The Alpha at 1,200

Lake Forest

Nolan Arenado grew up the second of three sons in a competitive family in Lake Forest, California. Wiffle ball in the yard, ping-pong late into the night, pool dunking contests from age five. He has said he always wanted to be the alpha — to be the best in whatever group he was in. His father Fernando, a travel agent of Cuban ancestry, and his mother Millie, born in Queens with Cuban and Puerto Rican roots, raised three boys. Younger brother Jonah reached the minor leagues. Cousin Josh Fuentes made the majors.

1,200

On April 29, 2026, in his first season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arenado drove in his 1,200th career run. The total spans 14 seasons and three teams — eight years in Colorado, five in St. Louis, and now Arizona. He was 35. He won ten straight Gold Gloves from 2013 through 2022. Behind the RBI count: 7,213 at-bats, 373 home runs, 425 doubles, 1,905 games.

The Bunt

Long before the Gold Gloves, there was a high school league title game at El Toro. Runners on, team trailing late, and Arenado — a senior shortstop who hit .517 — laid down a bunt to load the bases instead of swinging for power. Coach Mike Gonzales had not called for it. The next hitters won the game. Walt Weiss, who managed him in Colorado, would later call Arenado the best third baseman he had ever seen.

Through 118 games with Arizona this season, he has 20 home runs and 98 hits.

Reporting: The Denver Post, Britannica. Career and biographical data: MLB StatsAPI, via the Fever engine.