Amid the uncertainty surrounding Ketel Marte, the Arizona Diamondbacks are active in the market, signing Dominican infielder Santiago Espinal to bolster their lineup for the final stretch of the 2026 Major League Baseball season.

On Thursday night, the Phoenix franchise announced on its social media that the veteran infielder will be joining the organization on a minor league contract, where he will be assigned to their Triple-A affiliate. The 31-year-old Dominican gets another chance to return to the majors after appearing in 36 games with the Los Angeles Dodgers this season.

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Santiago Espinal Signs Contract with Arizona Diamondbacks

With no word yet on the return of Ketel Marte, who was placed on the restricted list after failing to appear for the first game of the series against the Boston Red Sox, the Diamondbacks wasted no time in the market, acquiring the services of the Dominican player, who boasts seven years of MLB experience, most of it with the Toronto Blue Jays (2020-2023).

Besides the veteran leadership he can bring down the stretch, the main attraction for Arizona is his defensive versatility, especially his ability to play second base, although he can also cover other infield positions. With this move, the D-backs add an experienced player who could become a valuable option to bolster the roster should they receive the opportunity to return to the Majors.

Among his career statistics in the Major Leagues, Espinal boasts a .268 batting average, 21 home runs, 167 RBIs, 185 runs scored, 438 hits, a .314 on-base percentage (OBP), and a .664 OPS in over 1,600 plate appearances. Although he posted a .311 average in the 2021 season, his peak came in 2022 when he was selected to his first and only All-Star Game.

The ideal replacement for Ketel Marte?

Spinal's signing is a good depth acquisition during a time of crisis, but he doesn't have the potential or the profile to become Ketel Marte's true successor. However, his addition will be useful for Torey Lovullo while the Dominican star's future is being clarified.

Although he has historically been more of a defensive player at third base, the Santiago native not only has enough experience to play second base, but he's also capable of establishing himself at that position with a .982 fielding percentage in 1,670.3 innings pitched. If he starts producing in Reno and the team needs immediate help, he will become the new star at Chase Field in the final weeks of the regular season.

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Who is Santiago Espinal?

He is a Dominican baseball player born on November 13, 1994, in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. The player, who bats and throws right-handed, primarily plays as an infielder and can cover second and third base, as well as shortstop. He was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the tenth round of the 2016 MLB Draft and subsequently joined the Toronto Blue Jays organization, making his Major League debut on July 25, 2020.

Espinal experienced one of the highlights of his career in 2022 when he was selected to the MLB All-Star Game with the Blue Jays. After four seasons in Toronto, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in March 2024 in exchange for pitcher Chris McElvain. In 2026, he signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers and received an opportunity to join the major league roster in March before recently signing with the Arizona Diamondbacks.