Eight Twins Minor Leaguers Heading to Arizona Fall League

[Seth Stohs]

Every year, each MLB organization sends several prospects to participate in the Arizona Fall League. This year, the Twins are sending eight players to play for the Glendale Desert Dogs. Learn more about all eight players and read their thoughts on this great opportunity. 

Image courtesy of William Parmeter (photos of Cossetti, Ethridge, Veen)

On Friday morning, the Arizona Fall League announced their rosters. The Twins prospects will be playing for the Glendale Desert Dogs this season. Eight Twins players will team with minor leaguers from the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago White Sox. 

The league will begin play on October 2nd and continue until the league’s championship game on November 11th. 

While the Arizona Fall League is often touted as a high-level of competition, teams don’t always send their top prospects. In fact, this year, just 10 players on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospect rankings will participate. Of the eight players that the Twins are sending, only Kala’i Rosario ranks in their Top 20 Twins prospects (#19). 

Often, the players who participate in the Fall League are players who missed time during the regular season due to injury. Teams don’t often want to send their starting pitchers because they have already thrown a lot of innings. So you’ll see relievers sent. Those players typically don’t rank high on prospect lists, but several of them will make it to the big leagues. 

Let’s take a look at the eight players that the Twins are sending to Arizona next week. In addition to discussing the player’s background, I had the opportunity to chat with several of the players on what they are looking forward to during their time in Arizona and what they hope to work on and improve while they are there.  

Outfielder Kala’i Rosario was the Twins fifth and final draft pick in 2020. The Hawaii native made a name for himself on the national circuit as one of the most powerful bats in that high school class. He has had some ups and downs throughout his minor-league career, but generally, 2023 was a fantastic season for him. Rosario was recently named the MVP of the Midwest League. He led the league with 21 home runs and 94 RBI. He had 27 doubles and three triples. Twins Daily ranks Rosario as the Twins #13 prospect. 

First baseman Aaron Sabato is also heading to the Fall League. The Twins top pick in 2020 out of North Carolina has had several roadblocks since signing. Obviously that starts with the lost 2020 season. Early in his career, he struggled to make contact. His 2022 season ended early with a broken wrist. Early in the 2023 season, he missed significant time after being hit by a pitch and breaking his wrist again. In 77 games with the Wichita Wind Surge this year, he hit .221/.329/.439 (.768) with 19 doubles and 12 home runs. 

Catcher Andrew Cossetti will continue his season in Arizona. The Twins drafted the slugger in the 12th round in 2022 out of St. Joseph's University. He played in one game in the FCL in 2022. He began the 2023 season with 35 games in Fort Myers where he destroyed pitching to the tune of .330/.462/.607 (1.069) with 11 doubles and six home runs. He moved up to Cedar Rapids, and in 65 games, he hit .262/.406/.492 (.898) with 12 doubles and nine homers.

Cossetti is looking forward to playing in the Fall League for arguably the best reasons. “I’m looking forward to working with a wide range of coaches and players. Baseball is unique in that everyone does something a little differently and I think learning how other players and coaches work is one of the best ways to improve yourself.”

Of the 95 total games he played in 2023, he was behind the plate in just 47 of them. He is an offensive juggernaut, but admits to needing to keep working to improve his defense. “The biggest thing I want to improve on is my catching skills. Becoming a more well-rounded and consistent catcher is the next big step I need to take as a player. More ABs always helps too, and I believe in my ability to hit so in that aspect it’s just about getting more reps and gaining knowledge that way. Overall, I’m excited and thankful for the opportunity and my goal is to leave in November a better catcher than I am now.”

In addition to the three hitters, the Twins are sending five pitchers to Glendale. Three of them have been full-time relievers, and two of them have been swingmen, making some starts and working often in long relief. 

Right-hander Ben Ethridge was the Twins 15th round pick in 2022 out of Southern Mississippi. He didn’t pitch in a professional game after the draft and pitched well in Fort Myers in his debut season, posting a 2.99 ERA. He made 13 starts and came out of the bullpen 12 times. But there certainly are things to work on. In 78 1/3 innings, he walked 36 (4.1 BB/9) and struck out just 63 batters (7.2 K/9). 

Ethridge told Twins Daily recently, “One of my big focuses is to develop and learn from some of the more experienced players and coaches. Trying to work on fine tuning pitches and figuring out when is the best time to use them. After my first full season, I started to figure out what pitches work when, but I really want to work with it more and get more comfortable with it.”

He added, “I am excited about getting the opportunity to go out there and compete with and against some of the best. I have heard nothing but good things from people that have played there and I’m looking forward to getting to experience it!”

