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Saalfrank Becomes Second Mohawk To Appear In World Series

By Jon Sargalis

Former Mohawk Andrew Saalfrank began the 2023 season in Double-A with the Amarillo Sod Poodles and is ending it with the Arizona Diamondback in the World Series.

In the summer of 2017, Indiana freshmen Andrew Saalfrank went 7-0 for the Mohawks with a 3.78 ERA and recorded 52 strikeouts in 47.2 innings.

In 2019 the Diamondbacks selected Saalfrank in the sixth round of the MLB Draft. He pitched in 8 games in 2019 and missed 2020 and 2021 due to the non-Covid season and an injury. In 2022 he started the season in Advanced-A and finished the season in Double-A.

This season Saalfrank started in Double-A, posting a 2.70 ERA with a 4-0 record and 45 strikeouts in 33.1 innings and held opposing batters to a .195 average. He was promoted to Triple-A on June 20th and got even better, going 4-2 with a 2.35 ERA, holding batters to a .196 average and striking out 48 batters in 30.2 innings.

The call to the Major Leagues came on September 4th and his debut was the following day against the Colorado Rockies. He was lights out in the majors making 10 appearances and sported a 0.00 ERA in 10.1 innings holding batters to a .189 average. His first 4 playoff appearances were also scoreless outings until getting roughed up by the Phillies in the NLCS. He pitched in 5 out of the 7 games against the Phillies and gave up runs in 2 of the outings.

Saalfrank joins 2002 Mohawk Hunter Pence as the only other player to reach the World Series as Pence won the World Series in 2012 and 2014 with the San Francisco Giants.