Who were the Diamondbacks’ standout players in April?

The Arizona Diamondbacks are through the March/April portion of the schedule, entering May with a familiar 16-14 record.

That’s the exact same record they held through 30 games during the 2025, 2023 and 2022 seasons.

Arizona has relied on production from unforeseen places to stay afloat while dealing with numerous injuries. Infielder Ildemaro Vargas, infielder Jose Fernandez and reliever Juan Morillo have been three of the team’s main standouts after battling for roster spots in spring training.

Here are the club’s March/April standouts and a couple players who need to provide more, a reference point or a time capsule early in the 162-game march:

Best hitter: Ildemaro Vargas

After signing a minor league deal last offseason, Vargas led the Diamondbacks with a .378 batting average, 1.087 OPS, six home runs and 20 RBIs through the team’s first 30 games. He only played in 23 of them.

The 34-year-old is leading Major League Baseball’s batting race entering May, and he has been a player to watch with a 26-game hitting streak that is climbing toward Luis Gonzalez’s franchise record of 30.

Corbin Carroll is a close second with a .968 OPS, four triples and four home runs.

Best pitcher: Juan Morillo

Morillo has been the bullpen standout with 15 appearances and a 1.84 ERA. He has allowed one run over his last 13 appearances (13 innings), striking out 16 hitters with two walks in that span. The right-hander can throw a 100 mph heater, but his control and ability to work in secondary pitches looks improved from his rookie year last season.

The D-backs have trusted him in higher leverage situations, as he has pitched exclusively in the seventh inning or later since Opening Day. Michael Soroka had an argument for this spot until an eight-run outing on Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Best defender: Alek Thomas

Thomas looks as sharp defensively as he has since 2023, leading the D-backs with four defensive runs saved and three outs above average entering Thursday.

The two-time Gold Glove finalist suffered multiple hamstring injuries in 2024 and took a while to trust his legs in 2025. By the end of last season, Thomas looked closer to the dazzling defensive player he showed the potential to be early in his career, and his elite playmaking ability has been displayed this year.

Vargas and Jose Fernandez deserve a mention due to their versatility, as does Ketel Marte, who has looked sharp at second base after entering the season with Gold Glove aspirations.

Best rookie: Jose Fernandez

The Diamondbacks have only really played one rookie so far, so this would have gone to Fernandez by default. But he certainly deserves recognition for the start to his career.

Fernandez has provided a necessary spark to the offense, as he is third on the team in hits while batting .325. And he is doing this while having come up with one game of experience in Triple-A. With size, speed, power and a strong throwing arm, Fernandez’s tools are evident, but what has stood out has been his poise and comfort on this stage.

His 0.5 fWAR entering Thursday ranked eighth among MLB rookie position players, and five of the seven ahead had at least 30 more plate appearances.

Best newcomer: Nolan Arenado

The Diamondbacks made a low-risk trade for Arenado this past winter, with the St. Louis Cardinals paying most of his contract for the next couple years. His first two weeks were concerning with a .370 OPS through 13 games.

Over the past 15 days, Arenado has hit .400 with three home runs and eight RBIs.

Hitter they need more from: Ketel Marte

Marte hits the ball very hard and has gotten his early-season strikeout issue under control. But the results have not flooded in quite yet, as he has hovered between a .680 and .695 OPS over the past couple weeks.

Marte has been far from the worst hitter on the team, but as one of the most productive bats in the game over the past three seasons, he just has not gone on a hot streak that can carry the offense yet.

His batted ball profile suggests much better results will come.

Pitcher they need more from: Merrill Kelly

Kelly is only three starts into his season after back troubles pushed him back in spring training, and his command has not been as sharp as he is accustomed to yet. Kelly has allowed 15 earned runs over 14.2 innings, plagued by 12 walks that have run his WHIP up to 2.25.

The Diamondbacks brought Kelly back to stabilize the rotation this past offseason. It is very early for the veteran in particular, but the starting rotation has struggled lately and Kelly’s mainstay reputation will be counted on to help turn that around.

Toughest injury: Jordan Lawlar

The emotional swing for Lawlar must have been intense when he hit his first major league home run and broke his wrist on a hit-by-pitch on the same night on April 2. Lawlar hit .333 through six games and looked like he was getting the hang of left field. He won’t return until early June at the soonest but should provide a jolt to the lineup when the time comes.

Catcher Gabriel Moreno suffering an oblique strain was another tough injury break for the club, but he is expected to be back within the next few days.

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