D-backs bring in former first-round pick on minor league deal

The D-backs announced Friday that they’ve signed right-handed-hitting outfielders Kyle Garlick and Albert Almora to minor league contracts. Both have been invited to major league spring training.

Arizona has been on the lookout for right-handed-hitting bats to complement lefty-hitting designated hitter Joc Pederson as well as lefty outfielders Alek Thomas and Corbin Carroll. The Snakes recently signed Randal Grichuk to a one-year, $2M big league contract, and he’ll get the first crack at that role as a result. However, both Garlick and Almora make some sense for a team seeking additional right-handed depth in the outfield — though the pair brings fairly different skill sets.

Garlick, 32, is a classic lefty masher who offers limited defensive value in the outfield corners. He’s hit just .240 with a .289 OBP against lefties in his career but has slugged a hefty .510 against them. Garlick has popped 14 homers and 10 doubles in just 208 plate appearances against southpaws at the MLB level. He’s a career .207/.264/.348 hitter against righties, however. Garlick has spent the past three seasons in the Twins organization and has been used far more often against lefties than righties, as one would expect.

As for the 29-year-old Almora, he’s more of a glove-first option in the outfield with less power but solid all-around production against southpaws. The former Cubs top prospect is a .259/.300/.383 hitter in 1605 big league plate appearances — including .267/.321/.389 against left-handed pitching. Almora has ample experience at all three outfield spots and offers a plus glove at each of the three. The bulk of his production at the MLB level came early in his career; he didn’t appear in the majors last season and posted a tepid .219/.265/.344 line in 686 plate appearances from 2019-22.