Most of the baseball world is fixated on the MLB postseason, but there is plenty of interesting baseball also being played in the Phoenix area, as the annual prospect showcase, the Arizona Fall League, kicked off this week. As always, the league features a mix of high-profile prospects who could become the game’s next stars and lesser-known prospects teams want to get a longer look at in a different competitive environment. It also includes players sent by their teams to make up for games lost during the regular season due to injury. There are even a few players with significant big-league service time who will be appearing in the fall league.
Every player in the AFL is there for a reason, but some players will naturally draw more attention from scouts. Below is a notable player (and in a few cases, players) from each organization who scouts will be watching closely over the next six weeks.
Glendale Desert Dogs (Roster)
Organizations represented: Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals
Cincinnati Reds: Edwin Arroyo, SS
The Reds have three players with significant big-league experience in their group (Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Matt McLain and Connor Phillips), but among the true prospects, Arroyo is the name that jumps out. Injuries devastated the Reds’ depth chart this season and one significant blow was the season-ending left shoulder injury that Arroyo — one of the Reds’ top prospects — suffered in the spring. A key piece in the Luis Castillo trade with Seattle in 2022, Arroyo, 21, was expected to spend the 2024 season in Double A before the injury. The switch hitter will gain valuable experience against upper-level pitching this fall before likely spending next season in Double A.
Chicago White Sox: Colson Montgomery, SS
There will be plenty of eyes on right-handers Peyton Pallette and Grant Taylor, but the biggest focus from the White Sox contingent will be on Montgomery, a preseason top-100 prospect who is coming off a disappointing season in Triple A (.214/.329/.381 with 18 homers but 164 strikeouts in 130 games). Montgomery is only 22 but his plate discipline took a huge step back this season and he’ll be looking to re-establish himself as a legitimate option for the White Sox at shortstop in 2025.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Zyhir Hope, OF
The Dodgers’ group includes two younger brothers of big leaguers, including one who is actually playing with his big-league brother (Sean McLain and his older brother, Matt). Hope doesn’t have that same lineage but he is an exciting prospect. Acquired from the Cubs in the Michael Busch deal last winter, Hope, 19, got his feet wet in full-season ball with a .287/.415/.490 line in 54 Low-A games. He has plenty of tools — his speed, power and defense are all above-average — and he can work a walk. He still has plenty of raw edges to smooth out, and he’ll be making up for at-bats lost to a shoulder injury that cost him nearly three months early in the season.
Andrew Painter returns to the mound on Saturday for the first time since spring 2023. (Brace Hemmelgarn / Minnesota Twins / Getty Images)
Philadelphia Phillies: Andrew Painter, RHP / Bryan Rincon, SS
The biggest name from the Phillies’ contingent will be Painter, who wasn’t on the original Desert Dogs’ roster but will join them this weekend as he completes his rehab from Tommy John surgery. Painter remains the Phillies’ top pitching prospect despite not throwing in a game the last two seasons. Everyone will be eager to see how he looks coming off the surgery.
Of the Phillies officially on the roster as of this writing, however, Rincon may have the most eyes on him from a talented group that also includes outfielder Gabriel Rincones Jr. Rincon’s season was limited to 35 games due to a hamstring injury and he struggled when he did play, but the 20-year-old switch hitter is a plus defender with good bat-to-ball skills. With Aidan Miller and Starlyn Caba also in the Phillies’ system, Rincon could make himself an intriguing trade chip with a strong fall.
St. Louis Cardinals: Thomas Saggese, 2B
Saggese got a taste of the big leagues for the rebuilding Cardinals, appearing in 18 games with St. Louis in September. Originally acquired from the Rangers in the Jordan Montgomery trade two years ago, Saggese took a bit of a step back offensively this season after a standout 2023. He still hit 20 homers but saw his overall slash line drop from .306/.374/.530 in 2023 to .253/.313/.438 this season in Triple A. With the Cardinals looking to get younger, Saggese figures to factor prominently in their 2025 infield plans. A strong fall would give him a leg up on a potential Opening Day roster spot.
Mesa Solar Sox (Roster)
Organizations represented: Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels, Oakland, A’s, Tampa Bay Rays
Boston Red Sox: Danny Kirwin, RHP
The Red Sox contingent features many lower-profile prospects, though Niko Kavadas will be in Arizona after a cup of coffee with the Red Sox this season. But of the mix, perhaps the most interesting is Kirwin, who began the season in the independent Frontier League. Even before he could throw a pitch for the Oakland Ballers, he was scooped up by the Red Sox. (He’s actually one of two former Ballers in this year’s AFL, joining the Giants’ Elijah Pleasants.) Kirwin spent his 2024 season in Low A in a swingman role, posting a 3.63 ERA and striking out a batter an inning. He’s been up to 98 mph with the fastball.
