More than half of all of the players on 2011 opening day Major League rosters played in the Arizona Fall League. Baseball’s primer developmental league has produced nearly 1,900 big leaguers since its’ inception in 1992. On Monday, the AFL annouched that this year 409 ex-Fall Leaguers made up 55 percent of all opening day players on Major League rosters and included 11 players from last year’s Class of 2010.
“The recent trend of contributing over 50 percent of major league opening day rosters is a source of pride for the Arizona Fall League in addition to providing further evidence of the quality of young prospects the 30 Major League clubs continue sending to Arizona to continue polishing their skills.”
--Steve Cobb, Arizona Fall League Director
The AFL has produced 9 MVPs, 3 Cy Young Award winners, 19 Rookies-of-the-Year and 7 All-Star Game MVPs.
The San Diego Padres fielded the most AFL alumni on opening day with 18. The Orioles, Mets and Twins each had 17. The Arizona Diamondbacks had 13 AFLers on their roster and another, Geoff Blum, on the disabled list. Two D’backs, pitchers Kam Mickolio and Joe Patterson, played in the AFL in 2010.
Opening Day AFL Diamondbacks
ArizonaD-backs (13 + 1)
P
Sam Demel
Ian Kennedy
Kam Mickolio (2010)
Joe Paterson (L) (2010)
C
Miguel Montero
IF
Russell Branyan
Stephen Drew
Kelly Johnson
Juan Miranda
Ryan Roberts
OF
Willie Bloomquist
Xavier Nady
Chris Young
IR
Geoff Blum, IF
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