Diamondbacks Call Up Outfielder Dominic Fletcher

Photo by Gene Wang/Getty Images

April 30, 2023

Diamondbacks Call Up Outfielder Dominic Fletcher: Pregame Notes

DENVER, Apr. 30 — The wait is over for Arizona Diamondbacks outfield prospect Dominic Fletcher. He can now officially call himself an Arizona Diamondback, as the team called him up Saturday night. To make room, they optioned left-handed reliever Anthony Misiewicz to Triple-A Reno.

A grinning Fletcher met with the media about 30 minutes after his arrival to Coors Field. He called the moment “pretty exciting,” saying, “this team has been really fun to watch. I’m really excited to join the team.” As he began preparing for the game, he thought of all the people that helped him along the way as well as all the work he’s done to earn the call-up. In addition, he was excited to meet his teammates.

Fletcher got the call Saturday after his game in Reno. Manager Torey Lovullo said that farm director Josh Barfield made the call. Fletcher had just picked up Panda Express and was on the way “back to his place.” According to Lovullo, Barfield told Fletcher, “Reverse the car, head back, and grab your stuff, because you’re going to the big leagues.” The first person he called was his dad, who is in Arkansas. “I might have woken him up,” Fletcher said with a sheepish grin, “but he wasn’t too worried about it.”

Fletcher arrived in Denver Sunday morning for the game against the Colorado Rockies, reaching Coors Field about 30 minutes before he met with the press. His dad couldn’t make Sunday’s game but will be in attendance when the Diamondbacks visit the Texas Rangers Tuesday and Wednesday. Fletcher said the window was too tight to get a flight to Denver, but Arlington is only a five-hour drive away.

Pregame Notes from Manager Torey Lovullo

Lovullo said sending Misiewicz down was hard. “He’s new to this organization and is continuing to improve himself, continuing to execute. What I explained to him, he’s been bouncing around now for the past couple of years, but to make this his home. That means by going down and continuing to execute, get coached, accept coaching, and get better again so he can come back as soon as possible.”

Roster necessity created this call-up. Lovullo said, “We needed an outfielder, it’s not a mystery that we were a little bit thin in that area. It’s a great opportunity for Dom. Those are awesome moments for me, to call him into the office and see the smile on his face.”

Lovullo explained what Fletcher has done to earn the call-up. “He’s been banging in the baseball. The average is fine, but it’s surveying the strike zone, controlling the zone, and swinging at strikes. (He’s) playing the outfield very well. That’s what he has in his back pocket. He’s just a great defender. So he deserves it.”

Corbin Carroll Update

Corbin Carroll’s knee did not even appear to be swollen pregame. Lovullo said Carroll has minor discomfort. “I’m surprised a little bit,” Lovullo admitted. “He was moving fast.” Grinning, Lovullo added, “I said a few times in the training room it’s his fault because he moves fast and creates such force. A slower person wouldn’t have had something like that happen. But he’s in a good spot. He just wants to get out and play, but we’re gonna pull back on this. Yeah, I think we’re lucky that they came in today looking as good as he did.”

Lovullo said he was “holding his breath as I was running out there” to tend to Carroll. He felt that if Carroll could have gotten up, he would have “bounced right up.” When he was staying down, Lovullo said he was thinking “shoulder, fibia, ankle, something severe. But it was quite a relief when we all got out there and he started to respond the way he did.”

While some might want Carroll to back off a bit in order to reduce the risk of injury, Lovullo said, “I want our guys to make plays and be conscious of what’s around them. But I don’t want to ever ask an athlete to pull back. I’ll just ask him to be smart. We can’t predict injury. My opinion is you put yourself more at risk putting on the brakes. So I want him to play full speed but be smart about it.” Lovullo added that he wants Carroll to play 150-plus games this season, but he doesn’t want Carroll to be a “defensive player.”

Other Notes

Zac Gallen will start pitching for the Diamondbacks on Tuesday against the Rangers. Wednesday’s starter is TBA. … The Rockies placed right-hander Noah Davis, who started Saturday night, on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. In his place, they have called up right-hander Nick Mears.