Most likely would not have predicted two of the Arizona Diamondbacks ' previously acquired pitching prospects to get significant run in the 2026 season, but baseball remains an unpredictable game.
Both of Arizona 's left-handed pitching prospects received in the deal that sent Merrill Kelly to the Texas Rangers at the 2025 Deadline have made their debuts. Though Kohl Drake has since been optioned back down to the minor leagues , fellow lefty Mitch Bratt has remained on the roster.
Bratt earned his spot with a brilliant seven-inning, nine-strikeout performance against the San Diego Padres . He's since backed that up with six innings of two-run baseball against the Colorado Rockies .
It hasn't been an exceptionally easy road for the 23-year-old Bratt, but he's showing signs of developing into a potential major league contributor, given the chance to keep taking the mound every fifth day.
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo spoke glowingly about Bratt in a recent appearance on Arizona Sports 98.7's Burns & Gambo Show.
Jul 29, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Mitch Bratt (60) throws in the outfield before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Back on July 25, Bratt was knocked around for five runs in five innings against the Washington Nationals . His ERA ballooned up to 6.32 given the small sample size.
But since that game, Bratt has allowed just three earned runs. He's completed at least six innings twice, for a total of 18 innings. That is good for a 1.50 ERA over his past three starts.
Lovullo took note of Bratt's recent success, breaking down what he thinks has been going right for the young left-hander.
"He's done a great job," Lovullo said. "Credit to him for being able to go out there and slow the game down. He's just a very intense competitor and a young player. Sometimes that energy can get pushed in the wrong direction, but he's really done a good job of making pitches and having that mound presence."
"Overall, I think he's done a great job of slowing things down, making adjustments pitch-to-pitch, and dialing it in really nicely."
For as strong of a start as Bratt had in his last outing, it ended on a bittersweet note, as he served up a game-tying two-run homer after getting through five scoreless.
A lack of offense - which has been a trend for this Diamondbacks team - turned what was an exceptional game for Bratt into a no-decision and an eventual loss for Arizona.
Still, it lowered the young southpaw's ERA to 3.76 on the year. Arizona's No. 12 prospect still has some work to do. He'll need to limit walks and refine his command a bit, given the fact that his fastball tops out around 92 MPH. But he's producing for Arizona at a time where the banged-up rotation sorely needed it, and he's looked better with each passing start.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi as How Mitch Bratt Has Become an Important Arm for the Diamondbacks .
