Arizona

Texas Rangers Rising Prospect Claims Arizona Fall League Award

Published

1 year ago

November 18, 2024

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Texas Rangers Rising Prospect Claims Arizona Fall League Award

It’s safe to say that the Arizona Fall League season for Texas Rangers hitting prospect Alejandro Osuna went well.

He was among the award winners when the AFL concluded regular-season play earlier this week.

Osuna was named the winner of the Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award, which is given to a player who best exemplifies unselfishness, hard work and leadership. It is named for a former baseball player who was killed in 2003 in Arizona during the AFL season.

Osuna was already on everyone’s radar when he arrived in Arizona, thanks to a terrific season that led to his selection as the Rangers minor league player of the year.

He only built on that in the AFL, where he was among the best hitters in the league.

He finished with a slash line of .306/.438/.449, leading the AFL in walks (22) and tied for second in hits (30), runs (25) and doubles (8). Like the rest of the Rangers prospects, he played for Surprise.

Osuna entered the AFL season as the Rangers’ No. 16 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline. That could change the closer Texas gets to the 2025 season.

After three solid seasons in the Rangers’ system the outfielder had a breakthrough season in 2024 with High-A Hickory and Double-A Frisco.

Combined he finished with a slash line of .292/.362/.507/.869 with a career-high 18 home runs and 61 RBI. MLB.com compared his profile as a player to that of New York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo. He also had 17 steals.

Among Texas minor-league players with at least 300 at-bats, he led in slugging percentage and OPS. He also showed improvement at the plate after his promotion to Frisco on June 28, as he slashed .306/.379/.523/.902 with nine home runs and 32 RBI.

Osuna is probably at least a year away from helping the Rangers. But his quality numbers in the AFL almost assure he’ll get a non-roster invitation to Major League spring training and likely earned him a roster spot at Triple-A Round Rock in 2025.

The Rangers signed him for $125,000 out of Mexico in 2020. He was on the radar of other organizations, notably because he was younger brother of former All-Star closer Roberto Osuna and the nephew of ex-big leaguer Antonio Osuna.

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Arizona

Arizona’s mountain rollercoasters are open for season. How to ride

Published

6 hours ago

May 14, 2026

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Arizona’s mountain rollercoasters are open for season. How to ride

Arizona is home to several roller coaster attractions, including two mountain coasters.
The Canyon Coaster Adventure Park is located in Williams, Arizona.
The Sunrise Apache Alpine Coaster is at Sunrise Park Resort near Greer.

Despite its desert reputation, Arizona has several exciting roller coaster attractions that make it a fun destination for thrill seekers. One of the best-known rides is the Desert Storm coaster at Castles N’ Coasters in Phoenix.

Arizona is also home to two popular mountain coasters located in the cooler mountain regions of the state.

Mountain coasters are gravity-powered rides built along hillsides or mountains. Riders sit in individual carts attached to a track and control their own speed using hand brakes. Unlike traditional roller coasters, mountain coasters often wind through forests and natural scenery, creating a mix of adventure ride and scenic experiences.

And Arizona is lucky enough to have two mountain coasters. Here’s how to visit.

What roller coaster is in the mountains in Arizona?

There are two mountain coasters in Arizona: the Canyon Coaster Adventure Park in Williams and the Sunrise Apache Alpine Coaster at Sunrise ski resort.

Canyon Coaster Adventure Park in Williams AZ

Canyon Coaster Adventure Park features the Canyon Coaster, which spans 1 mile with a scenic mountain backdrop. It has a peak height of 35 feet and is integrated into the natural curves of the landscape. The 13-acre park also offers tubing across 400 feet of track in summer and snow-covered slopes in winter, facilitated by two conveyor lifts. There’s also a restaurant and bar.

Where: 700 E. Route 66, Williams, Arizona.

When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-7p.m. Fridays-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday year-round.

