5 questions as Arizona Diamondbacks begin spring training games

After a week of bullpens, batting practice sessions and fielding practice, the Diamondbacks return to game action on Friday, with their Cactus League opener against the Rockies at Salt River Fields.

This is not a team with much uncertainty. Coming off their run to the World Series, the Diamondbacks are entering the season with what should be — on paper — their best roster in years. Their top four rotation spots are in good hands, as is most of the lineup.

That doesn’t mean, though, that there are no questions facing the Diamondbacks. Here are five key things to watch for as spring training games get underway:

How do pitchers Tommy Henry and Ryne Nelson look?

The most anticipated battle of spring training is for the fifth rotation spot — a position that will likely come down to Tommy Henry and Ryne Nelson.

Don’t put too much stock into what their stats look like over the next month. The Diamondbacks do not place much emphasis on spring training results. One pitcher might face a row of elite hitters, while another faces a lineup full of minor leaguers.

But what does matter is how Henry and Nelson look. For Henry, the focus is on his fastball command and his ability to get ahead in counts. For Nelson, the focus is on developing a quality breaking ball that can enable him to increase his strikeout rates.

“Not huge adjustments that need to be made,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “So now … the consistency of it will be the next step.”

Of course, the decision the Diamondbacks make on March 27 when camp breaks is not a permanent one. Last year, Henry lost a camp battle for a rotation spot and still made 16 starts. Brandon Pfaadt was only on the periphery of that battle and made 18, shoring up a spot for this season. Eventually, both Henry and Nelson will have a role to play, regardless of how this spring plays out.

How do shortstop reps shake out?

Geraldo Perdomo is the Diamondbacks’ starting shortstop. They have not been shy about proclaiming that. But the roster needs a backup shortstop, too.

“We've gotta figure out who that's gonna be,” Lovullo said. “So that's a high priority through the course of spring training.”

Top prospect Jordan Lawlar seems highly unlikely to fill that role. General Manager Mike Hazen has said repeatedly that he wants Lawlar to play every day.

So who are the options to back up Perdomo?

Kevin Newman is one obvious possibility. Newman is a non-roster invitee with a career .662 OPS, but he is a true shortstop — albeit a below-average one by most defensive metrics.

Jace Peterson and Emmanuel Rivera are two infielders with more intriguing offensive upside, and both need to make the roster to prevent becoming available to other clubs. Peterson is on a contract signed as a major league free agent last year, while Rivera is out of minor league options.

The question for both is how they can perform at shortstop. Outside of one-third of an inning in 2021, Peterson’s last work at shortstop was in 2018. Rivera has played the position in winter ball, including this off-season in Puerto Rico, but never in the minor leagues or major leagues.

During spring training games, look for how much work those two get at shortstop and how comfortable they look at the position. Given their ability to play multiple positions, one of those players making the roster as a shortstop would also give the Diamondbacks more flexibility to build out their bench, potentially opening a spot for a player like Jake McCarthy or Pavin Smith.

One final note on shortstop: Ketel Marte has been given the freedom to take reps at the position. Lovullo, though, sounded hesitant to put the responsibility of primary backup shortstop on Marte’s plate.

DBacks 2024 spring roster: Meet the infield | Meet the outfield | Meet the pitchers

What does Alek Thomas’ swing look like?

During his two seasons in the major leagues, Alek Thomas has been an excellent defensive center fielder and a threat on the basepaths. But only in spurts has he delivered on his promise at the plate. In each of those two seasons, he’s had an OPS+ of 75, meaning he’s performed 25% below average as a hitter.

Last season, the Diamondbacks briefly sent Thomas to Triple-A to refine his swing, which has a unique motion that often pulls him away from home plate. Significant swing changes, though, are difficult to enact mid-season. So this off-season, that was a focus for Thomas.

So far, his swing has earned positive reviews in camp.

“The swing plane looks great,” Lovullo said. “He looks like he has accomplished a couple of things he wanted to this offseason and that’s maybe to slow down the forward movement and give him a little more time to see the pitch. It’s mostly the lower half. His lower half has been in a pretty good position. It looks like he is locked and loaded.”

As spring training games begin, his ability to consistently stay through the baseball — especially against left-handed pitching — will be something to watch for.

Does Joc Pederson get a chance as more than platoon DH?

When Joc Pederson signed with the Diamondbacks last month, he professed a desire to be more than a designated hitter who only faces right-handed pitching.

That role is where Pederson excels — he has historically been a below-average fielder and has an OPS more than .200 points higher against righties. Plus, last week’s signing of Randal Grichuk narrowed the path to both outfield innings and at-bats against lefties.

Still, the more versatile Pederson is, the more options the Diamondbacks have, especially when injuries inevitably creep up. Last year, the Diamondbacks barely used Kyle Lewis — another player whose primary role was DH — in the outfield during spring training. Lewis wasn’t the hitter Pederson is, and he didn’t come with the same financial commitment, but his lack of versatility cost him opportunities.

If Pederson gets more run in the field during spring training, it could be a sign that he’ll have more positional flexibility than expected this season.

Can Justin Martinez show some control?

When he threw his first bullpen session of spring training last week, the Diamondbacks set up a physical strike zone over home plate for Justin Martinez to aim at. The reliever throws over 100 mph with a wipeout breaking ball, but he also walked nearly a batter per inning in Triple-A Reno (and more than a batter per inning in 10 big league appearances).

If the 22-year-old Martinez can dial in that control, his upside is tantalizing, especially for an organization that has historically struggled to produce flame throwers. These are the types of relievers who develop into elite closers.

“Frankly, I'm looking for guys like Justin Martinez to come up and harness 100-plus with wipeout secondary stuff and getting into that mix at some point,” Hazen said last week when discussing the bullpen.

It seems unlikely that Martinez would permeate a deep, talented bullpen on Opening Day, barring injuries. But if he can show improved control during spring training, it would be a promising sign for his future.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 5 questions as Arizona Diamondbacks begin spring training games