The Arizona Fall League is back for another run starting this Monday, October 2nd. The league first started back in 1992 and always features some of the best prospects in the sport. Each organization selects 6 to 8 players to represent them. The season lasts six weeks and ends with the Arizona Fall League Championship Game on November 11th. Many notable players appeared here in past seasons such as Ronald Acuna, Jr., Bryce Harper and Mike Trout. Heston Kjerstad was last season’s MVP and the Surprise Saguaros were the league champions.
Each AFL team is represented by 5 teams from the major leagues broken down this way:
Mesa Solar Sox – Astros, A’s, Cubs, Orioles, Yankees
Salt River Rafters – Braves, Diamondbacks, Pirates, Rockies, Tigers
Scottsdale Scorpions – Angels, Cardinals, Giants, Phillies, Nationals
Glendale Desert Dogs – Dodgers, Mets, Red Sox, Twins, White Sox
Peoria Javelinas – Guardians, Mariners, Marlins, Padres, Rays
Surprise Saguaros – Blue Jays, Brewers, Rangers, Reds, Royals
So what good is knowing these names for fantasy league owners? Well, success in this league could lead to a promotion next year and many of the players listed below may not be rostered in deeper dynasty leagues. Any extra information that gives us an advantage over other owners in our leagues can help us win that championship, whether it’s a middle reliever for saves/holds or a speedy hitter who can steal some bases.
For more information on the players, clicking on the division will take you to our midseason top 50 list. The numbers next to the player’s name indicates his ranking on his teams midseason top 50 list. For teams where our correspondent was unavailable, I took the liberty of selecting a player to watch.
Baltimore Orioles
Carter Baumler, RHP (24)
TT Bowens, 1B
Billy Cook, OF
Trey McGough, LHP
Connor Pavolony, C
Zach Peek, RHP (35)
John Rhodes, OF (21)
Carlos Tavera, RHP (49)
Peter Van Loon, RHP
Who is @tonybps1 keeping an eye on? Billy Cook is a toolsy outfielder who has a nice blend of speed and power. If he improves his approach at the plate, he can continue to move up the ladder. Also, Baltimore has been doing a spectacular job developing it’s prospects.
Boston Red Sox
Brainer Bonaci, 2B (16)
Felix Cepeda, RHP
Nathan Hickey, C (15)
Bryan Mata, RHP (30)
Wyatt Olds, RHP
Zach Penrod, LHP
Corey Rosier, OF
Chris Troye, RHP (40)
Who is @Scotty_Ballgame keeping an eye on? Ben Wilson (@TBDubbs) and I are definitely watching Nathan Hickey. The catcher had a very good offensive season across High-A and Double-A. He missed some time with injury, so it’s nice to see him get additional at bats in Arizona. He needs a good AFL performance as he’s looking over his shoulder and sees 2023 1st round pick Kyle Teel about to surpass him on Boston’s MiLB catcher depth chart.
New York Yankees
Ben Cowles, 2B
Caleb Durbin, 2B
Nolberto Henriquez, RHP
Nelson Medina, OF
Kevin Stevens, RHP
Baron Stuart, RHP
Trystan Vrieling, RHP (23)
Who is @PaulWoodin1 keeping an eye on? Caleb Durbin was acquired by the Yankees along with Indigo Diaz from the Atlanta Braves last December in exchange for Lucas Luetge. The 23 year old infield prospect is a former 14th round draft pick out of a Division 3 – Washington-St. Louis. This season between two stints on the injury list in just 69 games with Somerset and Hudson Valley he hit .304 with 4 home runs and 17 doubles. He also had 36 steals while being caught 8 times. But what’s most intriguing from the 2023 season is his 26 walks to 16 strikeouts. After have 50 walks to 50 Ks in 2022. He has played 2nd, 3rd and shortstop. With his speed, good eye at the plate and playing multiple position he could be a useful utility player in New York very soon. A Nick Madrigal or Steven Kwan contact-oriented hitter with speed is very much in the cards for Durbin. I believe he was sent to the Arizona Fall League to get some more at bats and work against tougher pitching.
Tampa Bay Rays
Haden Erbe, RHP
Dominic Keegan, C (34)
Shane Sasaki, OF (19)
Drew Sommers, LHP
Austin Vernon, RHP
Patrick Wicklander, LHP
Carson Williams, SS (2)
Logan Workman, RHP (25)
Who is @GatorSosa keeping an eye on? Shane Sasaki – Sasaki’s impressive slash line this season (.299/.379/.463) mirrors his composite minor league production over the last four years (.302/.386/.455.) He was one of the best players In the Carolina League in 2022 and excelled down the stretch this season, winning South Atlantic League player of the month in August. If he can continue the momentum into Arizona Fall League, Sasaki could see his stock surge into next season.
