2023 Arizona Fall League: Scottsdale Scorpions Roster Analysis
The 30th season of the Arizona Fall League is nearly here. On Sept. 22, the league released its preliminary rosters for the upcoming season, which begins on Oct. 2 and runs through the championship game, which will be held on Nov. 11 at Scottsdale Stadium. The annual Fall Stars Game will be played on Nov. 5 at Sloan Park.
In addition to the traditional six-week slate, the AFL this year will feature two special site days. On Oct. 14, all three games will played at Goodyear Ballpark, the spring training home of the Guardians and Reds. Two weeks later, two of the league’s games (Salt River vs. Glendale and Peoria vs. Mesa) will be held at Hohokam Stadium, in Mesa.
This year’s rosters include nine of Baseball America’s current Top 100 prospects, led by White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery, who ranks No. 14.
Below is an analysis of the Scottsdale roster, which features prospects from the Phillies, Giants, Angels, Cardinals and Nationals.
Top 100 Prospects: None
Intriguing Prospects: Phillies righthander Christian McGowan returned in July from Tommy John surgery and could make a name for himself with a strong AFL campaign. The seventh-rounder in 2021 from East Oklahoma State JC features a heavy sinker in the mid 90s and complements it with a slider and changeup that each check in around 87 mph. He used both pitches to get grounders by the bushel and struck out 28 hitters in 25.2 innings at four stops since his return.
Righthander Tekoah Roby came over from Texas in the deal that sent Jordan Montgomery to the Rangers. He’s been excellent since joining his new organization, going 0-0, 3.00 in four starts with Double-A Springfield, with 19 strikeouts and just three walks in 12 innings. Roby’s bread and butter is a combination of a mid-90s fastball and a nasty curveball in the high 70s. He also throws a mid-80s slider and high-70s changeup.
Giants prospect Reggie Crawford was drafted as a two-way player and was mostly a pitcher this season, but he’ll used exclusively as a hitter this year in the AFL. The hulking Connecticut alum took just 18 at-bats this season between Low-A San Jose and High-A Eugene, but three of his four hits (all with Low-A) went for extra bases, including his first professional home run. His performance will be fascinating given his combination of limited experience and high upside.
Cardinals outfielder Victor Scott II is likely the fastest player in the league. The West Virginia alum burned up the basepaths this year with 95 stolen bases, the most in the minor leagues since 2018, when Vidal Brujan swiped 103 bags. Scott hit .303/.369/.425 between High-A and Double-A and was one of three players in the minor leagues with 20+ doubles, 10+ triples and 50+ stolen bases.
Roster
| Pitchers | Team | B | T | Ht. | Wt. | DOB | Birthplace | 2023 Level |
| Baker, Andrew | PHI | R | R | 6’1 | 190 | 3/24/2000 | Montgomery, AL | Reading (AA) |
| Bednar, Will | SF | R | R | 6’2 | 230 | 6/13/2000 | Pittsburgh, PA | ACL (ROK) |
| Chaney, Chase | LAA | R | R | 6’1 | 199 | 12/16/1999 | Lawrencville, GA | Rocket City (AA) |
| Choate, Jack | SF | L | L | 6’6 | 294 | 4/18/2001 | Miami, FL | Eugene (A+) |
| Daniel, Davis | LAA | R | R | 6’1 | 190 | 6/11/1997 | Atlanta, GA | Salt Lake (AAA) |
| Granillo, Andre | STL | R | R | 6’4 | 245 | 5/12/2000 | Hemet, CA | Memphis (AAA) |
