Who Will Lead Reno on the Mound in 2024?

Reno, Nev. -- The Reno Aces posted the fifth lowest ERA (5.79) in the PCL last season, relying on a mixture of young building blocks and veterans to regularly give its booming offense a great chance to come out on top almost every night. This combination led to the most wins in team history (88). Who can you expect to see on the mound in 2024?

Lefty Blake Walston led Reno in starts (30) and innings (149 ⅓) last season. The 22-year-old from Wilmington, North Carolina, was one of the stingiest starters in the league. He finished with a 4.52 ERA and was especially effective against opposing left-handed hitters, holding them to a .189 average and .615 OPS. The former first-round pick didn't allow a home run in 24 of his 30 starts.

The Diamondbacks are presumably thrilled to have Humberto Castellanos back and thriving. Born in Tepatitlan de Morelos in Mexico, the right-hander has a kitchen-sink arsenal that flummoxes hitters at the highest levels. He made 12 excellent starts for Reno in 2021, striking out 59 and walking just 14. The 25-year-old had much of his 2022 and 2023 seasons wiped out due to Tommy John surgery, but he's a potential impact pitcher to monitor.

Reno's 2023 strikeout leader, Slade Cecconi, returns to the Biggest Little City after a memorable season. Entering his age-25 campaign, the righty made his big league debut last August in San Francisco and made seven regular season appearances for Arizona. The 33rd overall selection from the shortened 2020 draft pitched two scoreless innings in game two of the NLCS, struck out 118 at Triple-A, and built a platform to take off in 2024.

It won't just be familiar faces in Reno's rotation. Cristian Mena, who came over from the Chicago White Sox in an offseason trade for Dominic Fletcher, could be one of the best starters in the PCL this year. Just 21 years old with a standout right arm, the Dominican top prospect reaches the mid-90s with his fastball and pairs it with a hammer curveball. Standing at a muscular 6-foot-2, Mena struck out 28% of the hitters he faced in 2023.

Reno's bullpen became a strength last year due in no small part to the emergence of flamethrower Justin Martínez. With a fastball in the triple digits and a devastating upper-80s splitter, Martínez looks the part of a late-inning weapon. Hailing from the Dominican Republic, he appeared in 47 games for Reno last year and struck out 67 as manager Blake Lalli's highest leverage option. A highlight of his season was punching out superstars Fernando Tatís Jr. and Manny Machado in a win over the San Diego Padres on August 17th.

The Diamondbacks added more firepower to the bullpen with the signings of Chris Rodríguez and José Castillo, who have had MLB success. Castillo stands at 6-foot-6 and is nicknamed "big dude." He posted a 27% strikeout rate at Triple-A last season and is 95+ with his fastball from the left side. Rodríguez has battled shoulder problems throughout his career but isn't far removed from the top 100 prospect lists. A former 4th-round pick by the Angels, Rodríguez owns a career 3.64 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 29 ⅔ innings in the big leagues.

Reno is deep and experienced, with plenty of intrigue and talent. The staff will kick off the 2024 season with a three-game trip to Las Vegas beginning on Friday, March 29th. They will play their home opener on Tuesday, April 2nd, when the Sacramento River Cats, the San Francisco Giants Triple-A affiliate, visit Greater Nevada Field at 2:05 p.m. PDT.

(Editor's note: This preview does not reflect the Reno Aces Opening Day roster, which is determined by the Arizona Diamondbacks.)

Single-game tickets for the 2024 season are available at RenoAces.com, texting "TIXX" to 21003 or calling (775) 334-7000.

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