The Arizona Diamondbacks selected INF/OF Christian Walker (@CWALK328) from Triple-A Reno and, to make room on the 40-man roster, transferred RHP Randall Delgado (right elbow inflammation) to the 60-day disabled list. Arizona now has 35 players on its active roster and the 40-man roster remains at 40.
Walker, 26, will wear No. 53 in his first stint with the D-backs. The 2017 Pacific Coast League Most Valuable Player is 1 of 3 players in professional baseball in 2017 with at least 30 home runs, 100 RBI and 100 runs, along with Paul Goldschmidt and Giancarlo Stanton. He led the Minor Leagues in RBI (114) and extra-base hits (75) and tied for second in home runs (32). He was named a PCL mid- and postseason All-Star, led the PCL in games (133), runs (104), total bases (307) and at-bats (514) and ranked second in hits (159) and OPS (.980). His home run total was a Reno franchise record, surpassing the 30 hit by Kyle Jensen in 2016. He was the first PCL player to get to 30+ HR, 100+ RBI, 100+ runs in a single season since Mark Trumbo in 2010 (36 HR, 122 RBI, 103 R).
Overall, in 133 games for the Aces, he hit .309 (159-for-514) with 104 runs scored, 34 doubles, 9 triples, 32 homers, 114 RBI, 61 walks, a .382 on-base percentage, a .597 slugging percentage and .980 OPS. He played first base (119 games), third base (9 games) and outfield (5 games). In his final 30 games for the Aces from August 1 through the end of the season, he hit .330 (38-for-115)/.417 OBP/.617 SLG with 6 doubles, 3 triples, 7 home runs and 17 RBI.
Walker, who was acquired by the D-backs off waivers from the Reds on March 28, appeared in 13 Major League games with the Orioles from 2014-15, going 4-for-27 (.148) with 1 double, 1 homer, 1 RBI and 4 walks. He has hit .283 with 153 doubles, 14 triples, 107 home runs and 413 RBI in 666 games over parts of 6 Minor League seasons in the Orioles (2012-16) and D-backs' ('17) organizations. He was selected in the fourth round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of South Carolina.
Delgado, 27, was 1-2 with 1 save, a 3.59 ERA (25 ER in 62.2 IP), 60 strikeouts and 14 walks in 26 games (5 starts) for the D-backs in 2017.