Diamondbacks top prospect Kayson Cunningham moving up the ladder

Infielder Kayson Cunningham, the top-ranked prospect in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ farm system after Ryan Waldschmidt’s call-up, is moving up in the organization.

The Diamondbacks on Tuesday promoted the 19-year-old from Single-A Visalia to High-A Hillsboro and named him the organization’s Minor League Player of the Month award winner for May.

Cunningham becomes one of the youngest players at the level 364 days after the Diamondbacks promoted fellow teenager and first-round pick Slade Caldwell to Hillsboro at 18 years old. The two were in the Hops’ lineup on Tuesday.

Cunningham, drafted No. 18 overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, hit .381 in 43 games with Visalia to start the season, leading the California League by a mile (Tanner Thach was second at .353). He’s only cranked one home run but has been an on-base machine with a .381/.471/.506 batting line, four triples and 10 stolen bases.

The 5-foot-10 shortstop has also struck out at an 18.4% clip while walking 14.5% of the time, among the 12 best marks in the league.

MLB Pipeline ranked Cunningham second among Diamondbacks prospects behind Waldschmidt and No. 79 in baseball.

Kayson Cunningham leads all players currently in the Minors with a .381 average this season 🔥

MLB's No. 80 prospect (@DBacks) tallied four more hits and has seven in his past 10 at-bats for Single-A @VisaliaRawhide: pic.twitter.com/GTXbQtz8Ko

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 7, 2026

Diamondbacks minor league awards

The D-backs also named left-handed starter Mitch Bratt their Minor League Pitcher of the Month, as the 22-year-old threw to a 2.53 ERA in five starts during the month. Bratt has been the standout in Triple-A Reno this season with a 2.68 ERA, although he landed on the injured list on June 2 with a reported shoulder issue that is not considered serious. 

Here are the awards by affiliate:

Triple-A

• UTL Tommy Troy
• LHP Mitch Bratt

Double-A

• INF Jansel Luis
• LHP Avery Short

High-A

• OF Slade Caldwell
• LHP Adonys Perez

Single-A

• INF Kayson Cunningham
• RHP Junior Ciprian

Arizona Complex League

• INF Eybert Sanchez
• RHP Dean Livingston

Brandon Pfaadt debuts for Reno

Brandon Pfaadt made his first start with Triple-A Reno since getting sent down to stretch back out on Tuesday. Pfaadt threw three innings with no runs and one hit, tossing 33 pitches against the Salt Lake Bees.

It was the first minor league appearance for Pfaadt since the 2023 season, as he started this campaign in the major league rotation but became the odd man out. The D-backs optioned him last week to work back into a starting role.

More Diamondbacks farm notes

• Outfielder Jordan Lawlar led off and played center field for Reno on Tuesday as he continues his rehab assignment (broken wrist).
• Outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. played another rehab game (hamstring strain) in the complex league, starting at designated hitter.
• Manuel Pena blasted his minor league-leading 24th home run of the season for Double-A Amarillo on Tuesday. And then he homered again for No. 25. He’s only played 56 games.
• The D-backs promoted right-hander Junior Sanchez from Hillsboro to Amarillo after he worked a 2.61 ERA in nine games for the Hops.

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