Edition 1: April 1 - April 6
Welcome to the 2025 First Edition of Leading Off, the official publication of the Reno Aces Baseball Club. This season-long publication will release an updated edition before every homestand. Stay up-to-date with everything happening at Greater Nevada Field, and learn more about the opponent coming to town! Its logos and graphics are trademarks of the Reno Aces. All rights reserved—Aces photos provided by Aces Team Photographer David Calvert.
Upcoming Promotions
Dog Day
Princess Night
Game Show Night
Micheladas
Daily Promotions
Quick Links
Series Preview: Reno Returns to Greater Nevada Field in First Home Matchup Against Tacoma
The Reno Aces (1-2) return to Greater Nevada Field to kick off their first home stand of the 2025 campaign in a six-game series against the Tacoma Rainiers (3-0), the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 P.M. PST on Tuesday, April 2nd.
Tacoma has been red-hot to start the 2025 campaign, sweeping the Round Rock Express in their opening series. Meanwhile, Reno claimed one victory over the weekend, a commanding 9-4 win over the Las Vegas Aviators in Sunday’s series finale.
The Aces struggled against the Rainiers in 2024, dropping 18 of 27 matchups. This season, the two clubs are scheduled to face off 24 times, including two six-game homestands and two six-game road trips to Tacoma.
Notable players on Tacoma’s roster include LHP Jhonathan Diaz and C Harry Ford.
Diaz, a 28-year-old southpaw from Venezuela, was a force in the Pacific Coast League last season. The lefty posted a 4.36 ERA with a team-leading nine wins and 120 punchouts in 23 games (22 starts). Diaz matched up against the Aces on five different occasions in 2024, collecting a 5.40 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 25 total frames. Notably, in early April, he held the BLC-Nine to one run on three hits and one walk with four strikeouts across seven dominant innings. The Aces will need to execute offensively against Diaz to compete with a red-hot Rainiers team.
Harry Ford, the #4 overall prospect in the Mariners system, recently made his Triple-A debut in Tacoma’s previous series against Round Rock. The 22-year-old went 2-for-7 (.286) with one walk in his first taste of Triple-A competition. In 116 games with Double-A Arkansas in 2024, Ford slashed .249/.377/.367 with 26 doubles, seven home runs, 45 RBI, and 74 walks in 430 at-bats. He also swiped 35 bags last season, giving him a total of 82 stolen bases over his three years of professional baseball since being drafted 12th overall in the 2021 MLB Draft. The backstop is someone to keep a close eye on in the upcoming series versus Tacoma as he has to ability to make a significant impact on offense, defense, and on the bases.
Tim Tawa has mashed to start the 2025 campaign, going 4-for-11 (.364) with two home runs and five RBI in the first three games of the season. The 25-year-old from West Linn, Oregon, played in only 37 games with Triple-A Reno in 2024 but was a threat at the plate, picking up a .304/.376/.616 slash line with 11 doubles, 10 home runs, and 26 RBI in 138 at-bats. The Standford product was notably named the Pacific Coast Player of the Week on August 25, 2024, after collecting nine hits, including three doubles, one triple, and two round trippers with five RBI and three walks in his first series from being promoted from Double-A Amarillo. Tawa is in line to have major influence in the heart of the Aces order in 2025 and will look to keep swinging a hot bat in the upcoming series against the Tacoma Rainiers.
Reno Aces Announce Jersey Set for 2025 Season
The Reno Aces have announced their jersey lineup for the 2025 season featuring a new off-white (sail) uniform set to serve as the team’s primary home jersey. The new navy and red jerseys are available for purchase in the team store now while the sail jerseys are available for pre-order.
To purchase all three of the 2025 jerseys, visit the official team store website here.
The entire set features stitched twill logos, numbers and braiding as opposed to the fully sublimated design in previous years. They also use playing card font for the numbers on the front and back instead of the standard block lettering.
Other details include the new MiLB logo as a neck patch and a new Diamondbacks logo with teal accents on the right sleeve.
The new off-white (sail) fabric color matches the uniforms worn by the D-backs. Just as their parent club does, the Aces’ new sail uniforms will be used as their primary home jersey this season. They will wear them every home Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday (subject to change).
A change to this year’s jersey rotation will be the navy jersey being worn every Sunday home game as opposed to the red. This year’s Navy tops have been switched from the “R” logo to the full “Reno” script mark.
The second alternate for the “BLC Nine” this season will be a revamped red jersey featuring a switch to the “R” logo and the addition of the player number on the upper right chest. Previously worn on Sundays, the red tops will be worn on select Saturdays during the 2025 campaign.
Additionally, the Aces will bring back their Silver Sox throwbacks every Thursday home game for Throwback Thursday to honor the baseball history in Reno. They will also showcase different theme night jerseys throughout the year that will be announced at the beginning of each month throughout the season.
Last Series Recap: Reno’s Playoff Hopes Continue with a Series Split against PCL-Leading Sugar Land
In a likely Pacific Coast League Championship Series preview, the Reno Aces (39-29, 74-69) split their final road trip of the year against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (41-27, 90-53) this past week at Constellation Field.
The Aces finished the series on a strong note, winning three consecutive matchups from Thursday to Saturday. Although they fell by a walk-off defeat on Sunday, their strong finish has REno in the driver's seat for post-season play with one week left in the regular season. The Aces have a three-game lead over Las Vegas with six games left.
