LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — This year's World Series has a decidedly Las Vegas feel. That's because three Arizona Diamondbacks players — Ryne Nelson, Paul Sewald and Tommy Pham — are from Southern Nevada.
The Diamondbacks, the National League champions, are taking on the Texas Rangers, kings of the American League, in this year's Fall Classic.
"You have two of the guys I was able to coach in the World Series! It might not ever happen again," said Scott Baker, varsity baseball coach at Basic Academy in Henderson and a former coach at Bishop Gorman High School. "It's extraordinary."
Baker coached Nelson, a 2016 Basic grad, and Sewald, who graduated from Bishop Gorman in 2008.
Pham played baseball for a time at Bishop Gorman before finishing his high school career at Durango.
All three players have helped the Diamondbacks during their improbable postseason run. Sewald, Arizona's closer, recorded the final three outs in Philadelphia when the Diamondbacks beat the heavily favored Phillies to take the National League pennant.
Watching on TV from his son John's home in Las Vegas, Mark Sewald was too nervous to sit through the final inning.
"When the bottom of the ninth rolled around, I got up and walked around John's neighborhood," Sewald said with a smile from his home in Las Vegas. "John came out looking for me when it was over. He gave me the (arms raised) sign that it was over, so I went back inside."
The only other time the Diamondbacks — an expansion team that came into existence in 1998 — made it to the World Series was in 2001, when they upset the New York Yankees.
Paul Sewald actually started the 2023 season with the Seattle Mariners before a mid-season trade sent him to Phoenix. He's found a home in Arizona, compiling 13 saves in 20 appearances for the Diamondbacks.
Normally a starting pitcher, Nelson was added to Arizona's bullpen for its playoff push this year.
An eventual star at the University of Oregon after his days at Basic, Nelson was very talented even as a youngster in Henderson.
Baker says he remembers when Nelson came into the Basic program as a freshman.
"He came in special from the get-go," Baker says. "Both Nellie and Pauly had very strong work ethics. I'm so happy for these guys and their families. There were actually five players from Vegas in the National League Championship Series, which is unbelievable."
Phillies star Bryce Harper is from Las Vegas, as is Bryson Stott.
Ryan Nelson, Ryne's father, says the past few days have been surreal.
"It's been amazing," he says. "Everyone said they had no chance to win in Philadelphia for game six and game seven. We weren't even sure — we were kind of preparing for it to be the offseason. There's great players who have never played in the World Series. It's been a dream of his since he was in Little League and club ball and travel ball. This has been an emotional rollercoaster, that's for sure."
Trent Bixby is a good friend of Ryne Nelson's and played with him at Basic. Bixby is now the junior varsity baseball coach at the Henderson school.
"Ryne has made it this far because he's earned it," Bixby says. "He has an unreal arm and he has an amazing work ethic. It's been fun to see him rise as a player. This ride that the Diamondbacks have been on has been insane to watch."
Heading into the postseason, the Diamondbacks were huge underdogs. In fact, they barely qualified for the playoffs at all as a Wild Card team.
Arizona is a decided underdog again in the World Series, though its doubtful any of the Diamondback players care.
"The Vegas talent is getting represented big time in the big leagues," Bixby says. "With the weather out here, we can play ball pretty much all year round and that helps. The extra reps help. Vegas baseball players love to work and play and compete and it's showing through."
Game two of the World Series will take place Saturday in Texas before the series shifts to Phoenix for games three, four and, if necessary, five.
The question for Mark Sewald now is whether he can calm his nerves enough to attend the games in Arizona.
No matter where or how they show their support, many in the Las Vegas Valley will be rooting for the Diamondbacks and their trio of valley natives.
"Being a baseball player myself once upon a time, superstition says don't go," Sewald says. "I have not made the decision to go yet, but I'm leaning toward it."
