Owings hurt, Marte out; Diamondbacks call up Jack Reinheimer

PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 2: Chris Owings
PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 2: Chris Owings

Hours ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Chicago Cubs, the Diamondbacks announced they called up Jack Reinheimer from the Triple-A Reno Aces. In a corresponding move, they optioned relief-pitcher Silvino Bracho to Reno. 

The 25-year-old shortstop will fill the middle infield hole behind new Diamondback Adam Rosales. The roster move was sparked by injuries to Nick Ahmed and Chris Owings and Ketel Marte’s departure to the bereavement list.

Reinheimer is hitting .283 with four home runs, 70 runs scored and 44 RBI with the Aces this season.

A two-time draftee, Reinheimer was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 31st round of the 2010 draft, but chose to forgo his contract and attend East Carolina University in North Carolina. He was later drafted in the fifth round of the 2013 draft by the Seattle Mariners.

Reinheimer came to Arizona in the Mark Trumbo trade in June 2015. The Diamondbacks sent Mark Trumbo and lefty Vidal Nuno to the Mariners and catcher received Welington Castillo, right-handed pitcher Dominic Leone, prospect Gabby Guerrero and Jack Reinheimer.

Castillo, Trumbo and Nuno are all teammates with the Baltimore Orioles now. Leone is pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays, while Guerrero is still in the Cincinnati Reds farm system.

With the December 2016 non-tendering of Castillo, the Diamondbacks will once again have something to show for the two-year-old trade.

While Reinheimer isn’t known to be a power-hitter, his batting average in the minors averages at .277, with increases in Triple-A (.286). He also brings some speed with him, with 11 stolen bases this season, but a career high of 39 in 2014.

Rosales is batting in the third spot in Tuesday’s lineup for the Diamondbacks, so there’s no guarantee that Reinheimer will debut in the same game.

But, when he does, he is going to have, arguably, the best nickname in baseball. #JackHammer or #ReinHammer, either way, it’s the best. 

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