Courtesy of Sean Aronson, St. Paul Saints Media Relations
ST. PAUL, MN (July 2, 2017) – He has been Mr. Automatic for the St. Paul Saints this season. During the first six weeks of the season closer Seth Rosin has been nearly untouchable and others have taken notice. The former Major Leaguer had his contract purchased by the San Francisco Giants organization and is headed to Double-A Richmond.
Rosin is 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA and nine saves in 15 relief appearances. In 15.2 innings he’s allowed one unearned run on six hits while walking just two and striking out 17 and opponents are hitting a microscopic .115 against him. He is a perfect 9-9 in save opportunities and hasn’t allowed a hit in his last six relief appearances, allowing just one base runner in that time, a walk on June 24 vs. Winnipeg. Rosin is tied for third in the American Association in saves and reliever points (27).
“Seth did a great job for us,” said Saints manager George Tsamis. “He was good from Day 1, but got better every time out there. His last game with us he touched 96 mph. Congratulations to him. He works hard and he earned it”
The 28-year-old missed most of last season due to a bone spur in his elbow and went to Spring Training with the Minnesota Twins this season. Last year he pitched in five games at Triple-A El Paso for the San Diego Padres organization. He allowed eight runs in 8.2 innings pitched.
Rosin is not that far removed from pitching in the Major Leagues, pitching in three games for the Texas Rangers in 2014 and one game for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2015. Rosin made his major league debut with the Rangers, ironically, in a game former Saints pitcher Tanner Scheppers started on March 31, 2014. Rosin tossed a shutout inning of relief and struck out Ryan Howard of the Phillies. Two days later Rosin recorded his lone big league win tossing 2.0 shutout innings against the Phillies. The Rangers would score three runs in the bottom of the ninth for a 4-3 walk-off win against the Phillies. Rosin made one more Major League appearance that season allowing three runs in 1.0 inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
With the Phillies in 2015 Rosin pitched at St. Louis on June 20 allowing five runs in 2.0 innings of relief and gave up a home run to Randal Grichuk.
The Mounds View High School graduate was originally drafted by the Twins in the 28th round of the 2007 First Year Player draft, but elected not to sign and instead enrolled at the University of Minnesota. While with the Gophers Rosin was named to the All-Big Ten Team in 2009 and 2010. His two years with the Gophers helped his draft stock immensely as the San Francisco Giants selected him in the fourth round of the 2010 First Year Player draft.
After pitching in six games with Salem-Keizer in 2010, Rosin spent all of 2011 at Single-A with the Augusta GreenJackets of the South Atlantic League. He went 2-3 with a 3.34 ERA and two saves in 39 games (10 starts). In 89.0 innings he walked 30 and struck out 93 while opponents hit .243 against him. He reached the playoffs with the GreenJackets, but his team lost in the Division Championship Series 2-1 to the Savannah Sand Gnats.
Rosin began the 2012 season at High-A San Jose and pitched well in a hitter-friendly league. He went 2-1 with a 4.31 ERA and 10 saves in 34 games (five starts). In 56.1 innings pitched he struck out 68 while opponents hit .228 against him. On July 31 he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies, along with outfielder Nate Schierholtz and catcher Tommy Joseph, in exchange for Hunter Pence.
He got his first opportunity to be a full-time starter in 2013 at Double-A Reading where he went 9-6 with a 4.33 ERA in 26 games (23 starts) and one complete game. He struck out 96 in 126.2 innings pitched. Rosin tossed a 7.0 inning complete game allowing one run on three hits on June 18 against Portland. He finished third in the Eastern League in fewest base runners/nine innings pitched (11.10) and fifth in WHIP (1.22). He was also named Pitcher of the Week for the week of May 20-27 when he allowed two earned runs in 14 innings pitched while striking out 13. Following the season Rosin was taken by the New York Mets during the Rule V draft and then traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, for cash, on the same day.
Rosin was on the Dodgers roster when the 2014 season began and he made the opening series trip to Australia where the Dodgers played the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was, however, the only one of the 12 Dodger pitchers not to throw in the series. On May 26 the Texas Rangers claimed Rosin off of waivers. After his three games in the Major Leagues he was returned to the Phillies where he split time between Triple-A Lehigh Valley and Double-A Reading. Despite going 1-3 with a 6.26 ERA at Lehigh Valley, he was stellar at Double-A going 2-2 with a 2.29 ERA and one save in 26 relief appearances.
He rebounded in 2015 spending all but one game at Triple-A (pitching that lone game with the Phillies) and went 4-3 with a 3.29 ERA and three saves in 47 relief appearances. He finished fourth with the fourth lowest walk/nine inning ratio in the International League at 2.50.
Rosin becomes the 125th contract sold by the Saints in their 25-year history.
