The Arizona Diamondbacks are adding depth this spring with a pair of low-risk, potentially high-reward moves. The club has signed right-hander Joe Ross and outfielder Oscar Mercado to minor league deals, both of which include invites to big league camp. These are the kind of signings that don’t make headlines in February-but they can matter come July.
Let’s start with Ross. The 30-year-old righty is trying to carve out a second act in his career after a long road back from Tommy John surgery.
He missed the entire 2022 and 2023 seasons, but showed flashes of promise in 2024 with the Brewers, especially after transitioning to the bullpen. In 27 innings of relief, he posted a sparkling 1.67 ERA-numbers that suggested Ross might have found a new lane as a reliever.
That earned him a one-year, $4 million deal with the Phillies last offseason, but things didn’t quite click in Philadelphia. Ross struggled to find consistency, finishing with a 5.12 ERA over 51 innings.
He made just one start in 37 appearances and was vulnerable to the long ball, giving up eight homers while allowing a fair amount of hard contact. The strikeout rate (17.1%) and walk rate (7.9%) weren’t disastrous, but they didn’t exactly scream late-inning weapon either.
He was released in late August and latched on with the Cubs on a minor league deal, but never got the call to the big league roster-even after rosters expanded in September.
Now, Ross gets a fresh start in Arizona, and while the D-backs are bringing a crowded group of non-roster arms to camp, there’s still a path for him. His ability to pitch out of the bullpen or potentially operate as a swingman could help his case.
Arizona’s rotation has some question marks behind Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, and the club leaned heavily on bullpen depth during last year’s postseason run. If Ross can show the kind of sharpness he flashed in Milwaukee, he could sneak into the conversation.
As for Mercado, the 29-year-old outfielder is looking to reignite a career that’s been in flux since his standout rookie season with Cleveland back in 2019. That year, he looked like a potential everyday player, but since the start of 2020, he’s hit just .206/.262/.334 in 491 plate appearances.
His most recent big league action came in 2023 with the Cardinals, where he appeared in 20 games before being outrighted in early July. Since then, Mercado’s been on the move-brief stints with the Dodgers, Tigers, Padres (twice), and Phillies (also twice), but no return to the majors.
With Corbin Carroll set to begin the season on the injured list following hamate surgery, Arizona suddenly has a little less certainty in the outfield. Mercado isn’t a lock to make the roster, but he brings experience and versatility.
Primarily a corner outfielder, he’s logged time in center as well, which could give him an edge if he shows well in camp. Players like Tim Tawa and Ildemaro Vargas may now be in line for more prominent roles with Carroll sidelined, but Mercado adds another layer of depth-especially at the Triple-A level.
For the Diamondbacks, these are the types of moves that help build out the 40-man puzzle. Neither Ross nor Mercado is guaranteed anything, but both bring big league experience and a hunger to prove they still belong. In a long season, that kind of motivation can be valuable-especially when injuries or underperformance start testing a team’s depth.
Spring training is where stories like these begin. Whether they end in a roster spot or a return ticket to Triple-A, both Ross and Mercado are names to keep an eye on as Arizona starts shaping its 2026 roster.