AFL Update: Nov. 8, 2024
Robert Hassell’s three-run HR after a two-out error in the 1st was all Salt River could muster as it was all Peoria for the next eight innings as the Javelinas sank the Rafters, 10-3.
Hassell later walked as he finished the game at 1-for-3 with a strikeout.
Matt Cronin also appeared in the game and fortified his likelihood of going undrafted in either phase of the Rule 5 draft by allowing a run on two hits while retiring one of three batters faced while finishing the 7th inning.
The Rafters (14-12) rematch against the Javelinas (7-17) Monday night in Scottsdale.
Hassell is cementing himself as the sole positive storyline of this year’s AFL.
Also good to see him hit a no-doubt HR. His ability to loft the ball and hit for power has always been his greatest weakness, so it’s another data point to possibly addressing that weakness.
His 6 2B are 6th most in the AFL, 4 HR are 7th most, and 1 3B technically 9th most. Altogether, his 11 XBH are 3rd most among all 104 AFL hitters.
I guess 3rd time is the charm for Hassell in the AFL!
Hopefully he’s gaining confidence, particularly in his power. He’s always sworn that it’s there, if he could ever get his wrist healthy.
I also didn’t comment on this on yesterday’s post when Solesky featured, but he’s quietly have a pretty solid AFL. He’s currently 3rd best of some 140 or so pitchers in strikeouts (20), and has only walked one batter in his 13 IP. No small feat in the AFL. But he’s been prone to getting hit hard, allowing 3 HR in that same period, leading to a 4.85 ERA. Meanwhile, the other Nats arm not having a disastrous AFL is Luke Young, who’s basically having the opposite performance as Solesky. He’s only struck out 5 batters in 9.1 IP, a continuation of a worrying decline in strikeouts. But he’s not getting hit very hard (only 7 hits allowed and a 1.18 WHIP).
Solesky is Rule 5-eligible, and they may protect him, although there are usually a lot of guys with similar profiles in the draft pool. His low K numbers, both in AZ and across the season, usually are not what other teams are looking for.