PHOENIX -- The best view at Chase Field comes at the hottest part of the day, around 4 p.m., on the front row in left field just above the signage, 368 feet from home plate.

Some days the seat is in Section 141. Other days, it’s a shimmy to the left in Section 142.

This is where Ketel Marte Sr. sits during batting practice to watch his son launch balls into the empty stands and spray lasers across the outfield. It’s where the father collects those pregame homers and puts them in a clear plastic bag so he can give them to little kids back home in the Dominican Republic, where baseball reigns and inspires big league dreams.

“He’s worked very hard to get to this point,” Marte Sr. said in Spanish from his usual pregame spot in left field. “Look at him out there. He’s more of a man than he’s ever been. Strong and intelligent, with lots of experience. I’m so proud of who he has become.”

It’s been almost a decade since D-backs second baseman Ketel Marte signed with the Mariners as a teenage prospect out of the D.R. and four years since he made his big league debut at 21. At 25, he’s overcome obstacles on and off the field to make himself a cornerstone of the franchise. And now, he’s a finalist to be the National League’s starting second baseman.

“We felt like he’s been one of our best players since the day we got him,” D-backs general manager Mike Hazen said. “It’s been normal growth and maturity that got him there, and I believe he deserves to be an All-Star.”

The numbers speak for themselves. This season, Marte has hit 20 home runs and sports a .946 OPS. He ranks fifth in the big leagues among all players and fourth among position players with a 3.6 fWAR. He’s one left-handed home run away from become the first player in history to have 10 home runs from each side of the plate before the All-Star break.

Marte’s versatility -- he has played 46 games at second base, 45 in center field and eight at shortstop this season -- could come into play if he is voted into the All-Star Game. His power numbers make him a candidate to participate in the Home Run Derby.

“I feel like I’m more focused, and I’ve worked hard every day to feel less pressure when I’m on the field,” Marte said in Spanish. “I came up at an early age, and it takes time to develop. I was inexperienced and I wasn’t as strong as I am now. I always believed in myself, and I’ve just matured.”

Marte was acquired with Taijuan Walker by the D-backs from Seattle in the winter of 2016 in the trade that sent Jean Segura and Mitch Haniger to Mariners. He began the ‘17 season with Triple-A Reno and was called up that June to play shortstop, his primary position at the time. The next month, tragedy struck when his mother, Elpidia Valdez, was killed when a vehicle hit the moped she was driving in the Dominican Republic.

The young infielder had learned about coping with the ups and downs that come with baseball at the feet of veterans Robinson Cano, Felix Hernandez and Nelson Cruz during his time with the Mariners. His education continued in Arizona under the guidance of his teammates, staff and coaches like Luis Ureta. But nobody could prepare him for the sudden loss of his mother.

“Like every young player, I made errors on the field and I learned from them. That’s normal,” Marte said. “But the loss of my mother is a pain that never goes away. It’s a tragedy that you never wish on anyone, not even your enemies. But I believe in God and have faith, and that’s helped me stay focused on my job and taking care of my family.”

Less than year later, the D-backs signed Marte to a five-year contract extension worth $24 million with two options worth a combined $22 million more. It has proven to be the best move by Hazen and his staff since he took over as GM three years ago.

“We felt like as dynamic as a player as he was and as we got to know him, we felt like we didn’t have lot of those type of guys in the organization,” Hazen said. “With what he does offensively, and how he plays second, shortstop and center field, he’s becoming one of the best players in baseball, in my opinion. We talk about the Chris Taylors and Kris Bryants of the world doing it at extremely high level, and it’s a very hard thing to do. Ketel does it with ease, and we are very fortunate to have him.”

In Monday’s 8-5 victory against the Dodgers, Marte scored the game-winning run and notched a pair of hits -- his seventh consecutive multihit game to tie a team record -- despite a sore groin. Overall, he has reached base safely in 27 of his last 28 games with seven doubles, two triples, 11 home runs and 20 RBIs during that span.

“It’s such a great part about what this game is all about, watching a young player mature and grow into a potential superstar,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “It’s very gratifying from our standpoint and it’s very gratifying for him. I do remember seeing him as a very young player in Seattle and thinking, 'This is a very interesting athlete at 21 years old.' Now, I think we have to appreciate that we are watching one of the best players in the National League perform each night.”

The 2019 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard will be played on Tuesday, July 9, at Progressive Field in Cleveland. It will be televised nationally by FOX Sports; in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS; and worldwide by partners in more than 180 countries. FOX Deportes will provide Spanish-language coverage in the United States, while ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide exclusive national radio coverage. MLB Network, MLB.com and SiriusXM also will provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. During the game, fans may visit MLB.com and the 30 club sites to submit their choices for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet. For more information about MLB All-Star Week and to purchase tickets, please visit AllStarGame.com and follow @MLB and @AllStarGame on social media.