From Ahmed to Wilhelmsen: Get to know the Diamondbacks’ Opening Day roster

Mar 31, 2017, 10:29 PM | Updated: Apr 1, 2017, 2:45 pm

BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN

ArizonaSports.com lead editor

Arizona Diamondbacks' Nick Ahmed, left, throws to first base after forcing out Los Angeles Dodgers' Howie Kendrick (47) during the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 16, 2016, in Phoenix. Andrew Toles was safe at first. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Archie Bradley throws during the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Sunday, March 12, 2017, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Andrew Chafin, RP -- After going 5-1 with a 2.76 ERA in 2015, the left-handed reliever struggled a year ago with shoulder and groin issues. When he was healthy, his ERA ballooned to 6.75 in 32 appearances. And though he struck out 11 per nine frames compared to seven in 2015, his home run rate (6.7 to 8.7 per nine) and walk rate (3.6 to 4.4 per nine) also jumped from the season prior. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Patrick Corbin, LHP -- Lost amid the disappointment of Shelby Miller's 2016 season was Corbin's own. The lefty starter found himself demoted and closed the year with a 5.15 ERA and 5-13 record. While Miller found himself working in Triple-A to re-find his stuff, Corbin worked out of the bullpen to finish with seven strong September outings where he allowed just two earned runs over 15 innings. (Photo by Tyler Drake/ Cronkite News)

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Jorge De La Rosa delivers to Arizona Diamondbacks' A.J. Pollock in the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 2, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Randall Delgado (48) pitches during the 5th inning of a baseball game at Nationals Park in Washington, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Kansas City Royals' Alex Gordon dives safe back to first as Arizona Diamondbacks' Daniel Descalso applies the tag during the second inning of a spring training baseball game Tuesday, March 21, 2017, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Kansas City Royals' Alex Gordon is tagged out by Arizona Diamondbacks' Brandon Drury trying to steal second during the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game Tuesday, March 21, 2017, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

United States' Paul Goldschmidt (44) scores on a hit by Giancarlo Stanton as Jonathan Lucroy (25) greets him at the plate during the sixth inning in a first-round game against the Dominican Republic, in the World Baseball Classic, Saturday, March 11, 2017, in Miami. The Dominican Republic won 7-5. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Zack Greinke throws a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of a spring training baseball game Thursday, March 23, 2017, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Jeremy Hazelbaker is forced out at second as Oakland Athletics' Marcus Semien throws to first for the double play in the first inning of a spring training baseball game Tuesday, March 7, 2017, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Chris Herrmann watches his home run during the second inning of a spring training baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Tuesday, March 21, 2017, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

J.J. Hoover, RP -- The five-year MLB vet and former Cincinnati Reds reliever latched on with the D-backs on a minor-league deal after playing in just 18 games during 2016. Coming off surgery, his 18 games a year ago were ugly -- he closed 2016 with a 13.50 ERA having allowed 14 hits and 4.3 home runs per nine frames. His spring, however, went much better. He didn't allow a run in his first eight outings. (AP Photo/Billy Hurst)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Chris Iannetta runs after hitting a home run during the second inning of a spring training baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Tuesday, March 14, 2017, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Jake Lamb dives for a ball hit by Oakland Athletics' Yonder Alonso during the third inning of a spring training baseball game, Tuesday, March 7, 2017, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Jeff Mathis, C -- Like teammate Chris Iannetta, Mathis was brought to Arizona for his pitch-framing technique. D-backs pitching coach Mike Butcher knows him well; Mathis spent his first seven years in MLB with the Angels working with Butcher's pitchers when the latter held the same title in Anaheim. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Shelby Miller, right, pauses as catcher Welington Castillo, left, talks with the pitcher during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016, in Phoenix. The Dodgers defeated the Diamondbacks 6-2. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Mexico's Xorge Carrillo is forced out at second as Arizona Diamondbacks' Chris Owings takes the throw during the fourth inning of an exhibition baseball game Wednesday, March 8, 2017, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder David Peralta, right, poses for a picture with some fans prior to a spring training baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Thursday, March 9, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks' A.J. Pollock dives back to first during the first inning of an exhibition baseball game against Mexico, Wednesday, March 8, 2017, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Robbie Ray throws a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)

Dominican Republic pitcher Hector Neris (50) and pitcher Fernando Rodney (56) are introduced before a first-round game against Canada in the World Baseball Classic, Thursday, March 9, 2017, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Yasmany Tomas, LF -- The four years remaining on a $68.5 million contract signed two years ago only adds to the high-risk, high-reward abilities of Tomas. The Cuban broke out as the D-backs' best home run hitter, slugging 31 bombs last season. But he also recorded minus-16 Defensive Runs Saved with eight of those coming in each of left and right field in 2016. And he spent much of spring rehabbing an oblique injury. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Taijuan Walker, RHP -- The 24-year-old pitcher traded to Arizona in exchange for infielder Jean Segura comes in with his own rebounding to do. Walker struggled with the Mariners last year, going 8-11 with a 4.22 ERA before undergoing surgery on his foot. His strikeout-to-walk ratio carried him in the spring. (Photo by Tyler Drake/ Cronkite News)

Seattle Mariners closer Tom Wilhelmsen yells after the last out in the Mariners' 7-5 win over the Houston Astros in a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015, in Houston. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

Oh, how expectations change. The Arizona Diamondbacks enter 2017 with many of the same core players on the 25-man Opening Day roster as a season ago, but the expectations have been reset.

Zack Greinke, Paul Goldschmidt, Shelby Miller, Jake Lamb and Brandon Drury are among those who return. The D-backs also welcome back A.J. Pollock, who found out just before Opening Day in 2016 his season was threatened due to an elbow injury.

Yet, for a few of the above and many others, the story of the season is about rebounding from a disappointing 2016 that saw the team go 69-93.

Can a new front office change the D-backs’ fortunes around in just one offseason of work?

First-year general manager Mike Hazen has brought in veteran depth and the biggest trade addition in starting pitcher Taijuan Walker. He’s turned over much of the bullpen searching for success, adding Tom Wilhelmsen and J.J. Hoover to the mix of remaining players while turning former starters Archie Bradley and Jorge De La Rosa into relievers.

One of the biggest surprises for the Diamondbacks this spring was J.J. Hoover, who earned his spot out of the bullpen by not allowing a single run in 10 innings worth of work.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo announced after their final spring training game on Friday that Andrew Chafin beat out Silvino Bracho for the last pitching spot, while Jeremy Hazelbaker earned the last bench spot.

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