D-backs call up Chafin, Paul; Ahmed, Kieschnick sent down

Published Aug. 8, 2014 3:35 p.m. ET

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PHOENIX -- The Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday selected the contracts of left-handed pitcher Andrew Chafin and outfielder Xavier Paul from Triple-A Reno, and optioned infielder Nick Ahmed and outfielder Roger Kieschnick to Reno.

Chafin will wear No. 40 in his major league debut and Paul will wear No. 14.

Chafin, 24, combined to go 8-6 with a 3.96 ERA (58 ER in 131.2 IP) and 102 strikeouts in 23 starts between Double-A Mobile and Reno this season. He entered the year rated as the club's No. 6 Prospect by MLB.com and garnered Southern League midseason All-Star accolades for the second consecutive year, after posting a 1.96 ERA (12 ER in 55.50 IP) in nine starts for the BayBears.

In 2012, Chafin led the California League with 150 strikeouts and was named a midseason All-Star. Over four minor league seasons, he has gone 27-20 with a 3.95 ERA (181 ER in 412.1 IP), two complete games and 373 strikeouts in 81 games (73 starts).

Chafin was drafted by the D-backs as a supplemental first-round selection (43rd overall) in 2011 out of Kent State University.

Paul, 29, who signed as a minor league free agent on Thursday, played one game for the Aces and 80 games with Triple-A Norfolk (Orioles) and hit .251 (75-for-299) with 12 home runs and 57 RBI. In five major league seasons with Los Angeles (2009-11), Pittsburgh (2011) and Cincinnati (2012-13), he batted .254 (171-for-673) with 32 doubles, 12 home runs and 71 RBI in 335 career games.

Ahmed, 24, hit .228 (13-for-57) with two doubles, a home run and four RBI in 19 games with the D-backs.

Kieschnick, 27, played in 25 games for the D-backs and hit.195 (8-for-41) with a double, homer and two RBI over three stints (April 24-30, June 16-July 11 and July 31-Aug. 8).

The D-backs' 40-man roster is now at 38.

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