Diamondbacks agree to contracts with outfielder, pitcher ahead of spring training

The Arizona Diamondbacks made a couple of roster additions on Saturday with spring training set to begin soon. According to Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors, Arizona and outfielder Oscar Mercado are in agreement on a minor league contract. The deal includes an invite to spring training. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic later reported that right-handed pitcher Joe Ross and the Diamondbacks are also in agreement on a minor league deal.

The moves come after the Diamondbacks agreed to a reunion with starter Zac Gallen on Friday. They also recently signed reliever Paul Sewald. It has been a busy week for Arizona to say the least.

Mercado, 31, has spent the past couple of seasons in the minor leagues. He last appeared in MLB in 2023 with the St. Louis Cardinals. However, most of Mercado’s big league playing time has come with the Cleveland Guardians, where he played from 2019-2022.

In 2025, Mercado appeared in 115 Triple-A games, hitting .249/.369/.373. He will attempt to earn a spot on the Diamondbacks’ 2026 MLB roster.

Ross, 32, pitched in 37 games out of the bullpen with the Philadelphia Phillies a season ago. He recorded a 5.12 ERA during that span. In 2024, however, Ross had a 3.77 ERA across 25 appearances (10 starts) with the Milwaukee Brewers. Ross could impact the Brewers’ big league ball club this year.

The Mercado and Ross additions provide the D’Backs with extra outfield and pitching depth. Neither move will draw many headlines, but roster depth is of the utmost importance as teams prepare for the grind of a 162 game season.

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