On Friday, the Arizona Diamondbacks signed starter Brandon Pfaadt to a five-year, $45 million contract extension with a club and mutual option, securing the right-hander through 2030 – and potentially even 2032.
Pfaadt becomes the third member of a young group of Diamondbacks players to sign an extension, along with Justin Martinez and Geraldo Perdomo earlier in the offseason.
General manager Mike Hazen, along with the newly extended Pfaadt, met with members of the media following the news on Friday. Hazen maintained his mindset of wanting to lock up young players and keep Arizona’s core group together.
“We’ve talked about with a couple of these [extensions] already, Brandon falls very much in the group of players that we have that we feel like getting some certainty around what the future is going to look like is very important for us, in terms of building a roster and keeping this team together for as long as we can,” Hazen said.
“Brandon’s one of the bright young pitchers we have that have come up through our system, and have come on to the major league level. And as we know, it’s a very tough position to do that in this league as a starting pitcher. And he’s done a great job over the last couple of years.”
Pfaadt, despite being just 26 years old, was Arizona’s most consistent innings-eater in 2024. He threw a career-high 181.2 innings, the most of any of the D-backs’ starting rotation.
Though his campaign resulted in a 4.71 ERA, his FIP (3.61) and xERA (3.78) were that of a significantly above-average major league starter.
“The consistency that he brings to the table from a work ethic and a makeup and innings eating, even at a young age standpoint, is something that we value tremendously,” Hazen said.
Pfaadt had recently been awarded the final starter’s spot in the rotation after a strong Spring Training. Hazen said that the battle was a factor in the extension process, but that the organization didn’t want to short-change the righty.
“We felt like with the potential of where the roles may end up, we didn’t want to use that as a bargaining position. We wanted the competition in Spring Training to sort itself out. So probably shortly after we set the rotation and he was in it [the extension got done],” Hazen said.
Pfaadt has shown steady growth in his time with the club; Hazen took note of what the righty does well, and how that factored into the pursuit of a long-term deal.
“There’s always a balance to how these things get done. And I think when there’s shared risk on both sides, that’s when you have the best opportunity to get those things done. … The way he goes out there and pounds the zone, or is refining his stuff and hauls innings, there’s a huge value to [that], period.
“That is a valuable skillset in this game today with the way pitch counts get ratcheted up on guys and what it does to the pen and all those things that we talk about. So he has shown those things, which we very much value, and he’s going to keep putting it together as he gets older and matures,” Hazen said.
Pfaadt reflected on what the extension means for him, as it now affords him a potential seven years of stability in Arizona.
“Ever since [I] got drafted in 2020, my wife and I, we’ve loved Arizona. We’ve loved everything about it. Whether that be in the clubhouse and outside the clubhouse, we’re just happy to be here longer, and extend that stay a little longer.
“I think you’ve got to think of the peace of mind that it brings. And now I’m able to go out there and compete every fifth day with the peace of mind and go out there and go do my job. So I think that had a big play in it. And there’s a lot of things we can avoid later on. Just, just move on and go out there and compete,” Pfaadt said.
Coming up through the minor leagues as a home-grown player, Pfaadt noted the bond between he and the teammates with whom he rose through the organization.
“We’ve always had that young core coming up through the minors. We’ve all stuck together and we’ve added some veteran leadership the past few years to tack in on that. And I think that goes a long way. So we’re excited for what the future holds, and there’s a lot to look forward to.
“Hopefully I’m not the only one. And I think we can move on and come up together and keep building a good team here and a good relationship in the clubhouse, and take that onto the field,” Pfaadt said.
Manager Torey Lovullo also weighed in on the extension:
“I think it’s great news. It’s great news. You talk about a commitment from the front office to the players. They’ve identified a certain type of player, somebody who is going to be here a long time and also win a lot of baseball games. I think you’re talking about an elite human being.
“That’s what we want here. That’s what the Arizona Diamondbacks crave: good baseball players that are great human beings. So I’m extremely happy for he and his wife, Ali,” Lovullo said.
Lovullo noted the stability the deal gives both Pfaadt and the club, and said these types of deals are crucial to the positive culture he and Hazen have striven to build in Arizona.
“It gives me a lot of peace of mind knowing that we have that type of player that’s going to be here growing and learning and continuing the Diamondbacks way.
“And for me personally, that means that we have a core group of guys that we’ve identified as the right people. They’re the right human beings that are really good at sharing this culture and enriching it. And it becomes very powerful,” Lovullo said.
Diamondbacks Extend Young Starting Pitcher
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