Diamondbacks Could Make Massive Move With Gabriel Moreno

When the Toronto Blue Jays traded their No. 1 prospect, Gabriel Moreno, along with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Daulton Varsho, it looked like a lopsided trade in favor of the D-Backs.

Now, late in the 2026 season, with Varsho gone from the Jays after posting a .226 average and 94 OPS+ with them for four years, the deal is looking even more like a massive win for Arizona. 

Moreno was thought to be untouchable before that trade, and now he is living up to all of those plaudits. The 26-year-old leads all major league catcher is batting  at .302 and in OPS at .842. He has 12 homers and 72 RBIs and also has the second-highest WAR in the National League since late May. The two sides avoided arbitration last winter to come up with a bargain $2.55 million contract for him for 2026. 

He is eligible for arbitration for two more years, but according to insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Moreno "could be in line to become the game’s richest catcher."

He could eclipse the 10-year, $140 million contract Will Smith signed with the Dodgers two years ago if they can work out an extension this winter.

Moreno has taken it to a whole new level this season, getting on base at a .379 clip with a slugging percentage of .464. He has a 133 OPS+ (33% better than the average major league hitter). 

And his play behind the plate is elite. He's a terrific pitch framer, blocker of errant balls, with excellent pop time and ability to throw out attempted base stealers. He already has one Gold Glove award. 

As noted by Mark DeRosa on MLB Network, while his numbers this season are great, Moreno wasn't a slouch for the past couple of seasons either. Since 2024, he leads all MLB catchers in average at .286 and is 4th in fWAR at 9.6. He's also 5th in OPS+ in "high-leverage situations" in the past three years. 

As Nightengale writes, getting Moreno from the Blue Jays at Christmas time in 2022 is "the gift that keeps on giving" for the D-Backs. And they'd be wise to lock him to one of those long-term deals that he speaks of.