Organization tells 5 scouts they won’t be back in 2018

DENVER - The Diamondbacks went through a round of staffing changes this week, telling five scouts and a long-time minor-league coordinator they would not return for 2018. Aside from changes on the major-league coaching staff, they’re the first such moves made by the organization’s new regime, which took over last fall.

“We wanted to give guys the year and really evaluate things,” Assistant General Manager Jared Porter said. “We made some really tough decisions, but it was just about being able to structure the department the way we want to.

“They’re all very good baseball guys. I expect them to land on their feet. I have nothing but positives to say about the guys, but it was just a matter of structuring things a little differently.”

Four of the scouts whose contracts will not be renewed – Marty Mason, Wade Taylor, John Vander Wal and Erick Threets – were pro scouts whose coverage focused on major and minor-league players. The other scout, Gil Kubski, was on the amateur side and was stationed in southern California.

One addition to the pro scouting staff will be T.R. Lewis, who is shifting from the amateur side. He’s been an area scout with the club for the past 10 years.

Porter, who oversees the pro scouting staff, said he expects the Diamondbacks will have a larger scouting staff next year. They had a 20-man department this year, a group that included one advance scout and two others in administrative/office type roles.

Catching coordinator Bill Plummer also will not be back. Plummer was in his 16th season with the Diamondbacks, with eight of those years spent in the catching coordinator role.

Porter said he expects the amateur scouting and the player development staffs also to grow year to year.

Negron’s spring set stage for promotion

Versatile position player Kris Negron, who made a strong impression on manager Torey Lovullo and his staff throughout spring training, was one of five players the Diamondbacks added Friday with roster expansion.

Negron hit .300 with an .867 OPS for Triple-A Reno this year, solid numbers for a player who logged at least an inning at every position on the field other than catcher.

That versatility played a part in the club’s decision to promote him. Lovullo said he got glimpses of it during spring training.

“I could start him at second, move him to third and he could turn a double play as good as anybody we had,” Lovullo said. “The next day, I’d start him in center or left and he was running full speed at balls.”

To make room for Negron on the 40man roster , the Diamondbacks released right-hander Rubby De La Rosa, who underwent Tommy John surgery last month. De La Rosa isn’t expected to pitch again until 2019, though Porter said he expects the team will speak with De La Rosa’s representative about a new contract.

“Rubby’s a great guy and we have a good relationship with him, and we sure hope he bounces back,” Porter said.

The Diamondbacks also promoted right-handers J.J. Hoover, Silvino Bracho and Braden Shipley and catcher John Ryan Murphy.