Diamondbacks’ Corbin Burnes reflects on 2025 season, injury recovery
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Corbin Burnes reflects on the 2025 season and the timeline for his return from Tommy John surgery.
The Diamondbacks added four prospects to their 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 draft.Left-handed pitcher Tommy Henry was designated for assignment to create a roster spot.
The Arizona Diamondbacks added four players to their 40-man roster, protecting them from next month’s Rule 5 draft, clearing room, in part, by designating lefty Tommy Henry for assignment.
The club selected the contracts of lefties Kohl Drake and Mitch Bratt, right-hander Dylan Ray and infielder Jose Fernandez.
Combined with the move earlier this week to outright right-hander Christian Montes de Oca, the club now has a full 40-man roster.
Drake and Bratt were acquired in July as part of the deal that sent right-hander Merrill Kelly to the Texas Rangers. Both are projected as back-of-the-rotation starters. Drake reached Triple-A last year while Bratt finished in Double-A; each is a candidate to make his major league debut in 2026.
Ray could also debut next year after working his way through the system the past four years. He was drafted in the fourth round out of Alabama in 2022. He split last season between Double-A Amarillo and Triple-A Reno, notching a 5.45 ERA in 140 1/3 innings in those hitter-friendly environments.
Fernandez was a well-regarded prospect when he signed out of Venezuela five years ago but had failed to produce offensively prior to this year, when he hit .272/.321/.454 with 17 homers in Amarillo. Much of his production came against left-handed pitching. He is viewed as a solid defender at shortstop, leading some to believe his floor could be that of a lefty-mashing utility infield option.
Henry, 28, started 32 games for the Diamondbacks over the past four seasons, logging a 5.07 ERA. A second-round pick in 2019 out of Michigan, he looked at times like a competent back-end starter but struggled badly in 2024 before needing elbow surgery last year. He is likely at least the first couple months of next season.
The Diamondbacks have seven days to trade Henry or place him on waivers.