Double-A Takeover: 15 former Sod Poodles finding success in Reno

RENO, Nev. – Fifteen current Aces have come from the Diamondbacks’ Double-A affiliate, Amarillo Sod Poodles, and have helped guide the Triple-A West’s leading team to where they are now.

Reno boasts a 53-37 through 90 games and the newcomers have stepped in and stepped up to the task.

Jose Herrera has been a large contributor to Reno’s stellar offense in 2021. The Aces’ catcher is slashing .298/.411/.426 with 28 hits and 18 RBIs in 32 contests played. Shortly after arriving in the Biggest Little City, he went on a hot 10-game stretch in mid-July, slashing .407/.515/.704 with 11 RBIs and five runs scored.

After making his debut at the highest level of Minor League Baseball on June 21, outfielder Jake McCarthy has proven to be a valuable addition for Reno. The 24-year-old knocked in the Aces’ 500th run of the season in his first Triple-A walk-off against Round Rock Express on July 26. McCarthy also achieved his season-best five hits in the Aces’ 6-5 victory over Sacramento on July 29.

Catcher Michael De La Cruz joined Reno in early July and homered in his first two games with the Biggest Little City’s team. De La Cruz signed with the Diamondbacks after playing all of 2018 and 2019 with Toronto’s Triple-A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons.

Eleven former Sod Poodles are mainstays on the Aces’ pitching staff in 2021.

Humberto Mejia has become a regular starter on Blake Lalli’s squad, posting a 5-4 record while striking out 54 batters in 54.2 innings of work. The right-hander threw a season-high seven innings at Oklahoma City on July 19, allowing just one run on two hits while striking out six in the victory.

Aces’ relievers Junior Garcia and Luis Castillo have not only played for Reno since their transition to Triple-A this season. The pitchers represented Team Dominican Republic at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where they won a bronze medal for their home country.

Garcia has appeared in 20 games for the Biggest Little City’s team, registering a 3.54 ERA with 19 punchouts in 20.1 innings on the bump.

Reno has also gained right-hander Brandyn Sittinger from Amarillo. The 27-year-old has compiled a 3.44 ERA in 2021 between the two teams, retiring 49 batters on strikes in a total of 34.0 frames of work. In 14 appearances since July 1, the Aces’ reliever has been near lights out, boasting a 1.26 ERA in 14.1 innings of action. Sittinger has allowed just two runs on eight hits while compiling six holds and three saves over that stretch.

Prior to joining the Aces, relievers Edgar Arredondo and Matt Gage have each pitched at the Triple-A level before.

Arredondo began his professional career with Mexican League Triple-A team, Tigres de Quintana Roo at the age of 15. Now in his seventh season of professional baseball, the right-hander boasts a career 3.55 ERA in 433.2 innings pitched. Arredondo has not allowed a run in his last five innings.

Gage played for three other Triple-A teams before signing with the Diamondbacks’ organization at the start of the 2021 season. Gage has posted a 3-1 record on the mound in 2021 for Amarillo and Reno, registering a 4.37 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 35.0 frames of action. With the Sod Poodles alone, the 28-year-old allowed just one earned run in 13.1 innings for a 0.68 ERA.

Recent addition Matt Tabor started the 2021 campaign in Single-A with the Hillsboro Hops before fighting his way through Double-A to make the Aces’ squad on Aug. 5. The 23-year-old picked up his first Triple-A win in a 9-4 victory over El Paso on Aug. 13, striking out seven batters in five innings of work. With Amarillo, the right-hander recorded a no-hitter in a seven-inning complete-game victory over the San Antonio Missions on July 11.

Chester Pimentel and Keegan Curtis have each posted impressive numbers out of the bullpen this year.

For the Sod Poodles, Pimentel recorded a 1.71 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 21.0 innings of relief.

Curtis did not allow a run in his first four appearances for Reno in 2021 and has registered a 3.12 ERA in 23 games played.

Ryan Weiss has combined for 64.1 frames of work with 71 strikeouts en route to a 5-3 record and one save. The Illinois native has posted a 4.76 ERA in 25 contests.

Most recently, Diamondbacks’ top prospects Luis Frias and Alek Thomas have been called up from Amarillo to make their Triple-A debut with Reno.

Frias is currently ranked as the No. 9 prospect for Arizona and has started 16 games on the mound for Amarillo this season. The right-handed pitcher recorded a no-hitter in a seven-inning shutout while with the Sod Poodles on Aug. 1. Frias has yet to make his Triple-A debut.

21-year-old Thomas joins the Aces’ outfield after playing in 72 games for Amarillo this year. The Diamondbacks’ No. 4 ranked prospect slashed .283/.374/.507 with the Sod Poodles to go along with 18 doubles and eight triples in 2021. Thomas recorded his three runs in his first two starts.

The Aces will be back in action this Thursday on the road against the Salt Lake Bees. First pitch is slated for 5:35 p.m. PT from Smith’s Ballpark.