Oswaldo Sosa
| IP | 532 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.519 |
| WHIP | 1.359 |
| BB/9 | 3.789 |
| SO/9 | 6.852 |
- Full name Oswaldo Daniel Sosa
- Born 09/19/1985 in Tovar, Venezuela
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School U.E. Luceti Zardi
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Twins officials were high on Sosa coming into 2007, particularly after he tore through the Venezuelan League as a 21-year-old, going 5-0, 2.30 for Aragua. His 47 winter innings pushed him past 200 for 2006, counting the minor league regular season and one playoff start. It was too much for Sosa's stuff to hold up over last season. After sitting at 89-94 mph the previous year, his fastball rarely got over 91 in 2007 and usually parked at 88-90. He had pitched with similar stuff in the past before physically maturing and improving his delivery, and he figured out a way to succeed, pounding the bottom of the zone with two-seamers, cut fastballs and sliders to try to get groundballs. While he nibbled too much and didn't attack hitters as much as Minnesota wants him to, he kept the ball in the ballpark and competed well. Some Twins officials believe his velocity will return with a fresher arm, but Sosa frustrated club officials by again pitching in winter ball, albeit with a reduced workload. Just 22, Sosa already has claimed a spot on the 40-man roster and has reached Double-A, and he'll return there for 2008. -
The Twins love Sosa's upside and consider him a success story for their pitching coaches and strength and conditioning staff. He has added two inches and nearly 40 pounds since signing and has added it the right way, in the right places. Sosa also has taken well to instruction, using drills to lengthen his stride and get proper extension in his delivery. Sosa's fastball has climbed from 86-88 mph when he signed to 89-93 now, touching 94. It has natural cutting action in on lefthanders, and he can throw a two-seamer at 90-92 with good sink. He throws downhill, and lefties were helpless against him--they had no home runs and just seven extra-base hits in 241 at-bats while hitting .191. He's able to work primarily off his fastball and throws a slider that lacks consistent depth but can be an average major league pitch. His curveball and changeup are serviceable but aren't out pitches yet. If he had more of a strikeout pitch, Sosa could profile as a No. 2 starter, but his current package looks more like a durable, innings-eating workhorse who will rely on his defense. Sosa was tabbed as a potential rotation candidate at the Winter Meetings by manager Ron Gardenhire, but that seems unlikely given the depth of pitchers ahead of him in the system. Coming off a strong winter effort in his native Venezuela, he's likely headed to Double-A to start 2007.
Minor League Top Prospects
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For three years running, the Twins' affiliate has featured more pitching prospects than any club in the league. Sosa was the best of this season's crop, outshining righthanders Eduardo Morlan, Yohan Pino, David Shinskie, Kyle Waldrop and Zach Ward and lefties Brian Duensing and Alexander Smit. Sosa mixes his four-pitch repertoire well, starting with an 88-94 mph fastball with that cuts, sinks and darts. His sweeping slider rates as a plus pitch at times, and he had good command of a fair changeup. His curveball is his fourth option, used mainly to give hitters a different look. Sosa uses his 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame and a high three-quarters arm slot to drive all of his pitches down in the strike zone. Hitters don't center the ball well against him, touching him for only one homer in 118 innings with Beloit. He exudes confidence on the mound and pitched well following a promotion to high Class A
