The Diamondbacks selected infielder LuJames Groover’s contract, optioning José Fernández to Triple-A Reno and designating right-hander Taylor Rashi for assignment to free a 40-man roster spot. The moves signal a shift in the club’s infield and roster depth whi
A familiar roster shakeup landed in the Diamondbacks’ clubhouse as the team moved to bring LuJames Groover onto the 40-man roster. Groover, a 24-year-old infielder, had his contract selected, while fellow infielder José Fernández was optioned to Triple-A Reno in a corresponding active roster move.
For right-hander Taylor Rashi, the next step is harsher: he was designated for assignment to open a 40-man spot.
Groover’s path has been shaped by both promise and reminders that baseball’s adjustments take time. The Diamondbacks selected him in the second round of the 2023 draft. He’s built his profile around quality plate discipline. but there are ongoing questions about how much impact he can create when he does make contact.
In 2024, Groover missed time due to a broken wrist and appeared in 61 games. Last year, he stayed healthy enough to play 123 Double-A contests, stepping to the plate 547 times. He walked at an 11.5% pace and struck out 14.4% of the time—both strong figures. The tradeoff came in the power numbers: he hit 12 home runs. Overall, his .309/.399/.434 line produced a 120 wRC+, though a .347 batting average on balls in play helped lift the results.
This year, Groover has been in Triple-A with output that looks similar on paper. His 14.5% walk rate and 16.8% strikeout rate are good. but his home run total has been limited—three in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. His .322/.421/.452 line leads to a 116 wRC+, with another helping hand from a .381 BABIP.
Defensively, Groover has primarily played corner infield—most of his work has been at positions that sit closer to the bat than the middle of the diamond. He’s had only very limited experience at second base.
Baseball America currently lists him as the #5 prospect in Arizona’s system, while FanGraphs has him at #9 in the offseason. The Diamondbacks’ infield alignment makes the fit feel practical: Nolan Arenado is at the hot corner, so Groover may be used more in the first base/designated hitter mix.
Pavin Smith has recently come off the injured list and is expected to receive regular playing time. Smith is a left-handed hitter with notable platoon splits. while Groover is a righty—one reason the organization could consider Groover in a platoon role. including covering at first base. The piece is also not only about bat-to-bat matchups; Arizona could also simply be comfortable with him facing right-handed pitching.
With Smith out, the Diamondbacks relied on a rotation of options at first base. Fernández and Ildemaro Vargas were used as part of that mix. and Adrian Del Castillo received a lot of designated hitter time. Del Castillo’s production on the year sits at .192/.252/.325. Vargas began the season with a 24-game hit streak that stretched to 27 games dating back to last season. then cooled off—he has hit .186/.218/.237 since that run. Fernández started hot as well, hitting .342/.359/.500 through 78 plate appearances before sliding to .180/.232/.225 in 99 plate appearances since.
Rashi’s situation is different. but it connects to the same central roster pressure—how quickly a player can find stability once he’s in the big leagues. The 30-year-old right-hander signed a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks in the offseason and was added to the roster in early April. He was optioned to the minors after allowing four earned runs in 3 2/3 innings.
Across his work so far, his big-league numbers add up to 20 innings with a 5.40 earned run average, a 29.9% strikeout rate, a 10.3% walk rate, and a 44.2% ground ball rate.
In Triple-A, the pattern is similar in a specific way: strikeouts are there, control isn’t always. Dating back to the start of 2025, Rashi has thrown 67 1/3 Triple-A innings with a 3.48 ERA. His 10.3% walk rate is high. but he’s punching out 24.7% of batters faced and inducing grounders on about half of the balls in play he’s allowed. Even with subpar velocity, he can get misses—his four-seamer barely averages 90 miles per hour. He also throws a splitter, slider, and curveball.
Once a player is designated for assignment, the calendar starts to matter. DFA limbo can last as long as a week, while the waiver process takes 48 hours. That means the Diamondbacks could explore trade interest for up to five days. or they could put him on waivers sooner. If Rashi clears waivers unclaimed, he would remain with the organization as non-roster depth.
There’s also a specific limit on options: Rashi doesn’t have three years of service time and doesn’t have a previous career outright, so he wouldn’t have the right to elect free agency.
The Diamondbacks’ latest roster moves leave Groover in position to find his role behind Arenado and across the first base/designated hitter mix. while Fernández heads back to Triple-A after a split season with a fast start and a steep dip. And with Rashi in DFA limbo. Arizona will quickly learn whether his strikeouts can earn him another chance—or whether he becomes a trade chip or waiver decision within days.
Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images
Diamondbacks LuJames Groover José Fernández Triple-A Reno Taylor Rashi designated for assignment 40-man roster Nolan Arenado Pavin Smith Adrian Del Castillo Ildemaro Vargas