LOS ANGELES -- When Mike Hazen took over as the D-backs’ general manager in October 2016, one of the first players he acquired was Ketel Marte, whom he netted as part of a five-player deal with the Mariners.

Arizona ended up reaching the postseason in Hazen’s first year at the helm, with a 23-year-old Marte serving as the club’s shortstop during its National League Division Series matchup with the Dodgers in 2017.

With the two division rivals set for an NLDS rematch that begins on Saturday at Dodger Stadium, Hazen took an opportunity to reflect on how far Marte has come over the years. Now in his seventh season with the D-backs, Marte has emerged as a key catalyst for Arizona, forming a dynamic 1-2 punch atop the lineup along with presumptive NL Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll.

The duo combined to go 6-for-15 with five RBIs during the D-backs’ two-game sweep of the Brewers in the NL Wild Card Series, launching back-to-back homers to erase an early three-run deficit in Game 1 at American Family Field.

Carroll has deservedly commanded the spotlight for Arizona thus far, but Marte has flown more under the radar, quietly rebounding from a down 2022 campaign and re-establishing himself as the cornerstone player Hazen envisioned when he traded for him seven years ago.

• 'Model of consistency' Kelly eager for Game 1 start vs. nemesis LA

“At the time, we thought we were getting a really good hitter,” Hazen said on Friday. “A young, athletic kid who was going to play shortstop for us. We’ve watched him grow and mature into a middle-of-the-order hitter and our second baseman.

“You can see, at the top of the lineup with Corbin and Ketel, what they did in that Milwaukee series is what we’re capable of doing offensively. We’re hopeful that’s going to continue now into the rest of the postseason.”

Marte, now 29, saw his production dip as he battled hamstring issues and other injuries in recent years. He worked on improving his flexibility this past the offseason and managed to stay healthy in 2023. The switch-hitting infielder batted .276 with an .843 OPS, 25 home runs and 82 RBIs over 150 regular-season games, his most since 2018.

“He's had some very lean years because of his health,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “He's been healthy the majority of this year. I've asked him to go out there, and he hasn't been 100 percent. And these guys never knew it. He never showed up in a way that he wasn't giving you everything that he had.

“To me, that's the ultimate type of competitor that he is because he's going to give you all that he has on that given day.”

After watching the D-backs go through a rebuild that resulted in 110 losses two years ago, Marte is relishing the chance to return to the playoffs and try to reverse Arizona’s woes against the Dodgers, who won eight of the 13 matchups between the clubs during the regular season.

• 'They're going to have to beat us': D-backs aim to flip script vs. LA

“It’s an incredible feeling,” Marte said in Spanish. “Playing the Dodgers during the regular season is exciting, so imagine what it will be like during the playoffs. It’s going to be fun.

“We’ve been working really hard and really pushing ourselves. The front office has made some good moves, and we’ve called up a lot of young players who have helped us. I think it’s time to win. We have a good team, and we’re really united.”

Aside from his production, Lovullo said Marte brings a level of confidence that helps energize his teammates and create positive vibes throughout the clubhouse.

“There's definitely a swagger that he plays with, a cockiness, a very humble cockiness -- it's not outward; he doesn't show anybody up,” Lovullo said. “But there's a very strong, positive presence that he walks around with no matter where he is. You can see him at the hotel. You see him on bases. You see him in the clubhouse. It's just who he is.

“And I like that. I'm pretty boring and vanilla, so we need to spice it up a little bit with some of his presence. I'm all for it.”

• Dodgers-D-backs position-by-position breakdown

Marte, for his part, certainly feels at home with the D-backs, who signed him to a five-year, $76 million extension last spring.

“I really appreciate the trust they have in me, and the love and respect I get from the entire staff,” Marte said. “I think that’s what’s made me into a great ballplayer and a great person. It feels really good to be here.”