Toronto Blue Jays
Dasan Brown, OF
Conor Larkin, RHP
Damiano Palmegiani, 3B (28)
Trent Palmer, RHP
Will Robertson, OF (47)
Fitz Stadler, RHP
Ricky Tiedemann, LHP (1)
CJ Van Eyk, RHP (35)
Who is @gregbracken07 keeping an eye on? Ricky Tiedemann. The talented lefthander made the move from A to AAA this season and put himself in discuss to start 2024 in the big league rotation. A solid showing in the AFL can go a long way in helping him solidify that spot.
Cleveland Guardians
Christian Cairo, SS
Ross Carver, RHP
Chase DeLauter, OF (2)
Bradley Hanner, RHP
Kyle Manzardo, 1B (1)
Erik Sabrowski, LHP
Ryan Webb, LHP
Who is @tonybps1 keeping an eye on? Kyle Manzardo was Cleveland’s return for Aaron Civale at the trade deadline. He’s expected to be in the majors soon with his good approach at the plate and solid power. Manzardo is my prediction for AFL MVP.
Chicago White Sox
Jacob Burke, OF (14)
Adisyn Coffey, RHP
Josimar Cousin, RHP
Jake Eder, LHP (9 on Miami)
Fraser Ellard, LHP
Jordan Leasure, RHP
Colson Montgomery, SS (2)
Bryan Ramos, 3B (4)
Who is @tonybps1 keeping an eye on? Jake Eder was showing signs of dominance before his injury in the 2021. He came back healthy this year but didn’t look as sharp as before the surgery, which could be expected. I’m excited to see how he looks during the AFL as he continues to rise up the starting pitcher rankings.
Detroit Tigers
Justice Bigbie, OF
Wilmer Flores, RHP (2)
Jackson Jobe, RHP (5)
Jace Jung, 2B (3)
Tanner Kohlhepp, RHP
Hao-Yu Lee, 2B (7 on Phillies)
RJ Petit, RHP
Dylan Smith, RHP (19)
Who is @DET_Guru_Kurt keeping an eye on? Tanner Kohlhepp – Even with three Top 5 prospects making the trip to Arizona, Kohlhepp stands to gain the most in the desert. Never having more than 62 IP in his college or pro career, the 2021 5th round pick is now fully healthy. Kohlhepp has a phenomenal strikeout arsenal, averaging over 10 K/9. But the control suffers too much for advancement. The additional reps in the AFL will build strength and mechanics, while showing the new Tigers leadership what they have in the 24 year old.
Kansas City Royals
Eric Cerantola, RHP
Gavin Cross, OF (3)
Rylan Kaufman, LHP
Nick Loftin, OF (4)
Jacob Wallace, RHP
Beck Way, RHP (34)
Peyton Wilson, OF (20)
Angel Zerpa, LHP (21)
Who is @adamhalpin keeping an eye on? Gavin Cross never made it back to Arkansas after an IL trip in early August, so he’ll get a chance for more reps in Arizona. It was rough campaign for the player who was the near-consensus top prospect coming into 2023. Beck Way was another Royal who struggled to find consistent success this season, with no greater evidence than his ballooned statistical line in double-A. The organization seemed set on a transition to full-time relief work beginning in July, where he made 10 straight appearances. However, Way started his last 4 games, where he plunked 9 batters over those 17 1/3 innings. I was optimistic about Way’s transition to the upper minors before the season began, but the command has regressed, the K% has notably dipped and the homers have spiked. It’s difficult to find optimism at present. There have been quite a few Royals pitching development success stories in 2023, (see: Chandler Champlain, David Sandlin, Mason Barnett, John McMillon, Anthony Veneziano, Mozzicato and Kudrna too) so perhaps Way can rekindle some of his slider magic in the desert.
Minnesota Twins
Malik Barrington, RHP
Jordan Carr, LHP
Andrew Cossetti, C
Ben Ethridge, RHP
A.J. Labas, RHP
Kala’i Rosario, OF (20)
Aaron Sabato, 1B (40)
Zach Veen, LHP
Who is @sportz_nutt51 keeping an eye on? Aaron Sabato – to see if there’s anything there, as the luster has fallen off as of late. His 2023 season, while an improvement, isn’t much of anything substantial. He’s 24 years old and has yet to strikeout less than 30% of the time. Kala’i Rosario – mini breakout here with more home runs this season (21) than all other seasons combined, and lowered his strikeout rate to just under 30%. Next year will be a big season for him, as he could start the season in Double-A if this Fall League is a success.
