The Diamondbacks have signed infielder Nicky Lopez to a minor league contract, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. Lopez, 30, has been assigned to the Triple-A Reno Aces and is expected to join the team soon.
This year has been a whirlwind for Lopez. He initially signed a minor league deal with the Cubs in February but opted out after failing to make the Opening Day roster. He then inked a major league deal with the Angels but was designated for assignment about three weeks into the season. After electing free agency, he returned to the Cubs on another major league contract, only to be DFA’d again after roughly a month. Now, he’s landed with Arizona on a minor league deal.
This season, Lopez has struggled offensively, posting a .042/.179/.042 line over 28 plate appearances. While his career numbers are better, they still fall below league average, with a .245/.310/.311 slash line and a 72 wRC+ across 2,374 career plate appearances.
Despite limited power, Lopez brings defensive value, having logged over 2,000 innings at both middle infield spots. Defensive Runs Saved once rated him as a good shortstop but has recently downgraded him. Meanwhile, Outs Above Average remains positive on him, crediting Lopez with a +33 overall—though much of that comes from an exceptional +25 in 2021. Both metrics agree he’s a solidly above-average second baseman. Additionally, Lopez has experience at corner infield positions and even left field, adding to his versatility.
The Diamondbacks currently have a crowded infield, with regular playing time going to Josh Naylor, Ketel Marte, Geraldo Perdomo, and Eugenio Suárez across the infield, while Jordan Lawlar and Tim Tawa also see occasional action. Pavin Smith and Randal Grichuk mostly share duties as designated hitters.
However, as the saying goes, there’s no such thing as a bad minor league deal. With veteran infielder Ildemaro Vargas opting out of his minor league contract this week, Lopez essentially steps in to fill that veteran, non-roster infielder role for the club.