Moises Ballesteros has a special bat. Teams will be interested in seeing him behind the plate. (Danny Parker / Four Seam Images via Associated Press)
Chicago Cubs: Moises Ballesteros, C
Ballesteros split his age-20 season between Double A and Triple A and performed well, hitting 19 homers and posting an .825 OPS across the two levels. His plate discipline fell off some in Triple A, but given his age, it isn’t yet a major concern. The biggest question with Ballesteros is whether he can remain behind the plate. His bat is solid enough to play at first if that’s where he ends up, but his value will skyrocket if he remains a catcher. Teams will be watching his glove work closely this fall.
Los Angeles Angels: Cole Fontenelle, IF
That Fontenelle will be on the field at all is notable after the TCU alum suffered a horrific injury in early May when he fractured his fibula, dislocated his ankle and tore his deltoid ligament in two spots in his left leg on a slide into second base. A 2023 seventh-round pick, Fontenelle has already reached Double A. Before the injury, he had demonstrated good on-base skills and above-average speed.
Oakland A’s: Denzel Clarke, OF
The A’s have a couple of intriguing prospects on the Mesa roster, including 2022 first-round pick Daniel Susac and outfielder Henry Bolte, who hit 15 homers and stole 46 bases in his age-20 season. They are also hopeful that Nick Kurtz, their 2024 first-round pick, will be able to join the roster at some point after injuring his hamstring during the season. But Clarke stands out from the group because of his sheer physical ability. The Toronto native has struggled to stay healthy and got off to a slow start this season, but when he’s playing well, he looks like the best player on the diamond. Clarke has power to all fields, plus speed and strong instincts defensively, but he needs to cut down on his strikeouts significantly.
Tampa Bay Rays: Xavier Isaac, 1B
The Rays are also sending an intriguing group that includes the dynamic Tre’ Morgan, who is already a plus defensive first baseman but will continue to gain experience in the outfield, and midseason acquisition Mac Horvath.
But Isaac stands out because he reached Double A in his age-20 season and also struggled for the first time as a pro. The Rays surprised everyone when they took Isaac in the first round in 2022. He showed himself worthy of the selection at the A-ball levels, but his production fell in Double A. He still demonstrated that he could work a walk, but his power numbers dropped precipitously in 31 games at that level. As a pure first baseman, he’ll need to hit a lot to be an impact player.
Peoria Javelinas (Roster)
Organizations represented: Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners
Atlanta Braves: Drake Baldwin, C
Baldwin performed well on another high-profile stage earlier this season, when he homered in the Futures Game and was the only player in the prospect showcase to hit two balls harder than 100 mph and drive in two runs. The 23-year-old backstop got off to a slow start in Double A, but hit .298/.407/.484 in 72 games in Triple A this season. He works the count well and has above-average power for a catcher.
Miami Marlins: Kemp Alderman, OF
Alderman, the Marlins’ 2023 second-round pick, had a disappointing first full pro season, hitting just .242/.306/.391 across four levels, including a cup of coffee in Double A. Much of that poor performance can be chalked up to a broken hamate bone he suffered early in the season. His power didn’t fully return during the regular season but now that he’s almost six months removed from the initial injury, he may be closer to full strength.
Milwaukee Brewers: Brock Wilken, IF
Injuries also impacted Wilken, who suffered multiple facial fractures from a hit-by-pitch early in the season, costing him a month. Ultimately, the 2023 first-round pick hit a disappointing .199/.312/.363 with 17 homers, albeit in Double A. When at his best, he has power and patience, although swing-and-miss has been an issue since his time at Wake Forest.
Leodalis De Vries had an impressive pro debut season. (Larry Goren / Four Seam Images via Associated Press)
San Diego Padres: Ethan Salas, C / Leodalis De Vries, SS
Salas and De Vries are often lumped together since they were the most notable international free-agent signings from the 2023 and 2024 January signing classes, respectively. Salas famously reached Double A as a 17-year-old last season, but he spent all of his age-18 season in High A. He hit only .206/.288/.311, though he continued to impress with his maturity and defensive abilities and was obviously young for the level. The Padres have undoubtedly rushed him through the system a bit, but it will be fun to see how he fares in the AFL environment.
De Vries signed this January and spent his entire age-17 season in Low A, where he more than held his own against older competition, hitting .237/.361/.441 with 11 homers and 13 stolen bases in 75 games. He’s a dynamic athlete who will continue to be challenged against more advanced competition in the AFL.
