D-backs love skills of 18th overall Draft pick Cunningham

July 14th, 2025

In sticking with their recent trend, the Diamondbacks selected an athletic, up-the-middle player who is a bit undersized with their first pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, picking high school shortstop out of Texas at No. 18.

The Diamondbacks made three picks on the first day of the Draft. They selected Cunningham with their first pick before nabbing right-hander Patrick Forbes out of the University of Louisville with the 29th overall pick, which they received as compensation for losing free agent Christian Walker last offseason.

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Arizona did not have a second-round pick, which it forfeited after signing right-hander Corbin Burnes to a six-year, $210 million contract last December. With their third-round pick, the Diamondbacks took Georgia right-hander Brian Curley.

Considered by MLB Pipeline to be perhaps the best pure hitter among high school prospects in this year’s Draft, Cunningham hit .417 for Team USA during the 18-and-under World Cup qualifier in Panama last summer. That included the go-ahead hit in the gold medal-clinching victory before he was named the tournament MVP. He was also named USA Baseball’s Player of the Year in 2024, and this past spring, he was named Gatorade’s Texas High School Player of the Year.

Cunningham participated in MLB Develops programming as a kid, playing in States Play in 2023, the High School All-American Game in '24 and the Dream Series in 2024 and 2025.

Cunningham, the No. 14 prospect in this year’s Draft per MLB Pipeline and a University of Texas commit, hit .509 in his senior year at Johnson High School, racking up 23 extra-base hits and stealing 21 bases.

A high-contact/low-strikeout hitter with great barrel control, the 5-foot-10 Cunningham -- while not as physically imposing as some others in this Draft class -- has great bat speed from the left side. That, coupled with his consistent ability to barrel the ball, could make him a 15-20-home run threat in the big leagues. He covers the strike zone well and hits to all fields.

Drafting a player considered undersized is not an issue for the Diamondbacks, who have had success over the years with selecting players of that type such as Daulton Varsho, Alek Thomas, Corbin Carroll and last year’s top pick, outfielder Slade Caldwell.

“This is the narrative that is definitely going around,” scouting director Ian Rebhan said. “I think we're more drawn to their skills. In this case, a left-handed hitter that makes a ton of contact. He shows the ability to control the strike zone. He's going to hit, he's going to limit strikeouts, he's going to walk. And I think the thing that I always come back to is these guys, they do have power.”

COMPLETE D-BACKS PROSPECT COVERAGE

Cunningham and Caldwell are friends, and Cunningham is looking forward to hopefully playing with Caldwell in the big leagues at some point.

“That kind of gives me a good feeling that I’m going to be with Slade,” Cunningham said. “Two undersized players that play with a lot of energy and passion. I see myself as playing with all the guys that are 6-foot-2, there’s really nothing they do that I can’t. I play with a lot of energy, I’m really fast, so that brings a lot of good tools to my toolset.”

Defensively, the 19-year-old middle infielder has a solid-to-plus arm at shortstop, though he may profile better as a second baseman at the next level. The Diamondbacks feel his athleticism and hands will allow him to stick at short. In the field and on the bases, Cunningham demonstrates good energy and good actions, and he has plus speed.

Here's a look at the Diamondbacks' other Day 1 picks:

, RHP (No. 29 overall, compensation pick)

  • Bats/throws: R/R
  • School: University of Louisville
  • Calling Card: Gets explosive carry on his high-spin fastball, which averaged 94 mph last spring and ticked up with Team USA and in the Cape Cod League. It now sits 94-96 and tops out at 100.
  • Quote: “We think there's a ton of upside there – a guy with not a ton of innings on his arm and obviously his arsenal and his mix is pretty impressive. He's got a fastball up to 100 mph. It's an explosive fastball. It's got a ton of ride and carry. It's a four-pitch mix. He's got a slider, he’s got a changeup, he's got a cutter. So like, four-pitch mix, traditional starter.” – Rebhan

, RHP (No. 92 overall, third round)

  • Bats/throws: R/R
  • School: University of Georgia
  • Calling Card: Fastball sits at 94-97 mph and touches 100. If he doesn’t pan out as a starter in pro ball, he profiles nicely as a power reliever.
  • Quote: “He's got a big arm. It's a carry fastball. He's up to 100 mph, he's got a power breaking ball. We think he's a starter as well. He's thrown strikes, he performed, he punched dudes out in the SEC.” – Rebhan