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2006 season October 27, 2006 Former teammates and fellow Virginians, Joe Koshansky of the Rockies and Mark Reynolds of the Diamondbacks, have crossed paths again. This time as players in the AFL. Koshansky, currently a member of the Grand Canyon Rafters, made his mark as a pitcher/first baseman at Mr. Jefferson’s University from 2001 through the 2004 season. While at UVA, Koshansky set a new school single season record with 67 RBI in 2004! Joe also worked as a member of the Hoo’s weekend rotation that year, and pitched 102.2 innings, while posting an 8-3 record and ERA of 2.98. After taking a while to convince professional talent evaluators of his skills, Koshansky was drafted in the 6th round, 170th overall, in the 2004 draft by the talent-laden Rockies. As a professional, he has settled in at first base where he has turned out to be a real masher, hitting 38 home runs in 2005 between Single A Ashville (36) and AA Tulsa (2 in 45 at bats). He was second only to Brandon Wood’s minor league topping mark of 43 that year. Last year, he finished as a member of the AA Tulsa Drillers where he smacked 31 round trippers while batting .284. Since he is blocked by Todd Helton in Colorado, speculation abounds that he is playing in the AFL to showcase his talents for a trade. With Helton signed through the 2011 season, Koshansky would be a nice fit for an American League team where he could play first and DH! Currently, Big Joe has hit two home runs in this AFL season and is batting an even .300. He will be playing on the West Division Rising Stars Showcase in the AFL. Mark Reynolds of the Scottsdale Scorpions has been named to the Rising Stars Showcase as well. He was added as a replacement for the Angels Terry Evans, Jr., who is hampered by a leg injury. Reynolds was Koshanky’s teammate in Charlottesville during the 2002 through 2004 seasons where he played shortstop for the Hoos. In 2003, he had a perfect 3-3 game against Duke and hit for the cycle! Overall, he started 166 games for UVA and recorded 181 hits, including 37 doubles and 35 home runs. He was also chosen in the 2004 draft, going in the 16th round at number 476 overall by the Diamondbacks. Listed as an infielder/outfielder in the AFL, Reynolds has been seeing most of his playing time at first base, third base and the outfield. He has also played second base. A slugger in his own right (31 home runs last season between Single A Lancaster and AA Tennessee), Reynolds is the more diverse of the two players. He began his professional career as a shortstop in the Diamondbacks organization and has played third as well. Due to his size, it looks like he will settle in at first base or third base. His ability to play in the outfield will serve him well since he too is blocked at the big league level by Conor Jackson. Reynolds is currently hitting .396 with four home runs in the AFL. Both players will probably start the 2007 seasons at the AAA level where they will be on schedule agewise (Koshansky will be 25 years old in 2005 and Reynolds will be 24) as prospects. Both will have three major league options left and could conceivably play either all or pieces of the next three years in the minors. Given his ability to play other positions, Reynolds will most likely be the first of the two to make it to the majors. He would be a nice fit in either the outfield or third base for the D’Backs in 2008! Koshanky, though, will have to wait for either an injury to Helton or a trade! --- John
Kazlo All photos on the Arizona Fall League Report are credited to Bill Mitchell, unless noted otherwise, and are not to be used for any other purpose without express permission.
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