Some AFL Roster Shuffling

It is always cautioned that the first Arizona Fall League rosters are preliminary.  The first casualty was right handed starter Nick Pivetta who experienced an oblique injury in his final start for Reading.  Given normal injury recovery, Pivetta likely would have been healthy to pitch in the AFL but by the time he ramped up again as a starter he likely would not have gotten a lot of work in.  It also appears that at some point Reading right handed reliever Edubray Ramos was also pulled back from fall league (there was no reason given but he is now well into career high innings territory).  His rights are owned in the VWL so his winter season may not be done, it just might be done stateside.

Taking one of the spots will be another 2011 draftee who is Rule 5 eligible.  When he was taken out of Canada at age 18, Jesen Therrien was a raw arm throwing in the hi-80s with fringy secondary stuff.  He started emerging out of the bullpen in late 2014 as his fastball ran up to 95 mph.  In 2015 he continued to build, showing that same peak velocity while sitting in the low 90s.  He will show a good curveball and was unhittable in both Lakewood and Clearwater over long stretches of time.  He is still unlikely to either get picked or protected, but that does not make him someone to write off.  Much like teammate Yacksel Rios, Therrien should be a part of the Reading bullpen next year and from there he won’t be far from a jump to the majors if needed.

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