Brito In D-backs’ Plans

PHOENIX—Not only did the December trade of Ender Inciarte and prospects help the Diamondbacks land No. 2 starter Shelby Miller from Atlanta, it also opened an outfield spot.

---

At least a little bit of the move, it seems, had to do with the strides young outfielder Socrates Brito made last season.

“He’s got the right heartbeat,” Arizona manager Chip Hale said after the trade was consummated. “(Brito) knows how to breathe. Nothing seems too big of a deal for him.”

The Diamondbacks’ plan is to start second-year Cuban emigre Yasmany Tomas in right field to go with A.J. Pollock in center and David Peralta in left, but Brito’s short stint as a callup last September opened their eyes.

Brito, 23, slashed .303/.324/.455 with three doubles, a triple and a stolen base in 34 plate appearances with the Diamondbacks. He also had two assists, one from left field and one from right.

“Socrates came up and did a really good job for us,” Hale said. “You have to be careful, we know that. You have to be careful what you see in spring training and what you see in September. So we’ll see, when you get in the midst of August and the grind, how he plays. But I’m very comfortable if we broke camp with those four outfielders. We would be very comfortable with that right now.”

Vice president of Latin American operations Junior Noboa signed Brito, 6-foot-1 and 202 pounds, as a free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2010. BA named Brito the best athlete in the organization before each of the last two seasons.

Brito slashed .300/.339/.451 with nine homers and 20 stolen bases at Double-A Mobile, his first season at that level. He was two years younger than the average position player in the league.

SNAKE BITES

• Mike Benjamin, who managed the Rookie-level Arizona League Diamondbacks in his first season in the organization last year, was promoted to manage low Class A Kane County in 2016. Benjamin’s staff will include first-year pitching coach Rich Sauveur, hitting coach Jonathan Mathews and coach Shawn Roof.

• Mark Grudzielanek, who managed Kane County last season, was promoted to a new position as the organization’s assistant hitting coordinator.