New Hanover baseball star Blake Walston called up to MLB by Arizona Diamondbacks

Blake Walston's time arrived on Wednesday.

The former New Hanover High School standout was called up to the major leagues on Wednesday by the Arizona Diamondbacks, five years after the team made him a first-round pick in the draft in 2019.

Walston, who sent New Hanover to two baseball state titles and a football championship, was among the Arizona organization's top 30 prospects for this season leaving training camp.

Walston was called up from Triple-A Reno, where he had made five starts for the Aces. He had been strong in his last two outings, giving up only one run in 11 innings.

More: Wilmington's Walston brothers share the joy with latest pro sports advancement

Walston spent all of 2023 with the Aces, going 12-6 with a 4.52 ERA over nearly 150 innings. In all, his career stats in the minors over five seasons are a 25-14 record with 400 innings pitched and 394 strikeouts. He has an ERA of 4.38, a WHIP of 1.44 and .254 BAA.

The Wilmington native said he was playing blackjack in a Las Vegas casino when he first heard the news about his promotion.

"Threw my last hand out there, lost, and he's like, 'Dude, you don't have to worry about it, you're going to the big leagues," Walston told reporters Wednesday.

Walston's time with the parent club could fluctuate over the coming weeks. Arizona is playing musical chairs with the final pitching spot on its roster as it replaces starters with relievers while filling a gap for other injuries. According to the Diamondbacks' website, Tommy Henry was sent down to Reno on Tuesday and Brandon Hughes took his place.

At New Hanover, Walston finished his high school career with a 34-2 overall record and 0.99 cumulative ERA, winning the 2018 and 2019 NCHSAA Class 3A titles.

Check back soon for more information on this breaking event.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Blake Walston: Wilmington native called up to MLB by Arizona