Reno hoisted the trophy in 2012, after beating Pawtucket in the championship game Mandatory Credit: Liz Condo-USA TODAY Sports

Although Aces Ballpark may be covered in snow right now, the team is anxious to get started and defend it’s title in 2013. The Aces beat Pawtucket (Red Sox affiliate) in the Triple-A Championship last season. It marked the second Triple-A championship in Diamondbacks history and the first to be won in Reno (Tucson Sidewinders captured the title in 2006). The Aces are now the team to be reckoned with, not only in the Pacific Coast League, but in all of Class AAA baseball as well.

Former MLB All-Star, Brett Butler will return as manager of the team in 2013, his fifth with the Aces. Some thought that Butler might have a spot on the Diamondbacks coaching staff this year, but the big club revealed that Brett will be staying with the boys in northwestern Nevada. Butler was regarded as the “Best Mangerial Prospect” in Baseball America’s “Best Tools” issue in 2012 and spent 17 seasons in the major leagues.

The Aces will still be a force in the PCL, but don’t be surprised if the team looks a little different this season. Mike Jacobs, who played a big role in the PCL playoffs in 2012 has been invited to spring training in Peoria with the Mariners. Jacobs belted four home runs and hit .273 during the postseason. Outfielder Cole Gillespie will also not be with Reno in 2013. The young outfielder was released by the D’Backs organization in September after undergoing surgery in late August. Prior to his injury, Cole hit .308 with Reno and earned a Minor League Gold Glove. Gillespie will likely see the field in Scottsdale this spring with the Giants.

Salt River Fields will likely be buzzing again in 2013 about Diamondbacks baseball

Not everyone can make the big club this year in Arizona and with a plentiful roster coming in this spring, the Aces look to reload with great talent. The Diamondbacks organization has always been an active one, so it will be exciting to see the young talent moving from Mobile to Reno as well to help the Aces defend their crown. If having a good baseball team in Reno isn’t a big enough draw for fans, Aces Ballpark will also host the 2013 Triple-A All-Star Game for the first time.

The Reno Aces open up 2013 in the mile-high air of Colorado Springs to play the Sky Sox (Rockies affiliate) and are at home for their 2013 debut on April 12th against the Sacramento River Cats.

It’s quite an accomplishment and the individual teams HAVE to be happy with the Dbacks for their help in their success. The relationships between minor league franchises and their major league team can be tenuous at times. But winning championships, and making a ton of money in the process, will definitely help that relationship.

So, congratulations to all three teams!

But what does it mean for the Diamondbacks, in the big picture?

I would love to say it shows that the D-backs’ farm system just have that much more talent than other teams. However, that’s just not the case. Most roster spots on minor league teams are taken by guys that will never reach the bigs. Many aren’t even considered prospects – they are known as “org players.”

So, these “org players,” back-end starters, relief pitchers, starting position players have a HUGE part in how these teams perform. So, it actually doesn’t prove anything about the D-backs’ talent in their farms – though, the talent certainly is there.

And over the next couple of weeks, I will take a look at the 2012 seasons of many of those high-end prospects who actually did have a pretty big hand in the championships. So, keep a look out for those and would love your feedback and/or questions regarding certain prospects. The first prospect I will be taking a look at is Archie Bradley.

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Pacific Coast League MVP Adam Eaton was in Arizona by the time the Reno Aces started their playoff run that resulted in winning the league championship. Image: Rick Scuteri-US PRESSWIRE

Reno posted a club record 81 wins this season and featured a loaded roster that included star pitchers Trevor Bauer  and Tyler Skaggs as well as outfielder and PCL MVP Adam Eaton.  The Aces gained sole possession of first place on May 25th and never looked back.  Perhaps what makes this title so remarkable is that Bauer was called up to the Majors for about three weeks and then Skaggs and Eaton missed both the end of the regular season and the entire playoff stretch.  It shows just how much talent there is through the Arizona organization.  After beating the Sacramento River Cats in five games for the Pacific Conference title, the Aces won the league title defeating the Storm Chasers three games to one.  Outfielder AJ Pollock, the team’s first round pick in the 2009 draft and the current #7 prospect in the organization according to mlb.com was named the Series MVP.  Like Bauer, Skaggs and Eaton, Pollock also spent part of the season in Arizona.  Next up for Reno is the Triple A National Championship game against the Pawtucket Red Sox.

While the Arizona Diamondbacks will not be singing “We are the Champions” at the end of October, the organization must be happy that plenty of people in their farm system will be humming that epic Queen song.   May some of that championship dust be rubbed off on the big club in October 2013.

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