Houston Astros
A.J. Blubaugh, RHP
Kenedy Corona, OF (9)
Zach Dezenzo, OF (22)
Ray Gaither, RHP
Tyler Guilfoil, RHP (48)
Jaime Melendez, RHP (23)
Miguel Palma, C (37)
Miguel Ullola, RHP (24)
Who is @tonybps1 keeping an eye on? Zach Dezenzo is coming off a solid season for the Astros and I’m excited to see what he does during his time in the AFL. With Altuve and Bregman getting older, can Zach make a case to become one of their replacements in a few seasons?
Los Angeles Angels
Chase Chaney, RHP
Davis Daniel, RHP
Sonny DiChiara, 1B (37)
Nick Jones, LHP
Seth Lonsway, LHP
Luke Murphy, RHP (47)
Adrian Placencia, 2B (10)
Jadiel Sanchez, OF (35)
Eric Torres, LHP (29)
Who is @A_Rhodes77 keeping an eye on? Jadiel Sanchez. The Right Fielder has had an under the radar season, slashing .297/.387/.475 with 36 extra base hits and walking almost as much as he strikes out. Like many of the Angels most recent hitting prospects, Sanchez is more hit over power approach, he has average speed but doesn’t have a feel to steal bases. He will likely start next season in AA and with how aggressive the Angels are and with how many players have been used on the MLB roster (65+ each of the last 2 seasons) I could see him make his MLB debut in 2024.
Oakland Athletics
Lazaro Armenteros, OF
Stevie Emanuels, RHP
Brett Harris, 3B (13)
Max Muncy, SS (10)
Jack Perkins, RHP (17)
Royber Salinas, RHP (15)
Yunior Tur, RHP
Jack Weisenburger, RHP
Who is @tonybps1 keeping an eye on? Lazaro Armenteros. He’s now 24 years old and in his 7th season with the organization. With Oakland’s perpetual youth movement, the opportunity is there for Laz to claim an outfield spot next season. A strong showing here would be a step in the right direction.
Seattle Mariners
Peyton Alford, LHP
Ryan Bliss, SS (8 on Arizona)
Harry Ford, C (5)
Jimmy Joyce, RHP (21)
Tyler Locklear, 3B (7)
Troy Taylor, RHP
Who is @tonybps1 keeping an eye on? Tyler Locklear had a solid season and is moving up the rankings quickly. Is he Seattle’s next offensive threat to emerge from that system?
Texas Rangers
Mitch Bratt, LHP (15)
Cameron Cauley, SS (36)
Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa, RHP
Zak Kent, RHP (20)
Abimelec Ortiz, 1B (14)
Alejandro Osuna, OF (30)
Justin Slaten, RHP
Emiliano Teodo, RHP (21)
Who is @byrontx keeping an eye on? Abimelec Ortiz – The 21 year-old Puerto Rican left-handed hitter made a huge leap in the Rangers system in 2023. In fact, his 33 HR and 101 RBI in 391 AB was good enough to earn him the title of Texas Rangers Minor League Hitter of the Year. The Rangers hope to see him continue that trend against better competition as he’ll likely make the jump to AA Frisco in 2024. But one interesting development for the AFL is that he is listed as an OF rather than a 1B. It’s worth watching to see how he handles a shift in his primary fielding position if that indeed is the case.
Atlanta Braves
Dylan Dodd, LHP (11)
Patrick Halligan, RHP
David McCabe, 3B (27)
Jake McSteen, LHP
Keshawn Ogans, SS
Tyler Tolve, C (36)
Darius Vines, RHP (15)
Brooks Wilson, RHP (30)
Who is @MKelley_ND keeping an eye on? Dylan Dodd didn’t have a great year in the majors or minors, but he’s been a fast riser in the Braves system (drafted in 2021). A team can never have enough pitching and the Braves would like to see what he can provide, as they face some hard decisions with some pitchers headed for free agency in the near future.