Seattle Mariners: Colt Emerson, SS / Cole Young, IF
Like with the Padres, the Mariners make it difficult to narrow this down to just one star player. Emerson missed time with a broken foot but the 19-year-old had an .867 OPS in his 40-game stint in Low A before jumping to High A and struggling over 29 games. The 2023 first-round pick is a plus athlete with a mature approach at the plate and power potential.
Young, 21, hit .271/.369/.390 in 124 games in Double A this season. The 2022 first-round pick is another mature hitter with athleticism and good base-running skills.
Salt River Rafters (Roster)
Organizations represented: Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Washington Nationals
Arizona Diamondbacks: Tommy Troy, SS / Yu-Min Lin, LHP
Troy, the No. 12 pick in the 2023 draft, is coming off a disappointing first full season. Fighting lower body injuries for much of the year, the Stanford alum was limited to 72 games and hit just .227/.319/.347 in 65 High-A games. A strong and healthy fall league would go a long way toward re-establishing Troy as a top prospect.
Scouts will also be anxious to see Lin, who suffered several facial fractures in a freak accident when he was hit by a foul ball early in the season, an injury that cost him a month. He finished the season pitching as well as he had all year and could be one of the top pitching prospects in the league.
Colorado Rockies: Gabriel Hughes, RHP
The fall league doesn’t generally feature a lot of top pitching prospects, mostly because they have usually reached their innings limits by October. But it is a good spot for pitching prospects coming back from injury, like Hughes, a 2022 first-round pick who had Tommy John surgery in July 2023. His velocity has reportedly returned to the mid-90s.
Minnesota Twins: Kala’i Rosario, OF
Rosario hit 21 homers and drove in 94 runs in High A in 2023, but an elbow injury limited him to 67 Double-A games this season. His development since being drafted in the fifth round in 2020 has been gradual and the Twins will need to decide whether to protect Rosario in the upcoming Rule 5 draft. He tied for the AFL lead in home runs last fall. A similar performance would help his roster cause.
New York Yankees: Carlos Lagrange, RHP
Lagrange, 21, missed nearly three months with an undisclosed injury and never really got on track in nine appearances in Rookie ball and Low A. But the 6-foot-7 right-hander can already reach the upper-90s and gets excellent extension down the mound. He gets plenty of swing-and-miss but needs to improve his command considerably.
Former Arkansas star Cayden Wallace had an up and down year due to injuries and a mid-season trade. (Wesley Hitt / Getty Images)
Washington Nationals: Cayden Wallace, 3B / Robert Hassell III
Wallace had a star-crossed season, as the 2022 second-round pick suffered an oblique strain while in the Royals organization, only to incur a broken rib on a hit-by-pitch while rehabbing in Rookie ball. Then he was traded to the Nationals in the Hunter Harvey deal at the deadline and had to adjust to a new organization while healing from injury. He struggled in 11 games in Double A with the Nats, but he had been off to a solid start at that level with Kansas City before all the injuries. He’ll be looking for a better ending to a frustrating season.
Hassell, 23, is another Nationals’ trade acquisition, having come over from the Padres in the Juan Soto deal in 2022. Whereas several of the players the Nats acquired for Soto have taken flight, Hassell has been stuck in neutral since the trade. He did have a solid 60-game stint in Double A to start this season but an injury stopped his momentum in June and he struggled in a September stretch in Triple A. The 2020 San Diego first-round pick will be Rule 5-eligible if he isn’t added to the Nats’ 40-man roster this offseason.
Scottsdale Scorpions (Roster)
Organizations represented: Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays
Detroit Tigers: Thayron Liranzo, C
When the Tigers acquired Liranzo, 21, from the Dodgers for Jack Flaherty at the trade deadline, the prevailing wisdom was that moment would be the last time the Tigers were relevant in 2024. A lot has changed since then, of course, as the Tigers have stormed into the postseason. Liranzo’s fortunes have shifted in a positive direction, as well. He got off to a slow start with the Dodgers, hitting just .220 with a .700 OPS for High-A Great Lakes to start the season. After the trade, he remained in the High-A Midwest League and was red-hot the rest of the way, hitting .315/.470/.562. The switch hitter has a special bat. Scouts will also be eager to see him handle pitching staffs this fall.
New York Mets: Drew Gilbert, OF / Jett Williams, SS
The headline prospect in the Justin Verlander trade with the Astros in 2023, Gilbert missed two and a half months this season with a significant hamstring injury. He played in just 56 games in Triple A, struggling to a .215/.313/.393 line. When healthy, the 5-foot-8 outfielder is a high energy player who can cover a lot of ground in the outfield while getting on-base at a good clip and hitting for some power. Like several players on this list, he’s looking for a strong ending to a frustrating season.