Thursday’s 5-2 victory was highlighted by another dominant start on the mound by Tommy Henry. The southpaw limited the Space Cowboys to two runs across six frames with three walks and six punchouts en route to his ninth win. Tim Tawa provided a three-run big fly, his eighth of the year, to give Reno an early lead in the first inning. Jorge Barrosa followed that up with a two-RBI double in the second to close out the scoring for the Aces.
In Friday's 6-0 shutout victory, the Aces showcased their team effort by relying on their bullpen to finish the job. Konnor Pilkington started on the bump in a bullpen game, tossing 2 2/3 clean frames. The bullpen, including Joe Jacques, Jake Rice, Christian Montes De Oca, Jose Castillo, and Austin Pope, combined for 6 1/3 innings of work, securing the victory. Tim Tawa continued his hot streak with the bat, going 2-for-5 with a double and three RBI.
Andy Weber and Tawa delivered clutch home runs in Saturday’s 4-2 comeback win. Down in the seventh inning, Weber came through in a big way, crushing his first Triple-A home run for a two-run shot into right-center field to give the Aces the lead. Tawa came up in the eighth and smacked his third home run of the series for a much-needed insurance run to help put away Sugar Land. Humberto Castellanos continued to shove, earning his ninth win of the campaign after allowing two runs in six innings, walking one and striking out seven. The right-hander owns a 2.47 ERA with 33 strikeouts and 10 walks in his last eight appearances.
Tawa was a force to be reckoned with against Sugar Land, going 9-for-25 (.360) with three doubles, three home runs, and 10 RBI. Since his promotion to Triple-A Reno on August 20, the 25-year-old has been on fire, slashing .351/.321/.745 with 18 extra-base hits, nine home runs, 22 RBI, and nine walks. His performance will be crucial in the upcoming matchup against the Albuquerque Isotopes as Reno continues their playoff push.
Greater Nevada Field Set to Host Three Vitalant Blood Drives This Season
Throughout the 2025 season, the Reno Aces and Vitalant will host three blood drives at Greater Nevada Field beginning on Tuesday, April 15th from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. There will be two additional days of blood drives at the ballpark on August 19-20 before the Aces’ home games against the Round Rock Express.
"Greater Nevada Field is a genuine hub for the community, and we're excited to partner with Vitalant for a blood drive that will support the people of Northern Nevada," said Reno Aces President Eric Edelstein. "This initiative highlights the spirit of our community, showing that we unite to save lives and create a meaningful difference."
Donators can give a Power Red or Whole Blood donation at the blood drive at Greater Nevada Field.
- Power Red—This donation collects red blood cells but safely returns platelets and plasma to the donor. Donors must meet eligibility requirements, including height and weight. The donor's blood type should be O-, O+, A-, or B-. The process takes 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Whole Blood donation—This is the most common way to give blood. It collects about a pint of blood and usually takes about 10 minutes; the entire process takes about an hour.
“April is National Donate Life Month, a time to recognize the critical role blood donations play in life-saving organ and marrow transplants. In some cases, doctors may transfuse 20 or more units of blood in a single transplant surgery,” said Vitalant Account Manager Aimee Guthrel. “The Reno Aces' partnership with us plays a vital role in helping to keep our blood supply replenished and our community safe. We are grateful for their continued support in making this blood drive a success and encouraging our community to give the gift of life this April.”
Spring and summer can be very challenging times to collect blood for many reasons, including high schools and colleges—the site of many blood drives—on break and routine donors away on vacation.
Walk-ins are welcome, but donation appointments are recommended. To schedule an appointment, call (877) 258-4825 or click HERE
Reno Aces Game will Honor Nevada’s Youngest-Ever Organ Donor
Audrey Jade Hope Sullenger was rushed to the hospital in May 2011 at just three days old. Although paramedics were able to restart her heart, she was declared brain dead after 48 hours. Her mother, Felicia Hill, decided to donate Audrey’s organs, which saved two lives.
Audrey’s cause of death remains unknown, and Hill believes her daughter was born to save lives. Her heart saved the life of then 3-week-old Addison McArthur, and her kidneys saved 38-year-old Hydee Efondo Lim.
“When I was approached by Donor Network West to see if I was willing to donate Audrey’s organs, it was an immediate yes––I knew the good that could come out of it,” said Hill. “We’re continuing to educate people on what Audrey was able to do with her tiny life 13 years later. It brings so much peace and comfort knowing that her life wasn’t lost for no reason.”
Hill and her two daughters, Olivia and Moriah, will honor Audrey by running the bases during the second inning at the Reno Aces’ Home Run for Life game, presented by Donor Network West, Friday, April 26, 2024, at Greater Nevada Field as the Reno Aces take on the Sugar Land Cowboys.
As a longtime Donor Network West ambassador, Hill uses her platform to destigmatize organ donation by sharing her daughter’s story and legacy.
One donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation and heal up to 75 lives through tissue donation.
Donor Network West, northern Nevada’s only federally designated nonprofit organ procurement organization, is proud to support Home Run for Life baseball games during the Reno Aces’ 2024 season. Now in its third season, the partnership brings critical awareness about organ donation to the northern Nevada community, especially with nearly 700 Nevadans on the national waiting list hoping to receive life-saving organs.
“Audrey has deeply impacted the northern Nevada community through her legacy,” said Janice Whaley, president and CEO of Donor Network West. “It is an honor to recognize her and the decision her family made to give the gift of life to others. Donor Network West is proud to partner with the Reno Aces to commemorate northern Nevada’s donors and donor families.”
Six times per season, the Home Run for Life game series honors a northern Nevada community member who has either received a life-saving transplant, lost a loved one who gave the gift of life through organ donation or helped provide support and healing to those impacted by organ, eye and tissue donation.