Raised in a household chock-full of baseball lineage, expectations were high for Wolfpack freshman shortstop Chris Diaz growing up. The younger brother of former N.C. State shortstop Jonathan Diaz, Chris has had to avoid being overshadowed by his older brother’s accomplishments and make a name for himself on the baseball diamond.
Although Chris does not want to be known solely as Jonathan’s younger brother, the similarities between the two are quite apparent. Diaz is playing the same position in the field that his older brother once occupied five years ago for the Pack.
“There are a lot of similarities between Chris and Jonathan,” coach Elliott Avent said. “Both of them were taught the game very well by their father, and they play the game the way it’s supposed to be played.”
Their father has been a baseball coach for several years and has played an instrumental role in the development of both Chris and Jonathan’s baseball careers.
“Chris grew up in a coaching home and comes from a good bloodline,” Avent said. “His dad is a coach and a good one at that, so he came in here very well prepared.”
Midway through his freshman season, Chris is already making a name for himself by playing stalwart defense at shortstop for the Pack. His ability to flash the leather should come as no surprise because he was renowned for the defensive capabilities he showcased while playing at nearby Apex High School.
It was breathtaking defensive play that helped Jonathan become a crowd favorite at Doak Field at Dail Park during his tenure at State. After leaving the Pack, Jonathan was selected in the twelfth round by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2006.
The possibility of following in his brother’s footsteps by joining the Pack was something Diaz thought about when choosing where he wanted to play baseball in college.
“It was a huge factor in my decision to come to State,” Diaz said. “When I was younger I used to always come and see [Jonathan] play. I’ve always loved the fans and everything about N.C. State. When I talked to coach Avent in high school, he convinced me to come here and I haven’t regretted it one bit.”
Diaz has had an instant impact for the Wolfpack, making contributions to an offense averaging more than 10 runs per game. The shortstop is batting .324 in his first collegiate season and has played in 20 of the Pack’s first 24 games.
“Chris plays with a lot of intensity and plays the game the right way,” Avent said. “He understands the game of baseball and respects the game, so he’s been a real asset to our ball club.”
Diaz and company will square off against Old Dominion Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Doak Field at Dail Park. The Wolfpack (15-9, 3-6 ACC) is looking to get back to its winning ways after dropping eight of their last twelve contests.
“We just have to come out ready to play everyday,” Diaz said. “You’re not going to have a great day everyday but if you come out ready to play, good things will happen.”