Williams, 20, was similarly limited by injury this season, as a right wrist strain kept him out from April 29 to Aug. 21. He hit only .172 in 22 Double-A games, though he did finish strong with eight hits in 22 at-bats in Triple-A. When healthy, he’s as dynamic a leadoff hitter as there is in the minor leagues.
Termarr Johnson was the No. 4 pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. (Mike Janes / Four Seam Images via Associated Press)
Pittsburgh Pirates: Termarr Johnson, 2B
The No. 4 pick in the 2022 draft, Johnson came into pro ball touted as the best pure hitter in his draft class, but thus far he’s struggled to hit for average as a pro. He carries an impressive .390 OBP in 252 career games, but he’s struck out a lot more than expected, resulting in a .239 career batting average. He’s shown flashes of power, reaching double digits in homers the last two seasons, but the 20-year-old will need to make more consistent contact to reach his full potential. Teams will also be watching his defense at second base closely this fall.
San Francisco Giants: Bryce Eldridge, 1B
The Giants have graduated several productive big leaguers from their system the last two seasons, but they haven’t produced a star position player since early in the Buster Posey playing era. Eldridge represents the organization’s best chance at a star position player at the beginning of the Buster Posey front office era. Eldridge, 19, played at four full-season levels in his first full professional season, and the 2023 first-round pick hit .291 with an .898 OPS and 23 homers. He needs to improve his defense and cut down on his strikeouts, but he may not be far from the big leagues despite his age.
Toronto Blue Jays: Eddinson Paulino, IF
Paulino was one of several prospects the Blue Jays acquired at the trade deadline. He came over from the Red Sox in the Danny Jansen deal. Paulino signed with the Red Sox as a 16-year-old in 2018 and hit .336 in 36 Rookie League games in 2021. He had two solid seasons in A-ball in 2022 and 2023 before jumping to Double A in 2024. He was hitting .263/.349/.391 before the deal but landed on the injured list not long after the trade. Paulino will be Rule 5 eligible if he isn’t added to the 40-man roster this offseason.
Surprise Saguaros (Roster)
Organizations represented: Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Guardians, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers
Baltimore Orioles: Creed Willems, C
It’s hard to be noticed in a farm system as deep as the Orioles’, but Willems took a nice step forward in 2024, posting a .788 OPS in 82 games in High A before jumping to Double A and homering four times in 16 games. A 2021 eighth-round pick out of a Texas high school, Willems took a few years to find his footing in pro ball, but he’s starting to show a consistent approach at the plate from the left side. His receiving skills have also improved, though scouts will be watching his defense closely this fall to see if it can take another leap up.
Chase DeLauter starred during last year’s AFL season. (Chris Coduto / MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Cleveland Guardians: Chase DeLauter, OF
A 2022 first-round pick out of James Madison, DeLauter has had a difficult time staying healthy since turning pro, as he’s dealt with a series of foot injuries that have limited him to 96 games in two and a half seasons. DeLauter was healthy last fall when he had a .914 OPS in 87 AFL at-bats. When healthy, he’s shown the plus power, plate discipline and athleticism that made him a first-round pick. He just needs to find a way to stay on the field.
Houston Astros: Jose Fleury, RHP
Fleury, a 6-foot right-hander from the Dominican Republic, has moved quickly through the Astros’ system the past three seasons. After a stellar debut in 2022 in the Dominican Summer League, he posted a 3.65 ERA in Low A last year before jumping to Double A in 2024. Fleury pitched well in 68 1/3 innings for Corpus Christi this season but missed all of May and most of June with an undisclosed injury. He has a diminutive frame and isn’t overpowering but features a solid mix of off-speed pitches. It will be a good test for him to match up against some of the top hitters in the fall league in a hitter’s environment.
Kansas City Royals: Jac Caglianone, 1B
Caglianone was the most famous player in the 2024 draft after a standout two-way career at Florida. He was exclusively a position player in his pro debut and is expected to remain one in the fall league. His pro debut wasn’t super smooth, as he hit only .241/.302/.388 in 29 High-A games with two home runs. That said, he had a long collegiate season and may have been a bit worn out. Scouts will be watching his approach at the plate and whether he can be more selective than he was in college.
Texas Rangers: Alejandro Osuna, OF
A 2020 international signing out of Mexico, Osuna had a breakout season in 2024, posting an .869 OPS in a career-high 102 games split between High A and Double A. His stint in the Texas League was particularly impressive, as he had a .523 slugging percentage in 235 at-bats. His 18 homers across both levels were also a career high. At 5-foot-9, Osuna isn’t imposing but he generates good bat speed from the left side. He doesn’t have the speed for center field so he’ll need to continue to show his bat is worthy of a corner spot.
(Top photo of Jac Caglianone: Travis Berg / Four Seam Images via Associated Press)
