We move on to the multitude of right-handed pitchers in attendance as NRIs in spring training this year. There are no less than fourteenso it will take us a few payments! Plenty of relief arms: All five this edition are potential bullpen help, but maybe not this season.
Isaiah Campbell (49)
Campbell is the first Portuguese-born man to reach the majors in nearly one hundred and fifty years, since Madeira-born Frank Thompson in 1875. Isaiah was born while his father was serving in the Air Force. He debuted in 2023 with the Mariners and had a nice rookie campaign, posting a 2.83 ERA in 27 relief appearances. He has struggled since then, missing much of 2024 with elbow inflammation. Last year, he pitched primarily for Triple-A Worcester and had a 3.90 ERA for them, but failed to find success in the big leagues with the Red Sox. He’s not a terrible depth player, and with just over a year of service, comes great team control.
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Gerardo Carrillo (68)
A career minor league player, Carrillo has bounced around since 2017 and has made just two appearances above Double-A in that span. Now 27, he spent time with the Dodgers, Nationals and Rangers organizations, before signing a minor league contract for the D-backs. He actually appeared in the Arizona Fall League, in 2019. Last year, he had a 3.59 ERA for Double-A El Paso, and over the winter, a 2.19 ERA for Jalisco in the Mexican League, although his K:BB ratio was an unimpressive 4:4 in 12.1 innings. He is probably most famous for being part of the Max Scherzer + Trea Turner deal between Los Angeles and Washington in July 2021.
John Curtiss (46)
That name should be familiar, however, because Curtiss – with the extra S – appeared thirty times out of the Arizona bullpen in 2025 (pictured, top). He didn’t fare badly at all, putting up a 3.93 ERA and a 4.01 FIP. It got a good rating of 4.80 in our review of the seasonbut was cut from the 40-man roster outright at the end of the year and was elected a free agent. However, he re-signed for the Diamondbacks on December 16 and the experience he gained – Curtiss even I made a backup – will be very useful to him. He only walked five batters in 36.2 innings, and John should certainly be considered a contender for one of the open spots in the back of the 2026 bullpen.
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Shawn Dubin (65)
Like Campbell, Dubin has major league experience, having played 64 times for Baltimore and Houston since his MLB debut in June 2023. Last year, he started with the Astros, but was selected on waivers by the Orioles in August. Overall, he had a 5.08 ERA in 33.2 innings, with a K:BB of 28:11. It’s possible his health is an issue, as he was doing much better (1.33 ERA in 20.1 IP) before a forearm strain sent him to the IL for two months in June. Fun fact: Dubin originally planned to play football in college and dropped out to work at Lowe’s. A friend convinced him to try out for the Erie Community College baseball team…and here we are.
Hayden Durke (53)
A 13th-round pick in 2023, Durke exploded through the system last year, with stops at three levels. He started at High-A Hillsboro, where a streak of 13.2 scoreless innings with 22 strikeouts led him to move to Double-A Amarillo. Despite his well-known reputation as a launching pad, Durke held his own, with a 2.31 ERA and 18:6 K:BB over 11.2 frames. He was then sent to Reno and… (loud static electricity buzzing) Yeah, it didn’t go as well there, with his control evaporating to the tune of more than a walk per inning and a 9.53 ERA in 17 games. However, he is only 23 years old, so he has time to understand.
