This story was excerpted from Steve Gilbert's D-backs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

While everyone's New Year's resolutions are still fresh in mind (if not actually being followed), I thought it would be fun to put together a list of New Year's wishes for some of the D-backs' players:

Christian Walker: More luck at the plate
For the first few months of last season, Walker dealt with a batting average that hovered at or below the Mendoza line despite being near the top of Major League hitters when it came to hard-hit rate. Those numbers started to even out a bit as the season went on, but for Walker's mental health, it would be better if he hit into less tough luck in 2023.

Zac Gallen: More national recognition
Gallen put together an outstanding season in 2022, but he finished fifth in the NL Cy Young Award voting. He deserved a higher finish, and if the D-backs are more relevant in the race for a postseason spot, perhaps Gallen will get a little more voting support if he posts similar numbers.

Merrill Kelly: An enjoyable World Baseball Classic experience
Kelly has been a big piece of Arizona's rotation since returning to the U.S. in 2019 after pitching four seasons in Korea. His success on the mound was recognized when he was asked to be a member of Team USA's 2023 pitching staff. It's a well-deserved honor for someone who had to really pay his dues before getting an opportunity in the big leagues. Hopefully, he enjoys his experience playing in the Classic.

Ketel Marte: Healthy hamstrings
Marte has battled issues with his hamstrings the past two seasons, which has limited him. I know both Marte and D-backs fans would like to see what he could do if he stays healthy and able to play at full strength for an entire season.

Tommy Henry: Another crack at the national championship for the Wolverines
Henry helped pitch the University of Michigan into the College World Series before being selected by the D-backs in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft. A diehard Wolverines fan, Henry would like nothing more than to see Michigan's football team capture the national championship. Michigan has made the college football playoff for the past two years, only to come up just short.

Nick Ahmed: A season at full strength
Ahmed has battled a right shoulder injury since he dove for a ball in Summer Camp in 2020, and he finally had the shoulder surgically repaired last June. Now in the final year of his contract, it would be good to see what Ahmed can do when fully healthy again.

Alek Thomas: A fresh start
Thomas showed what he could do defensively last year as a rookie, and he had some success at the plate as well before falling into a slump that eventually got him optioned to Triple-A Reno for the final week of the season. Some necessary adjustments to Thomas' swing, manager Torey Lovullo said at the time, are simply hard to do at the big league level. With an offseason to work on it and a fresh start this spring, it will be fun to see what Thomas can do.