Arizona Fall League MLB Prospects Hot Sheet (11/12/18)

Image credit: Jon Duplantier (Photo by Bill Mitchell)

1. Luis Robert, OF, White Sox
Team: Glendale
Age: 21
Why He’s Here: .400/.429/.600 (8-for-20), 4 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 4 SO, 1-1 SB

The Scoop: After playing only 50 games during the season due to a pair of thumb injuries, Robert has finally found a rhythm as the Fall League nears its end. The touted Cuban lead the AFL in total bases (12) last week and extended his hitting streak to 14 games before going 0-for-5 on Saturday.

2. Jon Duplantier, RHP, D-backs
Team: Salt River
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: 0-0, 3.86, 4.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO

The Scoop: Duplantier’s nine strikeouts in his start last week were the second-most punchouts in a Fall League game in the last 10 years, and it wasn’t hard to see how he did it. Featuring a 94-96 mph fastball—up from 92-94 during the season—an upper 80s slider and a low 80s power curveball, Duplantier tied a powerful Scottsdale lineup in knots. With a career 1.79 ERA in the minors, it was just another in a long line of excellent performances for the 2016 third-rounder from Rice.

3. Nate Pearson, RHP, Blue Jays
Team: Surprise
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO

The Scoop: Pearson touched 104 mph in the Fall Stars Game and followed up with his best performance of the fall, pitching four perfect innings against Scottsdale last week. As impressive as his fastball was touching 101 in the game, it was Pearson’s secondaries that really stood out, namely a mid-70s curveball that was responsible for three of his five strikeouts. After pitching only 1.2 innings during the regular season due to injury, Pearson finally shook the rust off with arguably his best performance as a professional.

4. Daniel Woodrow, OF, Tigers
Team: Mesa
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .667/.692/.750 (8-for-12), 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SO, 4-4 SB

The Scoop: The 5-foot-10, 160-pound Woodrow has impressed in the Fall League with his speed, outfield play and ability to consistently get the bat to the ball. The Creighton product has more than held his own against game’s best prospects, batting .370 with a .407 on-base percentage, recording more walks (10) than strikeouts (4) and going 11-for-11 on stolen bases.

5. Griffin Jax, RHP, Twins
Team: Surprise
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: 0-0, 1.80, 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO

The Scoop: In a week of military appreciation, the Air Force Academy product and active service member — he is able to play baseball under the World Class Athlete Program, which allows active-duty personnel to make training for an Olympic sport their full-time responsibility — delivered his best start of the fall. Jax pitched five sterling innings against Mesa, not allowing a hit or run after the first, and finished by striking out three of his final five batters.