Arizona Fall League Hot Sheet: Alcantara Keeps Mashing For Mesa

Image credit: (Photo by Bill Mitchell)

Baseball America’s weekly Hot Sheet continues for the Arizona Fall League. Josh Norris ranks the 10 hottest prospects from the fifth week of Fall League action. You can see the first four installments below.

1. Kevin Alcantara, OF, Cubs
Team: Mesa
Age: 21

Why He’s Here: .357/.357/.857 (5-for-14), 1 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 7 RBIs, 0 BB, 5 SO

The Scoop: As has been the case all fall, Alcantara does damage when he connects. In the AFL’s penultimate week, the lanky slugger collected five hits, three of which went for extra bases. Included in that total was his fifth home run, just two off the pace of the pair of Twins at the top of the leaderboard.

2. Bryan Ramos, 3B, White Sox
Team: Glendale
Age: 21

Why He’s Here: .333/.375/.733 (5-for-15), 7 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO

The Scoop: When Ramos gets hot, it’s hard to cool him off. The Cuban infielder put a pair of longballs on the board this past week, including a walk-off grand slam to give the Desert Dogs a dramatic victory. His two home runs in 15 at-bats doubled his total over his previous 60 AFL ABs.

3. Damon Keith, OF, Dodgers
Team: Glendale
Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .308/.357/.769 (4-for-13), 3 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 2 RBIs, 1 BB, 3 SO

The Scoop: Desert Dogs hitters had a field day last week, and Keith was a big part of the fun. Keith—the Dodgers’ 18th-round pick in 2021—collected four hits over the weekend, two of which left the yard. The longball outburst doubled the total Keith had amassed entering the week.

4. Kala’i Rosario, OF, Twins
Team: Glendale
Age: 21

Why He’s Here: .357/.471/.714 (5-for-14), 2 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBIs, 3 BB, 4 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Rosario homered again this week, keeping him neck and neck with fellow Glendale teammate and Twins system-mate Aaron Sabato for the league lead. Seven of Rosario’s 17 hits this fall have left the yard, and he added another feather in his cap by winning the league’s home run derby.

5. Jacob Burke, OF, White Sox
Team: Glendale
Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .444/.500/1.000 (4-for-9), 2 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 1 BB, 3 SO

The Scoop: Burke began opening eyes this year by putting together a fine season split between both Class A levels. Three of his four hits this week went for extra bases, including his third homer of the AFL. The fall home run total is half of what he produced in 85 regular-season games.

6. Shane Sasaki, OF, Rays
Team: Peoria
Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .455/.500/.818 (5-for-11), 2 R, 0 2B, 2 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBIs, 1 BB, 4 SO, 3-for-3 SB

The Scoop: After a season limited by injuries, Sasaki is making up for lost time in the AFL. This last week, he made the best of that time. Entering the week, Sasaki had one extra-base hit on his fall ledger. He doubled that output in the fifth Fall League week with a pair of triples, which is one short of the total he finished with in the regular season.

7. Tyler Tolve, C, Braves
Team: Salt River
Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .333/.385/.750 (4-for-12), 3 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 1 BB, 4 SO

The Scoop: Tolve was the Braves’ 17th-round pick from 2021, out of Kennesaw State. Since then, he’s moved a level year, the most recent an injury-stacked year at Double-A Mississippi. With the M-Braves, Tolve accumulated 16 extra-base hits. He racked up three this past week, including a pair of doubles and a home run.

8. A.J. Vukovich, OF, D-backs
Team: Salt River
Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .412/.444/.529 (7-for-17), 2 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 4 SO, 1-for-3 SB

The Scoop: Vukovich landed with the D-backs after being selected in the fourth round of the pandemic-shortened 2020 draft. In a season spent solely at Double-A Amarillo, the Wisconsin native popped 24 home runs and stole 20 bases, making him one of 16 players 22 years old or younger who put together a 20-20 season. He had a pair of doubles and a stolen base in the AFL this past week.

9. Aaron Sabato, 1B, Twins
Team: Glendale
Age: 24

Why He’s Here: .400/.500/1.600 (2-for-5), 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 2 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO

The Scoop: Sabato was Minnesota’s first-round choice in the 2020 draft. The North Carolina alumnus has struggled since turning pro but has shown off his power stroke in the AFL. The hulking first baseman socked two more home runs this past week, giving him seven for the fall and bringing him into a tie with Kala’i Rosario for the league lead.

10. Kenedy Corona, OF, Astros
Team: Mesa
Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .500/.556/.750 (4-for-8), 2 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Corona has played just six AFL games, but he made his limited time count this past week. In two games, the outfielder collected four hits—including two doubles and a three-hit game on Nov. 1. The doubles were Corona’s first two AFL extra-base hits.