| Herz, DJ | WSH | R | R | 6’2 | 165 | 6/29/2001 | San Antonio, TX | Harrisburg (AA) |
| Hjerpe, Cooper | STL | L | L | 6’3 | 200 | 3/16/2001 | Davis, CA | Peoria (A+) |
| Johnson, Marques | SF | R | R | 6’2 | 210 | 7/4/2000 | San Jose, CA | San Jose (A) |
| Jones, Nick | LAA | L | L | 6’6 | 224 | 1/22/1999 | Johns Creek, GA | Salt Lake (AAA) |
| Lonsway, Seth | LAA | L | L | 6’2 | 210 | 10/7/1998 | St. Marys, OH | Eugene (A+) |
| Martinez, Jordi | PHI | L | L | 6’2 | 185 | 7/18/2000, | Santiago, Dominican Republic | Reading (AA) |
| McGowan, Christian | PHI | R | R | 6’0 | 205 | 3/7/2000 | Denison, TX | Jersey Shore (A+) |
| Murphy, Luke | LAA | R | R | 6’5 | 190 | 11/5/1999 | Nashville, TN | Rocket City (AA) |
| Neunborn, Mitch | PHI | R | R | 6’0 | 190 | 6/27/1997 | Johannesburg, South Africa | Jersey Shore (A+) |
| Nunez, Edwin | STL | R | R | 6’3 | 185 | 11/5/2001 | Nagua, Dominican Republic | Springfield (AA) |
| Paniagua, Inohan | STL | R | R | 6’1 | 148 | 2/6/2000 | Bonao, Dominican Republic | Peoria (A+) |
| Pipkin, Dominic | PHI | R | R | 6’4 | 160 | 12/5/1999 | Pinole, CA | Reading (AA) |
| Powell, Holden | WSH | R | R | 6’4 | 170 | 5/3/1999 | Coral Springs FL | Harrisburg (AA) |
| Ribalta, Orlando | WSH | R | R | 6’7 | 245 | 3/5/1998 | Santa Clara, Cuba | Harrisburg (AA) |
| Roby, Tekoah | STL | R | R | 6’1 | 85 | 9/18/2001 | Ashville, NC | Springfield (AA) |
| Sinclair, Jack | WSH | R | R | 6’4 | 170 | 5/3/1999 | Coral Springs, FL | Harrisburg (AA) |
| Torres, Eric | LAA | L | L | 6’0 | 195 | 9/22/1999 | Milwaukee, WI | Salt Lake (AAA) |
| Ward, Thad | WSH | R | R | 6’3 | 204 | 1/16/1997 | Fort Myers, FL | Harrisburg (AA) |
| Wynja, Hayden | SF | L | L | 6’9 | 220 | 10/14/1994 | Des Moines, IA | Eugene (A+) |
| Catchers | Team | B | T | Ht. | Wt. | DOB | Birthplace | 2023 Level |
| Crooks, Jimmy | STL | L | R | 6’1 | 210 | 7/19/2001 | Euless, TX | Peoria (A+) |
| Morgan, Zach | SF | R | R | 6’0 | 180 | 3/30/2000 | Stockton, CA | Eugene (A+) |
| Pineda, Israel | WSH | R | R | 5’11 | 217 | 4/3/2000 | Maracay, Venezuela | Harrisburg (AA) |
| Ricketts, Caleb | PHI | L | R | 6’3 | 225 | 5/10/2000 | Newport Beach, CA | Jersey Shore (A+) |
| Infielders | Team | B | T | Ht. | Wt. | DOB | Birthplace | 2023 Level |
| Crawford, Reggie | SF | L | L | 6’4 | 235 | 12/4/2000 | Lansdale, PA | Eugene (A+) |
| DiChiara, Sonny | LAA | R | R | 6’1 | 263 | 7/29/1999 | Homewood, AL | Rocket City (AA) |
| Dunn, Oliver | PHI | L | R | 5’10 | 185 | 9/2/1997 | Salt Lake City, UT | Reading (AA) |
| Howell, Carter | SF | R | R | 6’0 | 200 | 2/7/1999 | Fargo, ND | Eugene (A+) |
| Kroon, Matt | PHI | R | R | 6’0 | 195 | 12/5/1996 | Scottsdale, AZ | Lehigh Valley (AAA) |
| Lipscomb, Trey | WSH | R | R | 6’2 | 200 | 6/14/2000 | Frederick, MD | Harrisburg (AA) |
| Placencia, Adrian | LAA | S | R | 5’11 | 173 | 6/2/2003 | Los Alcarrizos, Dominican Republic | Inland Empire (A) |
| Rivas, Jeremy | STL | R | R | 6’0 | 172 | 3/4/2003 | Valencia, Venezuela | Peoria (A+) |
| Outfielders | Team | B | T | Ht. | Wt. | DOB | Birthplace | 2023 Level |
| Hassell, Robert | WSH | L | L | 6’1 | 195 | 8/15/2001 | Franklin, TN | Harrisburg (AA) |
| Sanchez, Jadiel | LAA | S | R | 6’2 | 185 | 5/10/2001 | Arroyo, Puerto Rico | Rocket City (AA) |
| Scott, Victor | STL | L | L | 5’10 | 190 | 2/12/2001 | Atlanta, GA | Springfield (AA) |
| Rincones Jr., Gabriel | PHI | L | L | 6’3 | 225 | 3/3/2001 | Boynton Beach, FL | Jersey Shore (A+) |
