Who would be the Arizona Diamondbacks’ designated hitter?

The proposed temporary advent of a universal designated hitter in Major League Baseball this year raises a natural question about how the roster shapes up for National League clubs.

The Arizona Diamondbacks, whose manager Torey Lovullo has often lauded the value of versatility, may have to take a second look at some of the depth in the organization to optimize their roster for the DH.

In case you missed it, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported on a proposal put forth by MLB and approved by owners on Monday that calls for resuming the season in July without fans and implementing a DH across both leagues, among other changes. The proposal still has to get approval from the MLB Players Association.

The sharing of revenue remains a hurdle for players, while the health and safety of players also could be a concern. But one sticking point for fans, who don’t get a say or a seat at the game, might be the much-debated DH.

So who might the Diamondbacks put in that spot?

It’s important to note that this proposal, as Passan reported, called for a 30-man roster. That leaves some extra room for players who might not otherwise made the 26-man team, which already was up one from the old limit of 25.

Here are some candidates to consider:

KEVIN CRON

Normally a first baseman, Cron is known for his pop, which might make him the most obvious candidate to hit as the DH. Cron hit 39 home runs in Triple-A last year and six more at the big league level. His .211 batting average in 78 plate appearances for the D-backs isn’t anything to write home about, but if he can come around with some of his other numbers — like how he hit .329 in Reno — then he might be the perfect fit.

Plus, Cron’s ability to get playing time without a DH is questionable. Arizona already has Christian Walker at first base full-time, and Jake Lamb could get some time there as well.

YASMANY TOMAS

A once heralded prospect who’s been well-paid all the while, the big knock against Tomas is his defense. The DH would solve that problem. In his first three MLB seasons, Tomas had a positive offensive WAR and even had 31 home runs in 2016. He and Cron were a terror in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League in Triple-A last season as he had 29 home runs.

This could be a great opportunity for Tomas to get back to the show and for Arizona to get something out of the big contract they’re still paying him.

JAKE LAMB

The aforementioned Lamb has his work cut out for him. He’s only played a combined 134 games over the last two seasons because of injuries. Even when he’s been healthy, he’s a career .242 hitter and that number regressed to .208 in the last two injury-plagued years. The messaging from the organization, though has been this: Lamb was an All-Star in 2017 and still has that kind of hitting acumen in him.

A corner infielder who plays more third than first, Lamb has particularly struggled against left-handed pitching. He can’t even make a strong case for platooning at third, because Eduardo Escobar is a switch hitter that had 35 bombs, 118 RBIs and hit .269 last year. As previously mentioned, Walker and maybe Cron are already at first base.

Therefore, DHing against right-handed pitching could be a perfect fit for Lamb while still keeping both Walker and Escobar in the lineup. After all, he did have 59 home runs from 2016 through 2017.

OTHERS

Josh Rojas could benefit from the at-bats, although his versatility might make him more of a utility backup that comes in as a defensive replacement or starts when other players need days off. Tim Locastro’s speed and on-base ability could make him a good person plug at the bottom of the lineup, making him a table-setter for when the top of the order is back up to bat, and have one of the starting outfielders serve as DH.

With an expanded roster limit, maybe the D-backs go to the pipeline and call up a top prospect, such as outfielder Alek Thomas or catcher Daulton Varsho.

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