Cole Tucker’s wild ride to Reno

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - “I grew up a Diamondbacks fan.”

Cole Tucker is thrilled to be in Reno.

“It’s a dream come true. If you would have told me when I was a little kid that this would be my life at some point or another I’d be really happy and freaked out.”

‘Don’t mess this up, kid.’ A message the 26-year-old would tell his younger self growing up in Phoenix had he known what was to come.

“Just to be here in AAA in the organization and here with the Aces with a chance to be a big leaguer is really cool.”

When the Pittsburgh Pirates designated their former first-round pick for assignment and the Diamondbacks claimed him off waivers a week later, Tucker’s entire family was excited. The Tuckers aren’t his only supporters. He’s been dating actress and singer Vanessa Hudgens for more than a year.

“She’s the best girlfriend and person around. She’s awesome. It’s cool that everyone knows her and she’s super successful and a great person and a great talent, obviously, but she’s with me all the time grinding, bouncing, traveling and making my life so much better and easier. I’m forever indebted to her, she’s the best.”

But another one of Tucker’s loves gives him a break outside of baseball: music. The love is a ‘drumming in front of 20,000 people to open for the Jonas Brothers at a concert’ type of love.

“The baseball stuff is more nerve wracking. They could throw a slider or a changeup or a fastball. If you’re on stage and you know what you need to do you know what you need to do. No one is throwing anything at you. It’s not that reactive. Sometimes it is, but this is definitely way harder.”

Cole Tucker. The most interesting man on the Aces? Maybe.

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