Today, we preview the Scottsdale Scorpions who finished first in the AFL East last season with a record of 18-12 and won the AFL Championship over Surprise, 6-4.

Scottsdale is comprised of players from the following teams: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants.

Tyler Mizenko (RHP) – Parent Club: San Francisco Giants

The 26 year-old was selected by the Giants in the 28th round of the 2011 June Draft out of Winthrop University and attended Hamden Hall Country Day School in Hamden, CT.

Mizenko has pitched out of the pen at every stop along the way in the Giants organization, making 219 appearances since 2012, with a career record of 14-17 and an ERA of 3.02 in 250 1/3 career innings pitched. Mizenko, who attended an Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout in Hartford, CT a little over a decade ago in June of 2006.

In his second full season with the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels in the Eastern League, Mizenko went 2-7 with an ERA of 4.31 and two saves in 54 1/3 innings pitched in 2016.

David Roseboom (LHP) – Parent Club: New York Mets

Originally selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 47th round of the 2010 Draft out of LaSalle Institute in Troy, NY, Roseboom opted instead for college, attending the University of South Carolina – Upstate, where he was the Mets 17th round pick in the 2014 Draft.

Roseboom was very solid out of the bullpen as a reliever for the Double-A Binghamton Mets in the Eastern League in 2016, posting a 1.87 ERA with 54 strikeouts and 14 saves in 57 2/3 innings pitched. Overall, he’s logged 143 1/3 innings pitched in his professional career with a 2.26 ERA with 26 career saves in 112 games.

Born in Pattersonville, NY, Roseboom attended an Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout in Purchase, NY in August of 2007. He also played in the Team One East showcase in August of that year as well.

Tomas Nido

Tomas Nido (C) – Parent Club: New York Mets

The right-handed hitting catcher was the Mets eighth round draft pick in 2012 out of Orangewood Christian High School in Maitland, FL and has worked his way into a solid hitter to go with his defensive skills behind the plate.

Nido increased his offensive numbers, cumulating in a breakout season in 2016, as he was named a Florida State League Mid Season All-Star as well as Post Season All-Star in the FSL. Nido hit .320 this season to win the FSL batting title to go along with 23 doubles, seven homers and 46 RBI in 90 games at High-A St. Lucie.

It was a big 2011 season as a junior in high school for Nido as he participated in the Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament in January, a standout performer at the Under Armour Southeast Tournament in June that featured Nido and four other Under Armour All-Americans in the 2011 game (Yency Almonte, Lewis Brinson, Hayden Hurst and Nick Travieso). In the 2011 game that August, Nido caught the first five innings before moving to DH. He showed a live bat with raw power during pre-game BP before the game.

Greg Bird

Greg Bird (IF) – Parent Club: New York Yankees

Bird, the Yankees fifth round pick in the 2011 amateur draft out of Grandview High School in Aurora, CO, has already seen time in the majors with the Yankees, playing 46 games in 2015, hitting .261 and showing power potential with 11 homers and 31 RBI filling in for Mark Teixeira who was injured at the time. Bird, a top hitting prospect, is expected to challenge for the first base position with New York in 2017 now that Teixeira has retired.

Bird has spent the 2016 season rehabbing from a right shoulder labrum tear in early February, so it will be good for Bird to end this year on a good note, receiving some at-bats against other up-and-coming talent in the Arizona Fall League.

Bird was named the 2010-11 Gatorade Colorado High School Player of the Year, and in 2010, participated in the Under Armour All-America Game where he showed as a big catching prospect at the time.

Gavin Cecchini

Gavin Cecchini (IF) – Parent Club: New York Mets

Cecchini, the 12th overall pick in 2012, broke out in a big way in 2016, hitting .325 while playing an excellent shortstop. The 87th ranked prospect by MLB.com coming into the season, it would not be surprising to see Cecchini’s ranking rise, as he is viewed as an ultimate gamer and has the ability to be a very versatile utility man if the Mets logjam in the middle infield is not resolved in the near future. The Arizona Fall League will be a chance for Cecchini to build off of his great season at AAA Las Vegas and potentially challenge for a roster spot with the big ball club in 2017.

Cecchini first participated in a Team One event in 2010, where as a sophomore in high school he had a professional-level arm. His fielding was not far behind as he was viewed as an impact player at the next level. Adding to his lore, Cecchini was selected to the Under Armour All America Game at Wrigley in 2011. He received high marks, grading out as well above average across the board and being named both the MVP for the American team and winning the Silver Spike award as the most outstanding player over the course of the week.

Ryder Jones

Ryder Jones (IF) – Parent Club: San Francisco Giants

Jones, a 2013 2nd round pick out of Boone, NC, had a very solid season for AA Richmond, hitting .247 while playing solid defense at both corner infield positions. Originally drafted as a SS, Jones profiles more as a versatile infielder, having seen time at all four infield positions over his professional career. However, he hasn’t played any shortstop since 2014, which means that the AFL will give him a chance to compete at both first base and third base, hopefully opening a path for him to the big league club. Jones had a breakout year power wise, hitting 15 homers (a career high) in a very pitcher friendly park, smacking 26 doubles and tying a career high with 67 RBI.

Jones has been quite involved with Baseball Factory, first participating in a Team One event in 2011, where he showcased his athletic ability and his raw power. At the time as a gap-to-gap hitter, his added strength has allowed those doubles to go over the fence. Jones also participated in the College PREP program in 2012, where he graded out as well above average, paving his way to become a high draft pick.

Matt Oberste (IF) – Parent Club: New York Mets

Oberste, a 2013 7th round pick out of Oklahoma University, picked up 2016 the exact same way he left 2015; mashing the baseball. The corner infielder/DH hit .283, raising his career average to .273, while knocking nine dingers and 24 doubles for AA Binghamton. Oberste also was selected to the AA All Star Game where he went 4-for-5 with a double and four RBI, garnering the MVP award. The AFL will represent a new challenge as he looks to add to his resume against some of the best pitching prospects in baseball.

Oberste has done a few events with Factory, starting with a National Tryout in 2009 and ending with an appearance at a Team One South Event. Oberste had elite arm strength, and showed above average power and average speed. His hit tool was the best grade and it has remained his best tool as he has progressed.

Tyler Wade (IF) – Parent Club: New York Yankees

Wade, a 21-year old middle infielder, shot through the system last year, reaching both AA and the AFL as a 20 year old. He’s back in Arizona for a second time, looking to build off a very solid offensive year in which he hit .259 for AA Trenton. The 2013 4th round pick is the Yankees 14th ranked prospect by MLB.com and is known for his defense, despite committing 26 errors, as he has a solid arm and very quick feet. There is a chance that he could challenge for the starting second base job with the Yankees in Spring Training, however, he is facing a logjam as New York is abound with middle infielders.

Wade participated in one of Baseball Factory’s favorite events, the Ryan Lemmon Invitational, in 2013, where it was evident that he had a bright future ahead of him as a middle infielder.

Aaron Brown

Aaron Brown (OF) – Parent Club: Philadelphia Phillies

Brown, the rare three-time draftee, did not perform as well as he would have liked in 2016 after dealing with injuries and is headed to Arizona to try to regain the form that made him a 2014 third round pick. Only appearing in 74 games at AA Reading, Brown hit .224 over the course of the year, knocking in 27 runs. He will look to get back on track facing some of the top pitchers in the minor leagues in Arizona, hoping to progress to AAA next year.

We saw Brown at Wrigley in 2010, where he was a big, strong LHP and OF. The Pepperdine commit displayed plus bat speed that led to some towering home runs and hit 90 MPH on the bump.