Chip Hale an enormous amount of flexibility when the inevitable slump or injury strikes. Drury, Ahmed, Gosselin, Segura, Hermann and Owings can all play multiple positions.
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Each day will likely bring a new starting lineup as a majority of the potions will be platooned with such a versatile and deep bench. Hale dabbled in this method last season and it seemed to have worked out just fine.
Specifically, Owings will be given starts in the outfield in addition to playing the infield. With the injury to Pollock, Owings was given a look in center field during the final two Cactus League games on Friday and Saturday. Despite lacking experience in center, Owings held his own for the most part and should provide for a serviceable replacement when given the occasional start.
The word “occasional” is used because Brito will be getting a majority of the playing time in center. It will be tough to fill Pollock’s shoes, but many around the league have pegged Brito as a Rookie of the Year candidate. There are high expectations on Brito and if his spring was any indication, he’s on track to live up to those expectations.
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This roster should prove to be a formidable one as the Diamondbacks look to contend this season. It looks good on paper, but how it looks on the field remains to be proven. Monday night at 6:40 the Diamondbacks season will begin and with it comes the opportunity to prove themselves as serious contenders.