Ildemaro Vargas gives Diamondbacks options, including trades

Ildemaro Vargas fielded a hard smash on one hop and flung it effortlessly across the diamond, making a difficult play look surprisingly easy. An inning earlier on Wednesday night, he had lined a single into left field to drive in two runs, a hit that came off reliever Carl Edwards Jr., a pitcher expected to play a big role in the Chicago Cubs bullpen.

Those sorts of moments have become commonplace for Vargas this month. Whether he’s having good at-bats, making slick defensive plays on the infield or opening eyes with his smart aggressiveness on the bases, Vargas has made a sort of under-the-radar push for a bench spot on the club’s Opening Day roster.

As it stands, the Diamondbacks do not appear to have room for him. For now, their five-man bench seems likely to include two catchers, infielder Daniel Descalso, a fourth outfielder and either Chris Owings or Nick Ahmed – whoever isn’t the everyday shortstop. That likely would leave Vargas in Triple-A Reno.

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But Vargas’ emergence has highlighted the fact that the Diamondbacks’ depth at shortstop gives them options – along with Owings, Ahmed and Vargas, there’s also Ketel Marte – and sources say the club is exploring those options.

They say the Diamondbacks have shown a willingness to listen to offers on the defensive-minded Ahmed, who, by all accounts, has looked healthy in his return from hip surgery. They say Owings appears to have the leg up on the everyday shortstop job.

“That would make sense,” a rival scout said of a deal involving Ahmed. “They need to add prospects to their system.”

Vargas has gone from being out of affiliated ball to on a 40-man roster and on the cusp of the majors. Two years ago, he was released by the St. Louis Cardinals at the end of spring training. He had hit just .236 in the minors the previous year. The release made him consider walking away.

“I thought about quitting; I thought about not playing anymore,” Vargas said, speaking through an interpreter. “But I had a son, so I had to keep playing baseball and keep trying to be with a major-league team.”

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Vargas, 25, seems to view everything through the prism of his son, Austin, who was just four months old at the time of the release. He said Austin is the reason he plays so aggressively, and he said he is motivated not by trying to prove the Cardinals wrong, but to get to the big leagues for his son.

He wound up signing with the Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League, where he played 30 games before the Diamondbacks picked him up. Scout Chris Carminucci had received a strong recommendation from Bluefish manager Ricky VanAsselberg, then was impressed by what he saw when he went to watch Vargas play.

“Switch-hitter, line-drive, gap-to-gap kind of guy, makes contact,” Carminucci said during an interview in the offseason. “His tools are the glove and the bat and the actions. Playing against some older guys in the Atlantic League – a lot of them have a lot more time under their belt than he did. He wasn’t intimidated.”

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Vargas has done nothing but hit since signing with the Diamondbacks. He hit .321 in Low-A Kane County in 2015 and followed that by hitting .305 across three levels last season, including a .354/.418/.449 line in 198 at-bats for Triple-A Reno. He was added to the 40-man roster over the winter.

“I think he can play all over the field,” Carminucci said. “I think he can hit. I don’t think he’s going to hit for much power, but doubles power and an ability to hit for average. I really think this kid has a chance.”

Manager Torey Lovullo said Thursday that Vargas probably doesn’t have anything left to prove, other than to show he can maintain the same level of play he’s displayed so far in camp.

Vargas has the “ability to play the game full speed without the fear of making a mistake,” Lovullo said. “We’re three weeks into games and he hasn’t let up. So we want to see it continue and last as long as possible, gain that experience and if he continues to do it that’s how we want all these young players to play.”

Short hops

• Lovullo said outfielder Yasmany Tomas (left oblique strain) won’t be re-evaluated until next week at the earliest. While that would appear to put his status for Opening Day in question, Lovullo said there’s still time. “I think we’re still in a good spot,” Lovullo said.
• Center fielder A.J. Pollock (groin) is day-to-day, Lovullo said. Pollock hasn’t played since Sunday.

Reach Piecoro at (602) 444-8680 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @nickpiecoro.