51s infielder Diaz shows drive in comeback from auto wreck

On Friday the 13th of May last year, 51s second baseman Jonathan Diaz and his fiancee, Kerry, hopped in a Lucky Cab in Las Vegas and headed to Town Square to have dinner.

They never made it.

The couple was taken to a hospital instead after a car crashed head-on into the side of their taxi in an intersection near Town Square.

"Our cab took a red light and we got T-boned," Diaz said. "We actually don't remember anything about the crash, just waking up in the hospital."

Diaz, 27, suffered a severe concussion and his bride-to-be suffered a concussion, separated shoulder, broken ribs and partially torn spleen.

"It was kind of ugly. I'm just happy to be alive and playing," Diaz said Monday before the 51s' 6-2 loss to Reno at Cashman Field. "It was a scary time."

The last thing Diaz remembered before the crash was giving Kerry a kiss.

"I was kind of kissing her head and I broke my two front teeth on her head and she had to get staples on it," he said.

Diaz missed six weeks with concussion-like symptoms before returning to help Double-A New Hampshire capture the Eastern League title.

Kerry also recovered fully and the couple wed in October on Clearwater (Fla.) Beach.

"Luckily we were all healed up by that time," he said. "It turned out to be a really awesome day."

Diaz is accustomed to overcoming adversity. Listed at a generous 5 feet 9 inches and 165 pounds, he's the smallest player on the Las Vegas roster.

"The closest to the truth is 5-8, 160," he said. "Growing up I was always smaller.

"I've kind of gone beyond what I thought when I was younger, so I want to keep on grinding and hopefully get a chance to play in the big leagues."

Overlooked coming out of high school, the Miami Beach, Fla., native walked on at North Carolina State and earned the starting shortstop job as a freshman.

After starting three years for the Wolfpack, Diaz was drafted by Toronto in the 12th round in 2006 and has been a solid, versatile defender, playing second, third, shortstop and left field.

He hit a career-high .297 with a grand slam and 10 RBIs in 19 games for Las Vegas last season before the crash.

"It was just unfortunate timing because he was really playing well for the first time at this level," 51s manager Marty Brown said.

After starting this season in New Hampshire, Diaz was promoted on May 22 and is hitting .267 (12-for-45) in 12 games for the 51s. He was 0-for-3 Monday.

■ NOTES - Vladimir Guerrero started in left field and went 0-for-3. He's batting .154 (2-for-13) in three games for the 51s. ... Arizona right-hander Takashi Saito is slated to pitch today for Reno on a rehabilitation assignment for the Diamondbacks.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354.