Kevin Ginkel might be the most qualified person to ever throw out a first pitch.
The Diamondbacks reliever will take the mound at Hi Corbett Field on Friday to do just that, returning to the park where he once excelled for the Arizona Wildcats.
Ginkel's ceremonial first pitch will precede Game 1 of the UA's weekend series against ASU. Fans are encouraged to arrive well in advance of the official 7 p.m. start time to catch Ginkel's offering.
Ginkel, who played a vital role for the UA squad that reached the 2016 College World Series finals, is coming off his finest major-league season.
Ginkel went 9-1 with four saves and a 2.48 ERA during the regular season. In the playoffs, he didn't allow a run in 10 appearances spanning 11⅔ innings as the Diamondbacks advanced to MLB's World Series.
Ginkel went 5-1 with a 2.80 ERA for the '16 Wildcats. He was at his best in the postseason, going 2-0 with one save and a 1.89 ERA.
Arizona (7-8) is set to play at Hi Corbett for the first time since Feb. 20. The Wildcats host the Sun Devils (7-8 entering Tuesday night's game vs. New Mexico) for three games, Friday-Sunday, before facing Grand Canyon on Tuesday.
Diamondbacks reliever Kevin Ginkel discusses his breakout season and his memories from playing with the 2016 Arizona Wildcats (video by Michael Lev / Arizona Daily Star)