Left-hander Zach Veen was the Twins 18th round pick in 2022 out of Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. He spent the 2023 season and went 5-4 in 41 bullpen appearances. He also had five saves. In 58 1/3 innings, he walked 26 and struck out 48 batters. The control was an issue which is likely surprising because in his 2022 college season, he struck out 59 batters and walked just three over 49 innings. That said, he went 4-0 with six saves, a 1.29 ERA, and a 0.51 WHIP. So, that is the potential and the hope is that spending some time in the Fall League will help him reach it. 

Veen told Twins Daily, “I’m looking forward to facing some really good competition out in Arizona. There are some really good guys out there, and to compete on the same level is extremely cool.” 

He continued, “(I’m) also looking forward to meeting some new people and seeing what makes the good and being able to talk to them and learn some new things”

It will be a good learning experience for Veen and the other minor leagues. Veen want to “expand what I learned throughout the year at Ft. Myers. That includes using the new pitches I learned and executing pitches, locating where I want them.”

Lefty Jordan Carr pitched in 22 games in 2023, 18 in Cedar Rapids before ending the season at Double-A Wichita. In his 60 2/3 Kernels innings, he posted a 1.48 ERA with a 1.04 WHIP. He has had a long and winding road to the Fall League. He was born in Baltimore and began his college career in 2016 at UNC Asheville. He was redshirted in 2017 and then pitched a lot in 2018 and 2019. He transferred to the College of Charleston for the 2020 season and made four starts but thanks to Covid, he took advantage of an extra year of eligibility and pitched again in 2021. He went undrafted and went to the USPBL and pitched in seven games for Utica before the Twins signed him and sent him to Fort Myers. 

The 26-year-old is excited for this opportunity and certainly not taking it for granted. He said, “I’m really looking forward to it. I think it’ll be a great opportunity for me to continue the success I’ve had this season and grow as a player. I know there will be a few familiar faces I’ll be competing against and with. I’ll have the opportunity to learn from a whole new set of guys and compete against some of the best players in baseball. It’s an honor to be considered and I’m looking forward to competing with and against some of the best.”

As for what Carr is hoping to work on in the AFL is what might be called an Advanced Pitching course. “I just need the experience of taking my game and what I’m good at to the next level and knowing who I am as a pitcher against really good hitters. And that’s one of those things you don’t learn till you go through it. Learning how to miss bats and get weak contact at this level, working my pitches off of each other/tunneling and sequencing, reading hitters and adapting the at bat with my strengths.”

The Twins have been active in signing guys out of the USPBL. Another pitcher heading to the Fall League signed with the Twins out of the USPBL on the same day as Carr. Malik Barrington played his college baseball at Albany State in Georgia, just a three-hour drive from his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida. After his final college season of 2021, he pitched in eight games for Birmingham-Bloomfield before the Twins signed him. 

Barrington spent the entire 2023 season with the Midwest League champions in Cedar Rapids. He went 6-2 with a 4.29 ERA over 39 games and 65 innings. He walked too many (40), but he also had 80 strikeouts.

The right-hander said he’s looking forward “to seeing the plethora of high level talent and being able to talk to and Learn from those guys everyday. You’d be shocked how much you can learn about pitching and the game of baseball by just talking to guys.”

No surprise what he’s hoping to work on over the next six weeks. “While I’m there I would like to work on cleaning up my mechanics a bit and hopefully getting more consistency in the strike zone.”

And by being in the Fall League, he’ll work with new people, new voices. He’ll be able to watch others in their bullpen sessions and ask questions about pitch grips or mechanical things. 

AJ Labas was the Mets 17th round pick in 2017 out of Trinity Christian Academy where he was in the same graduating class as 2022 AFL standout Austin Martin. Instead of signing, Labas went to Louisiana State where he made 29 starts over three seasons. In 2018, he was a freshman All-American, but he missed the 2019 season with He came back as a weekend starter in the Covid-shortened 2020 season and then made 15 starts in 2021. However, he went undrafted and signed with the Twins later that summer. He began the 2023 season with the Mussels and worked in 20 games. He moved up to the Kernels where he worked in 18 more games. He had seven saves overall. 

About his AFL opportunity, Labas said, “I'm looking forward to facing the competition that’s going to be out there and seeing friends and former teammates from high school and college and catching up with them. Also learning from the different coaches and working with the coaching staff.”

In addition to Austin Martin, Pirates pitching prospect J.C. Flowers was on their same Trinity Christian Academy teams. They won a lot of games. 

So there you have it. The Twins will send eight players to Arizona later this week for the Fall League. Remember that we will have weekly updates on how the Twins prospects are performing, so be sure to check back for that. 

