The D-Backs are in agreement with infielder Ildemaro Vargas on a minor league contract, reports Aram Leighton of Just Baseball. The 33-year-old will get an invite to MLB camp.
Vargas has spent the last two and a half seasons in Washington. The switch-hitting utilityman has played in a bit more than half of the Nationals’ games since the start of the 2023 campaign. Vargas puts the ball in play but rarely walks and has very little power. He hit .257/.302/.354 across 785 plate appearances with the Nats. Washington outrighted him off their 40-man roster at the end of the season, essentially non-tendering him in lieu of a $1.8MM arbitration projection.
Before this recent run in Washington, Vargas had spent the majority of his career with the Diamondbacks. He debuted with Arizona in 2017 and remained with the organization into 2020. Arizona traded him to the Twins during the shortened season but brought him back in a minor trade with the Pirates the following year. That ended up being a brief stint, as Arizona waived him at the start of the 2021-22 offseason.
Vargas has evidently made a positive impression on team brass. They’ll bring him back for a third stint in a non-roster capacity. Arizona has a decent amount of infield depth. Blaze Alexander and Tim Tawa are on hand as potential utility options behind the presumptive starting infield of Pavin Smith, Ketel Marte, Geraldo Perdomo and Eugenio Suárez. Top prospect Jordan Lawlar will probably open the season in Triple-A but could get his first extended MLB look next season. Vargas is stretched at shortstop but grades as a capable defender at both second and third base.