American Association Daily provides insights and features on the American Association of Professional Baseball League, as well as player and coaching profiles and transactions going on with teams around the league. In today’s edition, Robert Pannier examines the players picked by the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks in the American Association dispersal draft held on Tuesday.

Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Add Depth

The American Association dispersal draft was Tuesday afternoon, with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks selecting eight players, all pitchers, including four pitchers, a catcher, an infielder, and two outfielders. The RedHawks didn’t appear to have many needs entering the draft, but the selection of right-handed pitcher Tyler Wilson was a big one, as he will now likely step into the closer’s role for the team. The team also got one of the best catchers in the American Association when they selected Dylan Kelly from Sioux City.

A look at the team’s eight picks. (Team player was drafted from listed in parenthesis)

Cito Culver – IF (Kansas City)

Culver spent last season in the Can-Am League, where he split time between Sussex County and Rockland. In 88 total games, the infielder hit .229 with two homers and 36 RBI.

Culver had been a highly touted prospect in the New York Yankees organization, chosen in the first round of the 2010 draft. He spent seven seasons in the Yankees organization, reaching AAA-Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2015. He spent all of the 2017 season there before moving onto the Miami Marlins in 2018. That year he split time between AAA-New Orleans and AA-Jacksonville.

In nine total minor league seasons, Culver hit .231 with 43 homers and 329 RBI in 902 games.

Dario Pizzano – OF (Sioux City)

Pizanno began the 2019 season with AA-Binghamton (New York Mets) before being released. He then joined Somerset (Atlantic League) where he hit .200 in 13 games.

Pizzano was originally drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 15th round of the 2012 draft. He spent six seasons in the Mariners organization, reaching AAA-Tacoma in 2016. He split time between AA-Arkansas and Tacoma in 2017 before returning to AA-Arkansas in 2018.

In eight minor league seasons, Pizzano hit .280 with 56 homers and 376 RBI in 716 games. He added 157 doubles and 28 triples.

Jake Cosart – RHP (Kansas City)

Cosart had been with the Boston Red Sox organization since being selected in the third round of the 2014 amateur draft. He reached AA-Portland in his fourth season and has spent parts of each of the last three years with the AA team.

In six total seasons with the Red Sox, Cosart was 17-13 with a 3.27 ERA in 153 career appearances. He also has 14 saves. The right-hander has tossed 261.1 innings, allowing 188 hits and 149 walks, while striking out 312. He has yielded just 17 homers, and impressive 0.6 homers per nine innings average.

Dylan Kelly – C (Sioux City)

Kelly has established himself as one of the best catchers in the American Association over the last three seasons. In 2019, he appeared in 97 games, hitting .287 with three homers and 29 RBI. He also made just two errors in 93 games behind the plate, throwing out 32% of would-be base stealers.

Kelly was not drafted after graduating from the University of Missouri. He signed with Normal (Frontier League) in 2014, appearing in 31 games where he hit .239. A season later he began the year in Normal, but his contract was purchased by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was given just a six game audition before being released. He returned to Normal in 2016 with a huge chip on his shoulder. This showed in the catcher’s performance, as he hit .311 with 20 doubles and 36 RBI in 93 games.

The following season, Kelly was acquired by the Explorers. He has spent three seasons in Sioux City, hitting a combined .295 in 254 games with six homers and 120 RBI. He has made just six total errors in three seasons.

Tyler Wilson – RHP (Cleburne)

Wilson was one of the most dominating closers in the American Association last season, saving 24 games. In 41 appearances, the right-hander posted a 3-2 record with a 1.71 ERA. He tossed 42 innings, allowing 33 hits and 17 walks, while striking out 59.

Wilson was chosen by the Red Sox in the 13th round of the 2008 draft. He spent four seasons in the Boston organization, reaching Mid-A Greenville in 2011 and 2012. In his four seasons in the minors, Wilson was 14-14 in 64 appearances with a 4.44 ERA.

In 2013, he joined Trois-Rivieres (Can-Am League) and spent two years there. Wilson split time between Sussex County and Ottawa in 2015 before pitching the entire year in Ottawa in 2016. He saved 14 games that season.

In 2017, Wilson joined Long Island of the Atlantic League. He appeared in 24 games, posting a 2-2 record with a save and a 5.47 ERA. A year later he came to Cleburne, appearing in 16 games for the Railroaders. In his two seasons in Cleburne, Wilson is 5-4 with 25 saves and a 2.70 ERA. He has struck out 94 batters in 63.1 innings pitched.

Ryan Thurston – LHP (Gary Southshore)

Thurston appeared in 36 total games for Chicago and Gary last season. He was a combined 4-1 with a 2.59 ERA. In 55.2 innings pitched, the left-hander allowed 42 hits and 28 walks while striking out 49. All of his appearances were out of the bullpen.

Thurston was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He appeared in 13 games for the Blue Jays’ two rookie league teams, going 1-2 with a 0.87 ERA. In 31 innings pitched, the left-hander allowed 15 hits and eight walks while striking out 37.

Mitchell Osnowitz – RHP (Kansas City)

Osnowitz was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2014 by the Atlanta Braves. He spent two years in the Atlanta organization, reaching Mid-A Rome in 2015. A year later he pitched for Joliet in the Frontier League.

In 2017, Osnowitz was signed by Boston and split time between Low-A Lowell and High-A Salem. A year later he moved to the St. Louis Cardinals organization, pitching in High-A Palm Beach in 2018 before splitting time between Palm Beach and AA-Springfield last season.

In five seasons in the minors, the right-hander is a combined 5-7 with a 5.10 ERA in 100 total appearances. He has pitched 151.2 innings, allowing 153 hits and 93 walks, while striking out 158.

Forrestt Allday – OF (Lincoln)

Allday started the 2019 season in Kansas City before being acquired by Lincoln. In 62 total games, the outfielder hit .305, including .311 in 39 games for the Saltdogs. He scored 33 runs and drove in 20, plus added 35 walks, giving him a combined .405 on-base percentage.

Allday was selected in the eighth round of the 2013 draft by the Red Sox. He spent three years in the Boston organization, reaching AA-Portland in 2015. A year later he was acquired by the Los Angeles Angels organization, reaching AAA-Salt Lake City where he appeared in 14 games. Allday split time between AA-Mobile and Salt Lake in 2017 before moving on to the San Diego Padres organization in 2018. There he appeared in 121 total games, 80 at AAA-El Paso.

In six minor-league seasons, the outfielder appeared in 437 games, hitting .271 with seven homers and 137 RBI. He posted a .383 on-base percentage, drawing 228 walks.

The St. Paul Saints selections will be reviewed later today.

By Robert Pannier