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 Reno Aces

13 former Aces Crack Arizona Diamondbacks' Opening Day Roster

April 1, 2021 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Reno Aces News Release


RENO, Nev. - 13 former Reno Aces have made the Arizona Diamondbacks' 2021 Opening Day roster, the team announced today. Of the 13, four - Ketel Marte, Christian Walker, David Peralta and Josh Rojas are in the starting lineup. Additionally, former Ace Andy Young is one of five players on the team's taxi squad.

Nick Ahmed

Ahmed appeared in 104 games for the Aces in 2014, slashing .312/.373/.425. Since then, the infielder has appeared in 670 MLB games, all with Arizona, hitting .239 with 60 homers and 260 RBI. On the defensive side of the ball, Ahmed is a two-time Gold Glover at shortstop.

Taylor Clarke

Clarke started eight games for Reno in 2019, going 3-1 with a 6.63 ERA. In 2018 Clarke had one of the best seasons ever by an Ace. Clarke led the team in ERA with a 4.03, set a team record in strikeouts with 125 all while making a league-leading 27 starts. Clarke's 13-8 record was just short of a team best, one away from Tony Barnette's 14 in 2009.

In 2020, Clarke went 3-0 with a 4.36 ERA in 12 big league games (five starts). This spring, Clarke put up a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings of work.

Stefan Crichton

Crichton appeared in 50 games with the Aces in 2018-19, including a .361 ERA in 57.1 innings in 2019. Crichton struck out 52 in relief, walking just 15 with a 1.169 WHIP. With Arizona in 2019 and 2020, the right hander put up a combined 3.04 ERA, earning three wins and five saves in 56.1 innings of work.

Kevin Ginkel

Ginkel was lights out in relief for the Aces in 2019, posting a 1.62 ERA with six saves in 16.2 innings of work. In 15 games, Ginkel struck out 36, allowing opponents to hit just .169. Ginkel put up a strong 25-game stint with the D-Backs in 2019 too, going 3-0 with a 1.48 ERA. In 24.1 innings, the reliever struck out 28 and earned a pair of saves. In 2020, Ginkel had a 6.75 ERA in 19 games for Arizona.

Tim Locastro

Locastro makes the opening day roster after hitting .290/.395/.464 in 33 games with Arizona last year. With Reno in 2019, Locastro hit .301 with eight home runs and 21 RBI in 31 games.

Ketel Marte

Marte starts for the Diamondbacks today, after appearing in 415 games for Arizona since 2017. In those four seasons, Marte owns a .289 batting average with 53 home runs and 186 RBI. With Reno in 2017, Marte hit .338/.391/.514 in 70 games, leading the team in batting average.

Wyatt Mathisen

Mathisen put up a monster of a season for Reno in 2019, hitting 23 home runs with a .601 slugging percentage and a 1.004 OPS. The slugging percentage is the sixth-best in a single season in team history, and the OPS is fourth. Mathisen appeared in nine games with Arizona in 2020, hitting .222/.364/.444.

David Peralta

Peralta starts today, after appearing in 724 major league games since 2014, with a career .291 average and 90 homers. In nine games with Reno in 2016, Peralta hit .276 with a pair of RBI.

Josh Rojas

Rojas starts today after appearing in 58 games for Arizona over the last two seasons, hitting .206 in the span. In just eight games with the Aces in 2019, Rojas hit three home runs and 14 RBI.

Riley Smith

Smith was added to the 2021 roster today, after a strong 2020 that saw him named the D-Backs rookie of the year in 2020 by Baseball America. In six games, Smith went 2-0 with a 1.47 ERA across 18.1 innings of relief. The righty struck out 18 and walked just five. In Reno in 2019, Smith went 2-2 with a 6.89 ERA in 12 starts over 62.2 innings.

Christian Walker

Walker starts today's game at first base, after cementing himself as a big league power hitter in 2019 and 2020. Walker hit 29 bombs and 73 RBI in 2019, with seven homers and 34 RBI in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Prior to breaking through with the D-Backs, Walker put up a pair of huge offensive seasons in Reno in 2017 and 2018.

In 2017, Walker led the team in hits with 159, home runs with 32, RBI with 114, walks with 61 and total bases with 307. Walker's 104 runs that year, which led the league, sits second on the Aces all-time list - just short of Adam Eaton's record 119. Walker's 32 homers is second for a single season, trailing Kevin Cron's 38.

Taylor Widener

Widener posted a 4.50 ERA in 12 relief appearances across 20 innings with Arizona in 2020. But this spring training, Widener got his shot to start games. In two starts, Widener went 1-0 with just two runs allowed on six hits in nine combined innings - alongside 12 strikeouts with just three walks. In total, Widener finished spring with a 3.68 ERA in 14.2 innings, with a 1.02 WHIP and holding opponents to a .218 average. Of the 55 batters he faced, 19 were sent down on strikes and just three walked. Widener earned a starting role in the rotation, and will make his first big league start against the Padres. Across 100 innings with the Aces in 2019, Widener went 6-7 with an 8.10 ERA and 109 punchouts.

Alex Young

Young makes the Opening Day roster after starting 22 games for the D-Backs in the last two seasons, owning a 9-9 career record with a 4.23 ERA. In 40 games with Reno in 2018-19, 20 starts, Young went 9-7 in 134.2 innings of work.


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