Jorge Sosa
| IP | 772 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.722 |
| WHIP | 1.483 |
| BB/9 | 4.127 |
| SO/9 | 5.724 |
- Full name Jorge Bolivar Sosa
- Born 04/28/1977 in Santo Domingo Centro, Dominican Republic
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- Debut 04/04/2002
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Sosa spent six seasons in the Rockies system without reaching full-season ball, hitting .222 as an outfielder. His best tool by far was his arm, which intrigued the Mariners when they saw him play in the short-season Northwest League. They took him in the 2000 Triple-A Rule 5 draft for $12,000 and immediately converted him into a pitcher. The move was an instant success, as Sosa threw 95-96 mph on a consistent basis and had little trouble throwing strikes. He still needs work on his secondary pitches and wasn't considered close to being ready for the major leagues, so Seattle gambled and left him off its 40-man roster this winter. The Brewers swooped in and claimed Sosa in the major league Rule 5 draft in December, which means they'll have to keep him on their 25-man roster throughout 2002, or expose him to waivers before offering him back to the Mariners for half his $50,000 purchase price. It may be difficult to hold onto Sosa, but his arm makes it worth taking the chance.
Minor League Top Prospects
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The best pure power arm in the league probably belonged to Sosa, as it did last year. Only last year, Sosa was using it as an outfielder in the Rockies system. Pollreisz saw him gun down an Everett baserunner trying to tag up from second base on a fly ball to deep right. "It was just unbelievable," Pollreisz said. "We wrote up that he would be a guy who could move to the mound." The Mariners selected Sosa in the Triple-A Rule 5 draft last December and started converting him into a pitcher. Soon, they had a 95-96 mph fastball that touched 98 on their hands. Pollreisz doesn't hesitate to compare Sosa to righthander Rafael Soriano, a converted outfielder who has become one of Seattle's top prospects and himself a converted outfielder. "Both of them have very good arms and were right fielders," Pollreisz says. "Both are very good athletes who made the switch easily."
