Aguilas de Mexicali trade for Gila Ridge alumni Irving Lopez

The former member of the Naranjeros de Hermosillo will now get to continue his pro career closer to family and friends

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Gila Ridge baseball alumni Irving Lopez was at a Hawks offseason practice Tuesday, helping young players as they get ready for next year.

Lopez is among the best to learn from, as the only Yuma Union High School District baseball player to play in Major League Baseball.

Now those appearances could be more common, as the latest stop in Lopez's pro career has him back in the Desert Southwest.

Lopez was traded by the Naranjeros de Hermosillo to the Aguilas de Mexicali, meaning Lopez will now spend his winters just an hour away from Yuma.

"I'm not going to lie, I was shocked, I wasn't expecting that," Lopez said.

After playing with the Naranjeros for nine seasons, the trade now puts Lopez in a spot where he'll be able to consistently play in front of friends and family from the Desert Southwest.

"Every time I played against (Mexicali), I have a lot of friends going up there and talking to me, now being there the whole time, the whole year, I feel it's going to be a pretty good experience," Lopez said.

However, Lopez is also originally from Hermosillo, meaning his parents, who are still in the city, took the news a bit differently.

"They were sad about it because, you know, I was there, they would go to every game," Lopez said.

Of course, other friends and family were some of the happiest to hear the news.

"My wife's family was really happy because I'm going to be closer to home, closer to them, and closer to my kids," Lopez said.

The Aguilas season won't begin until October, but Lopez won't be waiting until then to get back on the field.

Lopez will also be taking his talents to Jalisco to play for the summer league Charros coached by Benji Gil, who also coaches team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.

"I'm excited to do that, I'm getting ready for it, I'm going to head out in probably the next ten days, so I'm excited to play for him," Lopez said.