Bob Brenly has sung the defensive praises of Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed since the latter arrived the big leagues, and that isn't limited just to the nightly broadcast. When the D-backs start a new series, Brenly regularly relays to the opposing broadcast team just how good Ahmed is in the field.
That much was confirmed during the first month of the season -- as shown in the above highlight reel.
Ahmed leads the National League with a 1.0 defensive WAR, which is tied for second in the majors. He had a 2.8 dWAR last season.
During the team's last homestand, manager Chip Hale was asked about Ahmed's dipping batting average -- which sits at .168 as the D-backs open a three-game series in Colorado on Monday. Hale answered that what Ahmed provided on defense at a premium position outweighed his current offensive struggles.
The above highlights and advanced stats agree with Hale.
And because the highlight package at the top of the page just covers April, here are a couple more of Ahmed's slick plays from this month:
