Ace in the hole: Duzenack plays all nine positions for Reno
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Camden Duzenack is no stranger to playing catcher, or toiling at first base or even stepping on the rubber. But to play all nine positions in one game?
Well, the Arizona farmhand can cross that off his bucket list as well.
Duzenack played an inning defensively at each position before entering in the ninth inning to pitch during Triple-A Reno's 7-2 win over visiting Tacoma on Monday.
The Texas native didn't forget about his offense either, finishing with an RBI triple among his two hits in what has been a strong final month of the season.
His ability to play multiple positions has been a staple of Duzenack's five-year professional career, although he was primarily a middle infielder after his selection in the ninth round of the 2017 Draft out of Dallas Baptist. The 27-year-old has traded his infielder's glove for outfield leather on occasion -- mostly in left field -- where he appeared 40 times in 2022.
Duzenack began his trek around the diamond behind the plate, his second career appearance as a catcher. He moved up the line to first base in the second inning and across the diamond to third in the following frame. Duzenack slid over to short and then second before hitting the outfield, going left to right in the sixth through eighth innings.
By the time he toed the rubber in the ninth, the Aces held a comfortable 7-1 lead. It was Duzenack's second appearance as a pitcher this year -- he tossed a perfect frame against Salt Lake on July 27. The 5-foot-9, 170-pounder wasn't quite as successful on Monday.
Although he set down the first batter of the inning, Duzenack allowed a run on consecutive doubles before he was removed after throwing seven pitches, four for strikes.
His unique performance on Thursday aside, Duzenack acquitted himself well during his first full Triple-A campaign. After making 48 appearances with Reno in 2021, he spent the entire season in the Pacific Coast League where he's slashed .261/.306/.465 with a career-high 36 extra-base hits, 13 homers and 55 RBIs in 94 games.