New Mexico State University Athletics

Mark Aranda played a total of two seasons for the Aggies and is considered one of the most prolific hitters in the history of the program. After two years at El Paso Community College where he was the Western Junior College Athletic Conference Co-MVP his sophomore year, Aranda joined the Aggie outfield.
 
In his debut season with the Aggies, Aranda garnered Second Team All-Sun Belt honors after ranking second on the team in batting average (.346), slugging percentage (.697) and was tied for second on the club with 57 RBIs to help lead the Aggies to a 33-25 overall record. In 2004, the Albuquerque native also recorded 16 home runs to rank third on the team while ranking third in the conference and 22^nd nationally in home runs per game (0.31).
 
As a junior, Aranda also hit three home runs against Pace University and still holds a spot in the record book as one of just 17 Aggies to have three homers in a single game. In that game, Aranda went 4-for-6 and drove in eight RBIs. Just 10 days later, Aranda would put forth another eight-RBI performance as he went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, hammering two home runs and a triple while earning one walk. His first season as an Aggie included 19 multi-hit games, including two four-hit outings. He also registered 12 multi-RBI games, including three which he drove in five or more runs. Aranda also turned in a season-high 10-game hit streak in the heart of conference action. Defensively in 2004, he started 44 games in right field and posted a .959 fielding percentage.
 
Following a standout junior season, Aranda only bolstered his argument as one of the best at the plate in Aggie history. During his senior campaign, he submitted one of the best power-hitting seasons in program history on his way to earning Third Team Louisville Slugger All-American honors after leading the Sun Belt Conference in slugging percentage (.767), home runs (22), RBIs (85), hit by pitch (19) and sacrifice flies (9). Aranda's home run total in 2005 still ranks tied for seventh-most by an Aggie in a single season while his RBI mark ranks tied for sixth-most by an Aggie in a single season. Additionally, he managed four triples during his final year to pace the Aggies while turning in a .351 average across 202 at-bats.
 
On the year, Aranda averaged 1.57 RBIs per game to rank first nationally while averaging .41 home runs per game to rank second nationally. His .767 slugging percentage was also good for third-best among all Division I players.
 
Ultimately, he would finish his career with 38 total home runs which currently ranks tied for fourth all-time by an Aggie hitter despite spending only two seasons in the City of Crosses. Across two seasons with the Crimson and White, Aranda tallied 136 hits and 142 RBIs while maintaining a .349 batting average, a .437 on-base percentage and a .733 slugging percentage.
 
Following an impressive career with the Aggies, Aranda was signed as free agent by the Florida Marlins in 2005. He would play one season professionally for the Jamestown Jammers and would appear in 51 games while recording 36 hits, nine home runs and 24 RBIs.
 
Aranda was raised in Albuquerque by his grandfather Mark Aranda and spent his high school playing days at West Mesa High School where he was twice named first team all-district. In high school, he was also named second team all-city in 2000 and 2001.
 
Today, Aranda resides in Las Cruces with his wife Raquel, son Jacob and daughter Avery and serves as a Lieutenant for the Las Cruces Fire Department.