Friends, welcome back to Prospects of the Week: The Arizona Fall League edition! However, it is with great sadness that this will be the final installment for the 2019 season. The Arizona Fall League wrapped up its final game with the Championship battle between the Salt River Rafters and the Surprise Saguaros, which Salt River won 5-1. Jerar Encarnacion smashed a grand slam, pacing the Rafters in that game. Royce Lewis won the Arizona Fall League Most Valuable Player award. We are officially without minor league baseball until the spring of 2020. Let’s not be sad that it’s gone, just glad that it happened. So, in that spirit, join me for the final Prospects of the Week for 2019!
Keep in mind that the game total was a little lighter during the final week, so the player totals are going to be a little shorter than what we’ve seen previously.
Hitters
David Fry, C, Brewers
4/9, 2 2B, 1 HR, 9 TB, .444/.444/1.000/1.444
It’s safe to say that David Fry ended the season with a bang! He tallied 9 total bases in 9 at bats in the final week in an explosion of power. In a week when many of the most prolific bats in the AFL went cold, Fry was turning up the heat. He’s a bat-first catcher that has plenty of pop if he’s able to stay behind the plate.
#Brewers prospect David Fry puts Glendale on the board with this RBI double in the first inning. pic.twitter.com/TjkpVxlhUn
— William Boor (@wboor) October 25, 2019
Jarren Duran, OF, Red Sox
5/13, 1 2B, 3 SB, 6 TB, .385/.529/.462/.991
After a wildly successful first full season as a pro, Duran struggled a tad out in Arizona… until the final week. Jarren put together a very good end of season racking up 5 hits and 3 steals with an OPS near 1.000 for the week. Those 3 steals brought him up to 7 in the AFL, good enough to finish tied for 3rd in the league.
Please just look at this swing from Red Sox prospect Jarren Duran it’s so beautiful pic.twitter.com/PYS3AX90aD
— 🎃🎃Drake Mann🎃🎃 (@DrakeMann4) October 25, 2019
Mickey Moniak, OF, Phillies
3/7, 1 2B, 1 3B, 6 TB, .429/.500/.857/1.357
The former #1 overall pick ended the AFL season on a high note this week with a good display of power and speed. Mickey managed 6 total bases in only 7 at bats and capped off what has been a bit of a resurgent season for him.
2016 1st overall pick @MickeyMoniak robs 2017 1st overall pick Royce Lewis with a superb sliding grab…then gives a souvenir to the Rafters bullpen 😂@Phillies @MiLB #SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/XTHlWNQYPp
— MLB’s Arizona Fall League (@MLBazFallLeague) October 16, 2019
Pitchers
Cody Ponce, RHP, Pirates
5 IP, 6 H, 0 BB, 1 ER, 8 K, 1.80 ERA, 1.20 WHIP
It’s only fitting that Cody Ponce capped off his AFL season by striking out 8 batters in 5 innings. Ponce was filthy throughout the short season striking out 27 in 23 innings while posting a 2.35 ERA.
FINAL: Curve 6, Richmond 5
Cody Ponce locks down the last six outs for his first Pirates org save #FullSteamAhead 🚂
BOX SCORE 📊 https://t.co/JzdnxnxGaM pic.twitter.com/vkZRKb25ti
— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) August 6, 2019
Reggie Lawson, RHP, Padres
4 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 6 K, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP
Mr. Lawson only threw 11 innings out in Arizona, but boy did he make them count! He tossed 4 perfect innings while striking out 6 to drop his ERA to 0.82 and the WHIP to under 0.50! Lawson struck out more than a batter per inning and gave himself some great momentum coming into 2020.
#Padres prospect Reggie Lawson is dealing tonight:
3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K pic.twitter.com/n6LyyBIzLk— William Boor (@wboor) October 25, 2019
Anthony Castro, RHP, Tigers
4 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 4 K, 0.00 ERA, 0.25 WHIP
Last, but not least, we have Anthony Castro who allowed just 1 hit over 4 innings while ringing up 4. Castro hasn’t had the best of times in the AFL, but he is going out on top. While the 4.58 ERA isn’t what Castro likely had in mind, he still managed to strike out 20 batters in 19 ⅔ innings.
Some of the foolishness from #Tigers prospect RHP Anthony Castro’s start yesterday.
SL has come a long way this season. So much swing and miss. Look at all them swords.
🔥 🤺 🤒🤢🤮 pic.twitter.com/Q5fZwmKHTx— James Chipman (@_jchipman) July 15, 2019
Joe Drake covers the Oakland A's and Eastern League for Prospects1500. During the day, he can be found working in grant accounting at Dartmouth College. Joe is a lifelong baseball fan and avid fantasy baseball player of 15+ years. While he enjoys all formats, he believes that nothing beats a good dynasty league. Despite being a born and raised Mainer, Joe is a diehard Cardinals fan, but, the Red Sox are his AL team.
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