For more information on these eight Twins minor leaguers, click on the links below for Twins Daily articles in which they were tagged.
Andrew Cossetti, Aaron Sabato, Kala’i Rosario, AJ Labas, Zach Veen, Malik Barrington, Jordan Carr, Ben Ethridge.

View full article

[High heat]

Rosario is the big prospect name seems that not much else going maybe cassetti has a Jeffers development  behind the plate and becomes a much better prospect.  
 

Thoughts on Veen, lefty relievers are always a need.

[FlyingFinn]

Just 10 of the top 100 prospects are playing in the AFL. That seems down from prior years. Am I correct? If so, any reason why?

[Dman]

Kind of surprised they are sending Cossetti as catchers get so dinged up over a full season although he did share quite a bit of time back there so maybe more reps wouldn't hurt.  I sure hope he can be at least average behind the plate because his batting line looks elite with equal walks and K's, power and good batting average. He needs to be more challenged at the higher levels and I wish they would have given him some AA time but he was a big part of the Kernals championship team so I guess the fall league is where he gets some extra reps.

I didn't think the MVP Rosario needed more work as it looked like he was wearing down as the season went on.  If he can find a way to K less he could be a top 100 prospect.  Will be interesting to see how he does but he played this well this spring training when up against higher level players so I assume he can handle himself in fall league as well.

Always good to see some of the pitchers get extra work so sending 5 pitchers is a good thing IMO.

[dougd]

Last year there were 16.

[mikelink45]

Thanks for this update.  Interesting group, but not one that looks like it is filled with future Twins except Rosario and Cossetti have both looked really good this year. 

[Rosterman]

Looks like Cossetti may be on a fast tract. Jordan Carr is 26, but a lefty who could be a factor as Caleb Thielbar ages out.

[DocBauer]

A very interesting and very diverse group to be sure. A mix of potentially great prospects, and a group of "we'll see".

Rosario pretty much dominated A+! My goodness, decent .252 AVG and .364 OB, .467 SLG, and .831 OPS with 51 XB hits and 94 RBI as a 21yo at that level after playing ONE previous pro season at low A after being drafted and not playing in 2020? That's pretty rarefied air there! He's got stuff to work on, but this is an opportunity to work on those things and get him ready for AA next year while still being only 21yo until July.

I also like Cossetti being there. His bat looks like it will play, potentially very well! But he gets another month to work on his bat and defense before instructs. I think the target is for him to be at AA next season, possibly with Cardenas, maybe with Winkel instead, unless he moves to AAA. He seemed to finish this season strong. Don't look now Twins fans, but there's a group of promising catchers in the system from Camargo on down to low A that is very interesting.

I'm not a believer in Sabato. Considering how weird 2020 was due to covid, little or no play for some guys, a loss of scouting opportunity, and picking 27th, I can understand his selection. They thought they were getting a solid "bat" with a great eye and tremendous power potential as a 1B option. So far though, there has been poor actual bat to ball skill presented. In full confession, no matter how closely I follow the Twins system, I had forgotten his wrist injuries. And while a temporary or permanent setback, I guess we have to accept that as part of his process thus far. He's not going to face TOP arms in the AFL, as teams tend to protect them, but he's being given an opportunity to show he can finish 2023 showing he can work a count for BB to maintain his OB%, still SLUG, hopefully, but ACTUALLY show he can actually make bat to ball ability. If he can do that, he MIGHT start 2024 at St Paul. But I could still see him begin next season at AA...roster crunch at 1B/DH at AAA...and then move up a month or so. But 1st round pick or not, he's done with the Twins after 2024 if the actual bat to ball skill doesn't improve. 

I'm actually really interested in what Etheridge does. He's part of the 2022 draft that might go down as very good. His superficial numbers seem OK, but deeper delving shows an arm still wild, as the OP shows. But after ONE pro season, it's obvious the Twins see some arm talent and potential. So yeah, let him show what he can do in the AFL as a springboard for next season.

I'm a sucker for LH arms. I was very intrigued by Veen as the 18th pick in last year's draft. Like a lot of pitchers drafted by the current FO, they are looking at potential, not just what you've done lately, or what level you played at. Veen's K rate and amazingly low BB and control tantalize me as a LH BP option who might still add a little velocity to make him a viable BP in the future. As stated in the OP, he was great in some categories, poor in others. But I'm not sure that wasn't expected for an 18th round pick in his inaugural season. So I remain intrigued as to what he can accomplish in the AFL to get ready for year #2 in his pro career.

Regarding Carr, Barrington, and Labas, I have nothing. They are fliers picked up on recommendations from scouts to take a look at. They all flashed at least some ability this year to want to take a longer look. Any one of them could be a late blooming bullpen option who might surprise. So I guess it's good to have a longer look.

