Twins AFL Report (Week 1): Cossetti, Sabato Homer, Pitching Shines

Game Results:
Monday, 10/2 | Glendale 1, Salt River 3
Tuesday, 10/3 | Glendale 0, Scottsdale 1
Wednesday, 10/4 | Surprise 1, Glendale 7
Thursday, 10/5 | Scottsdale 3, Glendale 2
Friday, 10/6 | Glendale 3, Peoria 8
Saturday, 10/7 | Surprise 7, Glendale 2

It was a bit of a rough start for the Desert Dogs in Week 1, as runs were hard to come by as a team and they finished with just one win and five losses. A couple of Twins hitters had big blasts, and their pitchers for the most part got their jobs done, but it didn’t translate to much success as a team. That could largely be attributed to Glendale’s lineup finishing a paltry 7-for-60 (.117) with runners in scoring position, something they will need to change significantly in Week 2.

C Andrew Cossetti
Week: 1-for-7, R, HR (1), RBI, BB, 2 K (2 games)
Overall: .143/.250/.571 (.821 OPS)
Cossetti got one start at catcher, and one at DH, in his two games. He served as the cleanup hitter in both contests.

He was the catalyst for Glendale’s lone win on the week, leading off a four-run fourth inning in Wednesday’s 7-1 victory over Surprise with his first AFL home run.

As the catcher in Wednesday’s win, the Saguaros did go 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts, but the pitching staff allowed just one run on six hits in the game. As the DH on Thursday, he finished 0-for-4 with a pair of K’s.

OF Kala’i Rosario
Week: 1-for-17, 2B, 2 BB, 8 K (5 games)
Overall: .059/.200/.118 (.318 OPS)
The reigning Midwest League MVP got the most run of any Twins prospect in week 1, starting in five of six games and splitting his time in the outfield corners (3 games in RF, 2 in LF). He batted seventh in the lineup three times, and second and fifth once each. While he managed only one hit in his 17 at-bats, it was a double that came in Friday’s loss to Peoria. With how the Desert Dogs offense fared as a whole on the week, he was predictably left stranded at second and will look to cut down the K’s and make some more contact in week two.

1B Aaron Sabato
Week: 1-for-14, 2 R, HR (1), RBI, 3 BB, 8 K (4 games)
Overall: .071/.235/.286 (.521 OPS)
Sabato saw action in four games on the week, getting the start at first base in three contests while DH-ing in the other. He batted fifth in his first two games of the week, and was slotted up to third in his final two.

In the season opener on Monday, with his team down 3-0 heading into the ninth inning, he provided their only offense, and his only hit on the week, with his first home run out in the desert. It was just the teams' fourth hit in the game, but did prevent them from getting shut out.

In his next two games, he ended up striking out in three of his four at-bats in each but finished the week with a better effort in Friday’s loss to Peoria, where he drew three walks and scored another run.

LHP Jordan Carr
Week: 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K W (1 start)
Overall: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, .231 BAA, 0 BB, 1 K (4 IP)

Carr got the starting nod in Thursday’s 3-2 loss to the Scottsdale Scorpions. He took care of his business, finishing four strong innings by allowing zero runs. He scattered just three hits, walked none, and struck out one. He needed just 49 pitches to get through his four innings, and 35 of them went for strikes (71%). The game was still scoreless when his time on the mound was over, so he would end up with a no-decision (just as a note: pitching wins and losses in the AFL are not awarded like you’re used to seeing. As an example, if Glendale had been up 1-0 when he was done and gone on to win, he likely would have been credited with the ). 

It was a great outing for the southpaw, who functioned as somewhat of a swingman with Cedar Rapids and Wichita this year, so it was good to see him get a starting nod and I’ll be curious to see if that continues.

RHP Malik Barrington
Week: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (1 appearance)
Overall: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, .000 BAA, 0 BB, 1 K (1 IP)
The big right-hander was the first reliever summoned from the bullpen in Glendale’s lone win of the week on Wednesday. After four one-run innings from their starter, Barrington got the fifth inning and made quick work of the Saguaros, retiring them one-two-three including a strikeout. He threw 12 pitches, with seven of them going for strikes, and the K was of the swing-and-miss variety.

RHP A.J. Labas
Week: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K (1 appearance)
Overall: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, .000 BAA, 2 BB, 1 K (1 IP)
Labas followed Barrington in Wednesday’s win by pitching the sixth inning. While it wasn’t as efficient of an outing as his counterpart, needing 26 pitches with just 12 going for strikes (46%), he did deliver another scoreless frame. He struck out the first hitter he faced before allowing a pair of two-out walks. He was able to escape by coaxing a groundout and kept Glendale out front comfortably at 5-1. 

RHP Ben Ethridge
Week: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (1 appearance)
Overall: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, .000 BAA, 0 BB, 1 K (1 IP)
Ethridge made his lone appearance in Thursday’s contest against the Scottsdale Scorpions. With his team down 2-0 at the time, he delivered a one-two-three inning on 12 pitches (seven for strikes). He got a groundout, strikeout, and a flyout from the bottom of the Scorpions lineup. His offense would go on to tie the game in the bottom of the inning before the next man up from the Glendale bullpen got tagged for the loss by allowing one run in the eighth.

LHP Zach Veen
Week: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (1 appearance)
Overall: 1-1, 2.45 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, .227 BAA, 8 BB, 9 K (11 IP)
Veen was the first reliever to follow teammate Jordan Carr in Thursday’s close loss to Scottsdale and was the only Twins pitcher of the week to allow any damage on the scoreboard. He got the first two outs, including a strikeout, before consecutive doubles led to the first run of the game from either team, but that would be it as he got a groundout to keep the score 1-0.

Please feel free to ask questions and discuss the prospects playing in the AFL this week!

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