in early 2012, schultz signed a minor league contract with the arizona diamondbacks organization, and was assigned to the advanced-a visalia rawhide. he would later earn a promotion to the double-a mobile baybears, and in total, made 46 relief appearances in the 2012 season, posting a 6–5 win–loss, 3.58 era, and 49 strikeouts in 55 innings. schultz opened the 2013 season with mobile, and made 20 appearances, 16 of which were starts. he was then promoted to the triple-a reno aces, where he made 17 relief appearances to end the season. schultz posted a combined 5–6 record, 3.35 era, and 75 strikeouts in 104 innings. he was added to the diamondbacks' 40-man roster after the end of the season. in the offseason, schultz made seven starts for the salt river rafters of the arizona fall league, posting a 3–0 win–loss record, 3.09 era, and 28 strikeouts in 32 total innings.