Admission: The Canyon Coaster costs $20 per person per ride. Riders must be over 4 feet, 5 inches tall. Children who are at least 3 years old and 38-54 inches tall ride for $10 with a driver who is 18 or older. Visit the website for other attractions and pricing.

Details: 928-707-7729, canyoncoasteradventurepark.com.

Sunrise Apache Alpine Coaster at Sunrise ski resort

Spanning over half a mile with 3,287 feet of track, the coaster’s carts can reach up to 25 mph. Hand brakes let you choose a mellow or zippy ride. Sunrise Park has skiing and other snow activities in winter, plus mountain biking, scenic chair lift rides and more in summer. Dining options include a restaurant and pub.

Where: Sunrise Park Resort, 200 State Route 273, on the Fort Apache Reservation near Greer.

When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Sunday, closed Monday-Thursday. Open every day starting June 2026.

Admission: $19 per ride or buy two rides for $38 and get a third ride free. Tickets are available in person. See the Sunrise Park website for other seasonal activities and prices.

Details: 928-735-7669, sunrise.ski/apache-coaster.

Got a story you want to share? Reach out at Tiffany.Acosta@gannett.com. Follow @tiffsario on Instagram.

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Arizona

Arizona Diamondbacks Gameday Thread, #42: 5/13 @ Rangers

Published

18 hours ago

May 13, 2026

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Arizona Diamondbacks Gameday Thread, #42: 5/13 @ Rangers

Last night was the seventh consecutive game where the Diamondbacks were held to six hits or fewer. That ties a franchise record, last done in April 2022, and previously in August 2011. The team’s .477 OPS over that time is actually lower than either streak, though due to the efforts of the pitching staff, Arizona are actually 3-4 during the current run. They went 2-5 in 2022, and 1-6 in 2011. There hasn’t been a longer streak in the majors since the Angels went nine in April last year. In the National League, the Pirates went eight in June 2023. And in case you are wondering, the last team to reach a double-digit streak of games with 6 or fewer hits each time? The 1968 Astros reached 11, the year before the mound was lowered.

Let’s hope the D-backs render that moot and the offense comes to life a bit. The three runs added in garbage time last night, because one of the Rangers’ relievers couldn’t find the strike-zone, certainly padded Arizona’s resume. But they were more because of walks than hits. I’ve no doubt the team will hit better. They have batted .152 over the past week. It’s the second lowest in franchise history for a seven-game span. The only worse was April 7-15, 2022 when Arizona hit a remarkable .135, going 28-for-208 in that span. They actually scored three more runs than the current streak, mostly because they had twice as many home-runs (6-3).

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Arizona

Arizona Democrats debate for state’s top education job

Published

1 day ago

May 13, 2026

Press Room

Arizona Democrats debate for state’s top education job

Democrats Brett Newby and Teresa Leyba Ruiz are set to make the argument to voters that they’re the best candidates to serve as Arizona’s top education official for the next four years.

The Arizona Republic will be streaming the Democratic debate for the Superintendent of Public Instruction race in partnership with the Arizona Media Association. The debate starts at 6 p.m. on May 13.

The office is currently held by Tom Horne, who will on May 14 face off in an Arizona Media Association debate against fellow Republican candidate Kimberly Yee, who currently serves as state treasurer.

Newby has worked as a behavioral analyst and professor, according to his campaign. He received a master’s degree in special education. His campaign has hinged on issues like downsizing the state’s controversial Empowerment Scholarship Program, retaining teachers and hiring more school counselors.

Ruiz attended Roosevelt Elementary School District and Phoenix Union High School District as a child before earning her Ph.D. from Arizona State University. She worked as a teacher at the middle and high school level before becoming president of Glendale Community College.

Like Newby, her campaign has also focused on the ESA program. She has also focused on advocating for more funding for public schools and supporting both rural and urban school districts. Ruiz has also spoken publicly about the teacher retention crisis as part of her campaign.

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