Zac Gallen makes spring debut for Diamondbacks

Gallen's fastball velocity up, Jameson discusses slider and changeup

Feb. 26, 2026 at 12:48am

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Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen made his 2026 spring training debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers, with his fastball velocity up 1.2 mph from last season. Reliever Drey Jameson also made his spring debut, discussing the progress of his slider and changeup. Top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt made a highlight-reel catch, while the Diamondbacks' offense got to Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki early.

Why it matters

Gallen's strong spring debut is an encouraging sign for the Diamondbacks, as he looks to build on his previous success and potentially earn the Opening Day start with Merrill Kelly sidelined. Jameson's development of his secondary pitches will be crucial for him to solidify a role in the bullpen. The team's young prospects like Waldschmidt also showed promising flashes, providing optimism for the future.

The details

Gallen averaged 94.7 mph on his fastball in one inning, up from 93.5 mph last season. He allowed a leadoff single but struck out two batters. Jameson's four-seamer averaged 97.4 mph, but he acknowledged needing to improve the velocity differential on his changeup. Waldschmidt made a diving catch in left field and had a 106 mph single. The Diamondbacks' offense got to Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki early, with Geraldo Perdomo and Nolan Arenado hitting 105 mph line drives and Ildemaro Vargas driving in two runs with a double.

  • Gallen made his first spring training appearance on February 24, 2026.
  • Jameson made his spring training debut on February 25, 2026.
  • Waldschmidt's highlight-reel catch occurred during the February 25, 2026 game.

The players

Zac Gallen

An Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher who is the team's Opening Day starter for the previous three seasons.

Drey Jameson

A Diamondbacks reliever who is working to improve his secondary pitches, including his changeup, after returning from Tommy John surgery.

Ryan Waldschmidt

A top prospect in the Diamondbacks' farm system who made a diving catch in left field during the February 25, 2026 game.

Roki Sasaki

A 24-year-old Dodgers pitcher who is a postseason standout.

Torey Lovullo

The manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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What they’re saying

“When I saw the 92 mph curveball I was like, 'I guess it's not real,'”

— Zac Gallen

“From a physicality standpoint, I feel the ball has been coming out of my hand really good, the velocity in sides and live BP has been a tick up from years past. I feel like delivery is in a good place. Really tried to work at it. … I feel like I'm in a good spot with the training I put in.”

— Zac Gallen

“The main focus for me isn't the heater, it's getting that changeup with the speed difference to get that 7-10 mph speed change. Today I think it was probably up there. … That's something I'm going to have to work on, trying to kill velocity on that changeup.”

— Drey Jameson

“Health is my focus this spring. That's what I can take away from today is that the slider is back, I found the slider, I'm healthy and there's still work to be done.”

— Drey Jameson

“Things such as filling up the strike zone and picking up the baseball on defense didn't happen today. We got to take care of the basic things.”

— Torey Lovullo, Manager

What’s next

Eduardo Rodriguez will make his spring debut for the Diamondbacks on Thursday against the Kansas City Royals.

The takeaway

Gallen's strong spring debut and the promising performances of young prospects like Waldschmidt provide optimism for the Diamondbacks' future, while Jameson's continued development of his secondary pitches will be crucial for the team's bullpen depth. However, the team's sloppy play in the field and on the mound is an area that needs improvement before the start of the regular season.