Jacob Berry, 3B (5)
Gabe Bierman, RHP
Ike Buxton, RHP
Breidy Encarnacion, RHP (39)
Zach McCambley, RHP (19)
Paul McIntosh, C (13)
Nasim Nunez, SS (11)
Dale Stanavich, LHP
Who is @stoffer81 keeping an eye on? For the marlins I am keeping my eye on Futures Game MVP, Nasim Nunez. He may not hit for power but he sure is electric with his speed. Look for him to get on base and create chaos!
New York Mets
Nolan Clenney, RHP
Jordan Geber, RHP
Brendan Hardy, RHP
Rowdey Jordan, OF
Trey McLoughlin, RHP
Kevin Parada, C (2)
JT Schwartz, 1B (40)
D’Andre Smith, 2B
Tyler Thomas, LHP
Who is @tonybps1 keeping an eye on? Kevin Parada was drafted high and was known for his solid hitting approach and didn’t do too bad this season but struck out in about 30% of his at bats. I’d like to see if he can control them a little more during his time in the AFL.
Philadelphia Phillies
Andrew Baker, RHP
Oliver Dunn, 2B
Matt Kroon, 3B
Jordi Martinez, LHP
Mitch Neunborn, RHO
Dominic Pipkin, RHP
Gabriel Rincones, Jr., OF (24)
Christian McGowan, RHP (46)
Caleb Ricketts, C (49)
Who is @tonybps1 keeping an eye on? I am looking forward to seeing what Gabriel Rincones does in Arizona. He had a phenomenal season and is looking to carry that success over into the AFL and is moving up my rankings with his power and speed combo.
Washington Nationals
Robert Hassell III, OF (5)
DJ Herz, LHP (23 on Chicago)
Trey Lipscomb, 3B (13)
Israel Pineda, C (38)
Holden Powell, RHP
Orlando Ribalta, RHP
Jack Sinclair, RHP
Thaddeus Ward, RHP
Who is @UpNextMilb keeping an eye on? I’m going to go with DJ Herz for the Nats. Herz came over in the deadline deal for Jeimer Candelario and quickly solidified himself as one of the most intriguing arms in the system. After a slow start to the 2023 season, Herz came to the Nationals and pitched to a 2.55 ERA with a 13.5 K/9 over 35 Double-A innings. The inconsistent command still leaves some worried that he might be destined for the bullpen, but if he continues to pitch like he did after the trade, he has a chance to be a solid back-end starter. Herz has an opportunity to build upon his great finish in the Fall League, and could potentially see some time with the Nationals in 2024.
Chicago Cubs
Kevin Alcantara, OF (3)
Alexander Canario, OF (15)
Nick Hull, RHP
Chris Kachmar, RHP
Adam Laskey, LHP
Jose Romero, RHP
Tyler Santana, RHP
James Triantos, 2B (6)
Who is @The_Tom_U keeping an eye on? James Triantos has shown that he has good offensive ability. However, where he plays remains to be seen. Triantos hasn’t overwhelmed at second and third base; he does project to first base; and the Cubs are overloaded with outfield prospects.
Cincinnati Reds
Austin Callahan, 3B (42)
Bryce Hubbart, LHP (22)
Zach Maxwell, RHP
Andrew Moore, RHP (39)
Jayvien Sandridge, LHP
Carson Spiers, RHP (40)
Mike Trautwein, LHP
Who is @tonybps1 keeping an eye on? Bryce Hubbart – The team’s 3rd round pick in the 2022 draft has struggled during his time in the organization. He has great strikeout stuff but the command and control have been poor. I’m interested to see if he can show well during the AFL to see if he can develop like the other young, talented pitchers the organization has produced in recent years.
Milwaukee Brewers
Eric Brown, Jr., SS (8)
Wes Clarke, C (46)
Joseph Hernandez, RHP
Justin King, LHP
Hendry Mendez, OF (18)
Adam Seminaris, LHP
Justin Yeager, RHP
Who is @dgasper24 keeping an eye on? Justin King. He is a lefty reliever and his fastball was up to 95-98 MPH this year. Posted a sub-3.00 ERA in High-A and could move quickly and be a valuable reliever in the bigs if he can learn some command and drop the walks
Pittsburgh Pirates
Carter Bins, C
Jase Bowen, OF
Jack Brannigan, 3B
Nick Dombkowski, LHP
Alessandro Ercolani, RHP
J.C. Flowers, RHP
Cameron Junker, RHP
Tyler Samaniego, RHP
Who is @tonybps1 keeping an eye on? I think they spelled Paul Skenes and Termarr Johnson incorrectly on the press release.
