Getting to Know: Cubs sixth-rounder Alfonsin Rosario |
After going college-heavy with their first five picks of the 2023 MLB draft, the Cubs finally tapped into the prep world in round six, where they drafted an intriguing pitcher. Their name is Alfonsin Rosario, and he hails from the P27 Academy in South Carolina. However, being a prep start isn't why Rosario stood out; instead, his physical attributes make him look older than he is.
Granted, Rosario is still a teenager, but at 6-2 and 215 pounds, he doesn't look like a teenager at all. He is an imposing figure on the mound and often made your typical high school kid look overmatched on the mound. The Dominican Born Rosario grew up in Newark, New Jersey, before venturing to the P27 Academy to specialize in baseball. Not only does his overall size help him overpower most hitters, but he is an extremely strong and lengthy right-handed pitcher who will only get stronger in the coming years. Any time you average 90 plus MPH with your heater in high school, you are worth a look, but Rosario has averaged 93 MPH with his heater during his senior making him one of the more coveted arms in his High School class. Listed as the 153rd-best prospect in this year's class, Rosario is a Miami University recruit who is an interesting case. He has the stuff to be a solid pitcher in the future, but with only a two-pitch mix, it may be wise for him to go to school and develop a third pitch. Although his fastball can be overpowering at times, he needs another secondary offering if he wants to become what a lot of scouts expect him to be. He offers a decent curve with his fastball as that curveball sits in the 73-74 MPH giving it a considerable decrease in velocity from where his fastball sits. Rosario has been reportedly working on a change-up this season, which will be the third pitch he uses to add to his repertoire. Not only is he a high-upside pitcher, but another thing that makes him unique is that he is a two-way player and one with some of the better hitting tools. When he is not on the mound, Rosario is playing in the OF, where his bat does the talking. While his size helps him generate plus velocity on the mound, it also gives him some of the best raw power in his class while producing exit velocities of around 109 MPH. The nall sounds different when it comes off his bat, and that shouldn't be a surprise when you look at how strong he is. In addition to what he can do on the mound and at the plate, some scouts feel he has the strongest arm among all the prospects in his class. His throws from the OF have excellent carry that holds through the target. He is a thick, physical young man, but he still moves around in the OF well and has a high baseball IQ. If I could guess what the Cubs plans are for him, I would look for him to enter their organization as a two-way player until someone says otherwise. Any time you throw as he does on the mound, you want to get that talent into your system to see what they can do. On the flip side, he also has a bat capable of producing, which every organization loves to have. No one is asking him to be the next Shohei, nor should they expect him to. However, the days of successful two-way players are far from over, as several draft picks this season are great two-way talents. While most of those players will have to pick one of the two positions to thrive, Rosario has plenty of time to figure it out, and the Cubs will give him all the time he needs to properly evaluate what is best for his future.