And that might be the smart play. And the FO already has more information on the prospects than we can ever have! They seem to like to put a couple top prospects in the AFL, and then add a couple fliers. Probably smart. Who knows, Carr might be the next Thielbar.  I get it.

But I would have loved to see E Rodriguez in the AFL. BUT I'm sure he's going to play in the winter leagues. 

I have to question why Nowlin wasn't sent to the AFL instead of one of the fliers. He's got an electric arm full of potential. He just needs to harness his stuff. Why  Carr, just to pick on someone, instead of him. They think he's closer and just needs the Instructional League to get ready for next year?

What about Soularie? He was the Twins 2nd pick in 2020 and has had injuries that have set him back. He's athletic and talented but still hasn't put it all together, not even close. And nobody is going to select him in rule 5, which I believe he's now elgible. But wouldn't he be a solid candidate to play in the AFL to see if he MIGHT be getting it right? I'm just saying, is a great athlete with potential a better option for the AFL than a borderline arm? 

But I'm not paid for my opinion, lol. 

I generally like and agree with this group. It's interesting. Anxious to see what happens, as always. 

 

[Doctor Wu]

7 hours ago, DocBauer said:

I have to question why Nowlin wasn't sent to the AFL instead of one of the fliers. He's got an electric arm full of potential. He just needs to harness his stuff. Why  Carr, just to pick on someone, instead of him. They think he's closer and just needs the Instructional League to get ready for next year?

Good question. I'm pretty high on Nowlin too, but as you noted, he still needs some work on his control. No idea how they choose players for the AFL teams, but it's always an interesting and useful short league for a lot of these guys,

[Dman]

8 hours ago, DocBauer said:

 

I'm actually really interested in what Etheridge does. He's part of the 2022 draft that might go down as very good. His superficial numbers seem OK, but deeper delving shows an arm still wild, as the OP shows. But after ONE pro season, it's obvious the Twins see some arm talent and potential. So yeah, let him show what he can do in the AFL as a springboard for next season.

I

I agree with you that Ethridge is interesting.  Despite some control issues he exceeded my expectations and I think he has a chance to be a good pen arm. He was a go to arm for the Miracle and as his ERA suggests (2.99) he was tough to score on. Those late round picks face tough odds but I like his chances right now.  Still a long way to go though.

[roger]

Thanks for the report, Seth.  Really appreciate it as I don't follow these kids like I used to and know little about most of the Twins heading to Arizona this fall.

Have a question related to the low number of top prospects in this year's class.  It used to be that many of the top players from each fall's AFL ended up playing in the big leagues the next year.  With fewer top prospects, has that changed and fewer will likely make it next year?

Want to see how Rosario and Cossetti do against this tougher competition as I see both likely to play for the Twins a couple years down the road.  On the other hand, with less top prospects and pitchers, is the level of competition less than it used to be?  Perhaps much less?

[Dave The Dastardly]

11 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

Thanks for this update.  Interesting group, but not one that looks like it is filled with future Twins except Rosario and Cossetti have both looked really good this year. 

I think the FO will need all the help it can get this off-season finding room for all the Kernels that deserve promotions to AA or higher next year.

[FlyingFinn]

10 hours ago, DocBauer said:

But I could still see him begin next season at AA...roster crunch at 1B/DH at AAA...and then move up a month or so.

I see Sabato starting in Wichita next year. The one position on the field that was poor in Cedar Rapids was 1B (Cavaco) so Sabato would really fit in position-wise with that group. Salas should stay in Cedar Rapids and Schobel rejoins his Cedar Rapids group by staying in Wichita.

[Shaitan]

Does AFL carry extra catchers (kinda like Spring Training)? It seems like they would. 

Catchers definitely have to put in a ton of work at their position, but also get a lot of development opportunities.

[Minny505]

Looking forward to checking out some of the games with my boys. AFL baseball is the best baseball for the money. Last year's highlight was my oldest son getting a ball signed by 8 players last year.

If anyone else is in the East Valley and wants to meet up at a game, send me a message. I'd love to meet some more Twins fans down here.

[Steve Lein]

As your resident "AFL-reporter," this years list is a little bit of a "down" year as far as name recognition goes, but Rosario and Cossetti coming from A-ball shouldn't be overlooked. That's a big feather in their caps and says more than you think about their perceived potentials from inside the Twins organization. 

I'd expect Ethridge and Carr to potentially makes some starts, probably around 15-20 total innings.

Veen, Barrington, and Labas should all pitch around 10 innings.

Sabato will be interesting to me. I'd like to see him be a bit more aggressive and see what happens.