St. Louis Cardinals
Jimmy Crooks, C (18)
Andre Granillo, RHP (24)
Cooper Hjerpe, LHP (5)
Edwin Nunez, RHP
Inohan Paniagua, RHP (16)
Jeremy Rivas, SS (45)
Tekoah Roby, RHP
Victor Scott, II, OF (12)
Who is @JMahyfam keeping an eye on? Victor Scott stole 95 bases while getting on base at a .370 clip across the High-A/Double-A levels this year. He has top of the lineup potential and is a natural centerfielder, both are things that could help the big league club immediately. He turned heads at this years Futures Game so a strong showing in the AFL could really send his dynasty league stock through the roof.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Ivan Melendez, 1B (3)
Carlos Meza, LHP
Christian Montes De Oca, RHP (39)
Austin Pope, RHP
Jake Rice, LHP
Caleb Roberts, C (28)
A.J. Vukovich, 3B (6)
Blake Walston, LHP (7)
Who is @Blacksox96 keeping an eye on? The Diamondback’s most interesting player to watch in the upcoming Arizona Fall League is LHP Blake Walston the 22-year-old had a great minor league season going 12-6 with a 4.52 era which in Triple-A Reno is usually considered pretty good. What stands out is the 91 walks in 149 innings pitched. Walston will need to cut down on those as a big decision looms this offseason as the Diamondbacks have to either add him to the 40-man roster or risk losing him in the Rule 5 draft.
Colorado Rockies
Alec Barger, RHP
Jaden Hill, RHP (13)
Chris McMahon, RHP (27)
Juan Mejia, RHP
Benny Montgomery, OF (10)
Drew Romo, C (8)
Sterlin Thompson, 3B (6)
Case Williams RHP (35)
Who is @100percent3G keeping an eye on? Jaden Hill – the 2021 2nd round picked struggled mightily in High-A Spokane. Hill was our 11th Ranked Midseason Top 50 Rockie; however his stock has taken a hit here in 2024. The Rockies minor league pitching woes have been well chronicled with injuries and misses; it will be interesting to see if Hill can find some success. Hill pitched to a 9.48 ERA and 1.81 WHIP in 43 innings.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Ben Casparius, RHP (36)
Yeiner Fernandez, C (23)
Damon Keith, OF (40)
Ronan Kopp, LHP (20)
Jake Pilarski, RHP
Ryan Sublette, RHP (37)
Kendall Williams, RHP (50)
Jake Vogel, OF
Who is @tonybps1 keeping an eye on? All of their pitchers. I mean, when you develop pitching as well as the Dodgers do, even a late-round draft pick is worth keeping an eye on. With some uncertainty facing their rotation for next season, a good performance in the AFL could put any of them in conversation to help the big league team in 2024.
San Diego Padres
Jagger Haynes, LHP (14)
Jakob Marsee, OF (18)
Nathan Martorella, 1B (5)
Braden Nett, RHP
Cole Paplham, RHP (48)
Graham Pauley, 3B (33)
Francis Pena, RHP
Enmanuel Pinales, RHP
Who is @tonybps1 keeping an eye on? Jagger Haynes is finally healthy after missing time since being drafted because of surgery but he has good tools and I’m excited to see how he does against the competition during his time in the AFL. He probably won’t see the majors for a few years but he could be a very cheap pick for dynasty league owners who need pitching. And, let’s be honest – don’t we always need pitching?
San Francisco Giants
Will Bednar, RHP (42)
Jack Choate, LHP
Reggie Crawford, 1B (16)
Marques Johnson, RHP
Zach Morgan, C
Hayden Wynja, LHP (21)
Who is @tonybps1 keeping an eye on? Will Bednar – when he was drafted, it was believed he would move up quickly and if he has some success in the AFL, he could potentially be in the rotation out of spring training.
Tony Bps Spina is a lifelong baseball fan hailing from the City of Brotherly Love - Philadelphia! Tony has loved baseball since 1980 and has followed the Phillies through good and bad times. Tony is married with 3 kids and works for a financial institution but has enough free time to play in 20 fantasy baseball leagues with 75% of them being Dynasty Leagues. He lives a few blocks away from Citizens Bank Park and attends many Phillies games per year in addition to their minor league teams in Lehigh Valley and Reading. He can be reached on Twitter at @TonyBps1.
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Tony Bpshttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/phillies002/
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Tony Bpshttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/phillies002/
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Tony Bpshttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/phillies002/
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Tony Bpshttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/phillies002/
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