D-backs select Josh Rojas from Triple-A Reno and designate Blake Swihart for assignment

August 12th, 2019

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks selected INF Josh Rojas (@JoshRojass) from Triple-A Reno and designated UTL Blake Swihart for assignment. The D-backs’ 40-man roster remains at 38.

Rojas, 25, will wear No. 9 for his Major League debut. He was born in Litchfield Park, Ariz. and attended Millennium High School in Goodyear, Ariz. He will become the 10th Arizona-born player (seventh from metropolitan Phoenix) to play for the D-backs (listed by total games played), joining INF Shea Hillenbrand (233 games in 2003-04; Mesa), INF Cody Ransom (38 in 2011-12; Mesa), RHP Tom Wilhelmsen (27 in 2017; Tucson), RHP D.J. Carrasco (18 in 2010; Safford), INF/OF Nick Evans (18 in 2014; Glendale), RHP Bob Howry (14 in 2010; Phoenix), RHP Albie Lopez (13 in 2001; Mesa), RHP Charles Brewer (4 in 2013; Paradise Valley) and LHP Ed Vosberg (4 in 1999; Tucson).

Rojas, a 6-foot-1, 197-pounder, who throws right and hits left, was acquired on July 31 from the Astros, along with RHP Corbin Martin, RHP J.B. Bukauskas and INF/OF Seth Beer, for RHP Zack Greinke and cash considerations.

Rojas played in 8 games for Reno from August 2-10 and hit .514 (18-for-35)/.575 OBP/.943 SLG/1.518 OPS with 4 doubles, 1 triple, 3 homers, 14 RBI and 5 walks.

Overall this season, he has played in 105 games at Reno, Triple-A Round Rock (Astros) and Double-A Corpus Christi (Astros), hitting .332 (138-for-416)/.418 OBP/.606 SLG/1.023 OPS with 33 doubles, 6 triples, 23 homers, 83 RBI, 57 walks and 33 stolen bases. In 53 games at Round Rock, he hit .310 (65-for-210)/.987 OPS with 16 doubles, 3 triples, 12 homers, 39 RBI, 30 walks and 19 stolen bases. In 44 games at Corpus Christi, he hit .322 (55-for-171)/.967 OPS with 13 doubles, 2 triples, 8 homers, 30 RBI, 22 walks and 13 stolen bases.

Rojas has played 291 games in 3 seasons in the Astros’ (2017-19) and D-backs’ (2019) systems. He is batting .288 (318-for-1,103)/.370 OBP/.496 SLG/.866 OPS with 72 doubles, 17 triples, 41 home runs, 178 RBI, 144 walks and and 71 stolen bases. He was a 2018 Texas League mid-season All-Star at Corpus Christi. He was the Astros’ 26th-round selection in the 2017 draft out of the University of Hawaii (2016-17). He also played at Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix for 2 seasons (2014-15).

Swihart, 27, has appeared in 31 games for the D-backs and hit .136 (9-for-66) with 3 home runs, 9 RBI and 4 walks. He was acquired from the Red Sox on April 19, along with international bonus pool money for the 2018-19 signing period, for OF Marcus Wilson.