SS | Bats/Throws: L/R | 5' 10" 182 lbs | Age: 19
Draft: 2025 | Rd. 1, No. 18, Arizona Diamondbacks | Lady Bird Johnson HS
MLB Pipeline Rank
PA AB R H HR SB AVG OBP SLG OPS
2025 52 47 2 12 0 1 .255 .308 .277 .585
Career Minors 52 47 2 12 0 1 .255 .308 .277 .585
AVG HR SB OPS
2025 .255 0 1 .585
Career Minors .255 0 1 .585

Standard Minor League Batting Statistics

SeasonTmLGLGPAABRH2B3BHRRBIBBSOSBCSHBPAVGOBPSLGOPS
2025 Visalia Rawhide CAL A 11 52 47 2 12 1 0 0 4 3 15 1 1 1 .255 .308 .277 .585

Scouting Report

2025

Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50

A slightly bigger and lefty-swinging version of Jett Williams, a Texas prep shortstop who went 14th overall to the Mets in 2022, Cunningham was a better pure hitter at the same stage and perhaps the best in the 2025 prep class. He led Team USA with a .417 average at an 18-and-under World Cup qualifier in Panama last August, won USA Baseball's Player of the Year award in 2024 and Gatorade state Player of the Year accolades this spring. He went to the D-backs with the 18th overall pick and signed for slot value at $4,581,900.

Cunningham has exceptional barrel control and rarely swings and misses. He has a mature approach, covers the entire strike zone and utilizes the whole field. Though he's not physical, his bat speed and ability to repeatedly barrel balls should enable him to get to 15-20 homers per season.

Cunningham has plus speed and plays with a lot of energy on the bases and in the field. He has displayed good actions and solid-to-plus arm strength in the past but has seemed less twitchy at shortstop this spring, and many scouts believe he'll wind up moving to second base. As a 5-foot-10 lefty swinger, he very much falls in line with Arizona’s recent trends of taking undersized athletes who could play up the middle.


Draft

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55

A slightly bigger and lefty-swinging version of Jett Williams, a Texas prep shortstop who went 14th overall to the Mets in 2022, Cunningham is a better pure hitter at the same stage and perhaps the best in the 2025 prep class. He led Team USA with a .417 average at an 18-and-under World Cup qualifier in Panama last August, won USA Baseball's player of the year award in 2024 and Gatorade state player of the year accolades this spring.

Cunningham has exceptional barrel control and rarely swings and misses. He has a mature approach, covers the entire strike zone and utilizes the whole field. Though he's not physical, his bat speed and ability to repeatedly barrel balls should enable him to get to 15-20 homers per season.

Cunningham has plus speed and plays with a lot of energy on the bases and in the field. He has displayed good actions and solid-to-plus arm strength in the past but has seemed less twitchy at shortstop this spring, and many scouts believe he'll wind up moving to second base. He'll be 19 on Draft Day and eligible as a sophomore in 2027 if he attends Texas.


Transactions

Team Date Transaction
08/19/2025 SS Kayson Cunningham assigned to Visalia Rawhide from ACL D-backs.
08/04/2025 ACL D-backs activated SS Kayson Cunningham.
07/22/2025 SS Kayson Cunningham assigned to ACL D-backs.
07/21/2025 Arizona Diamondbacks signed SS Kayson Cunningham.
05/26/2025 College Workout activated SS Kayson Cunningham.
09/10/2024 SS Kayson Cunningham assigned to High School Workout.
08/16/2024 SS Kayson Cunningham assigned to High School Workout.
08/12/2024 SS Kayson Cunningham assigned to High School Workout.
06/30/2024 High School Workout activated SS Kayson Cunningham.
09/19/2023 States Play - East activated SS Kayson Cunningham.
09/19/2023 States Play - East activated SS Kayson Cunningham.
08/16/2023 SS Kayson Cunningham assigned to High School Workout.
07/21/2023 SS Kayson Cunningham assigned to TSA South.