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Who is Alexis Diaz? Rookie with 'elite stuff' makes 2022 Reds roster

One of the biggest surprises on the Cincinnati Reds 2022 Opening Day roster was rookie reliever Alexis Diaz making the big league club.

Diaz, a 25-year-old right-hander from Puerto Rico, had not pitched above A-ball in the minors before pitching in 35 games out of the bullpen for the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts last season.

He compiled a 3-1 record with a 3.83 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 42 ⅓ innings for Chattanooga.

The Reds will have three rookie pitchers on their roster to being the season, with Diaz being joined by Daniel Duarte and Hunter Greene.

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Here are three things to know about Cincinnati Reds pitcher Alexis Diaz:

This is a 2022 photo of Alexis Diaz of the Cincinnati Reds baseball team taken Friday, March 18, 2022, in Goodyear, Ariz.
This is a 2022 photo of Alexis Diaz of the Cincinnati Reds baseball team taken Friday, March 18, 2022, in Goodyear, Ariz.

Alexis Diaz has been in the Cincinnati Reds organization since 2015

Drafted in the 12th round of the 2015 MLB Draft from Juan Jose Maunez High School in Puerto Rico, Diaz has spent his entire career in the Reds organization.

He spent time with the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League Reds in 2015, 2017 and 2019, the Appalachian League Greeneville Reds in 2018, the Midwest League's Dayton Dragons in 2019, before spending all of 2021 with the Lookouts.

New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz is Alexis Diaz's brother

Sep 12, 2021; New York City, New York, USA;  New York Mets pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) at Citi Field.
Sep 12, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) at Citi Field.

Baseball is in the blood of the Diaz family. Alexis' brother, Edwin, is the closer for the New York Mets.

This will be Edwin's seventh major league season. He led the American League with 57 saves as a member of the Seattle Mariners in 2018. Edwin has compiled 173 career saves entering the 2022 campaign.

Alexis Diaz has 'elite stuff', but 'young and inexperienced'

Cincinnati Reds pitchers Alexis Diaz (84), Reiver Sanmartin (52) and Dauri Moreta (55), walks back to the clubhouse at the conclusion of workouts, Tuesday, March 15, 2022, at the baseball team's spring training facility in Goodyear, Ariz.
Cincinnati Reds pitchers Alexis Diaz (84), Reiver Sanmartin (52) and Dauri Moreta (55), walks back to the clubhouse at the conclusion of workouts, Tuesday, March 15, 2022, at the baseball team's spring training facility in Goodyear, Ariz.

Reds manager David Bell has been touting Diaz's stuff all spring:

Early in spring training, Bell said that Diaz had "elite stuff" but was "young and inexperienced." Diaz made significant strides during spring training, and Bell said he saw Diaz's fastball developinto a "unique" pitch.

"(Diaz has) a lot of confidence and truly elite stuff," Bell said. "A really special arm and a very special fastball that guys don't hit. He's young. He's somewhat inexperienced. But he seems comfortable navigating this environment."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Alexis Diaz makes Cincinnati Reds Opening Day roster