Arizona Fall League Prospect Report: James Triantos Continues Excellent AFL
Image credit: (Photo by Bill Mitchell)
James Triantos, CF, Cubs: Triantos’ amazing AFL got even better this weekend. He went 2-for-5 with a double and a home run on Saturday, and he’s now hitting .431/.525/.765. Triantos continues to showcase his versatility as well. He has regularly played center field and was positioned there again on Saturday. Triantos has also played second and third base in the AFL.
Kyle Manzardo, 1B, Guardians: Manzardo missed significant time during the regular season after hurting his shoulder diving back into first base on a pick-off play. So he’s the perfect type of prospect to send to the Arizona Fall League, where he can make up for lost time. Manzardo is making productive use of his Phoenix trip. He was 3-for-4 with a double and triple on Saturday, and he’s now hitting .283/.367/.698. If there’s any concern with his impressive AFL, it’s how the imbalance of hitting/pitching in the AFL has helped his power boost. Manzardo’s home runs are against Justin Slaten (4.91 AFL ERA), Ben Etheridge (9.82 ERA), J.C. Flowers (4.50) and two against Kendall Williams (5.40).
Kevin Parada, DH, Mets: Parada hit his second AFL home run on Friday. It was a ray of light in what has been an up-and-down AFL season so far. Parada is hitting. He’s also struggling to throw out baserunners. Obviously the pitchers’ ability to hold runners plays a role as well, but Parada has officially allowed 21 steals in 23 attempts (91.3%). One of those two caught stealings came on a pickoff throw where Colson Montgomery took off for second, so he didn’t even touch the ball in that instance. Parada has allowed 17 consecutive steals, including two games where he gave up five steals and one where he gave up seven.
Ricky Tiedemann, LHP, Blue Jays: Tiedemann worked five innings for the third time in four starts, as he allowed four hits, one run and three walks while striking out five. Tiedemann sat at 94 mph with his fastball, but it was his slider that was especially effective. He threw more strikes with his sider than fastball and generated nine swings-and-misses out of 33 sliders. This was the third time in four AFL starts where he’s worked five innings. He didn’t reach five innings in any start during the 2023 regular season.
Jackson Jobe, RHP, Tigers: Jobe was a little unlucky, if generally effective, while matching up with Tiedemann on Friday night. Leadoff hitter Jacob Hurtubise reached on catcher’s interference in the first inning, stole second and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly. Jobe then gave up a Damiano Palmegiani two-run home run in the third. Jobe did strike out seven in 3.2 innings and got nine swings-and-misses with his fastball, which sat at 95-96 and touched 98.
Saturday’s Standout Performers
| Player | Team | ORG | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | Notes |
| Triantos, James | MSS | CHC | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .431 | .525 | .765 | 2B, HR |
| Manzardo, Kyle | PEJ | CLE | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .283 | .367 | .698 | 2B, 3B |
| Burke, Jacobs | GDD | CWS | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .241 | .353 | .397 | 2 SB |
| Ramos, Bryan | GDD | CWS | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .265 | .294 | .429 | HR |
| Keith, Damon | GDD | LAD | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .229 | .341 | .429 | HR |
| McIntosh, Paul | PEJ | MIA | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .267 | .405 | .400 | HR, SB |
| Rosario, Kala’i | GDD | MIN | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | .160 | .276 | .420 | HR |
| Sabato, Aaron | GDD | MIN | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .163 | .268 | .408 | HR |
| Parada, Kevin | GDD | NYM | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .214 | .267 | .429 | 2B |
| Smith, D’Andre | GDD | NYM | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | .156 | .229 | .250 | HR |
| Muncy, Max | MSS | OAK | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | .216 | .286 | .431 | 2B, 3B |
| Kroon, Matt | SCO | PHI | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .297 | .400 | .405 | |
| Bins, Carter | SRR | PIT | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .304 | .360 | .652 | 2B |
| Bowen, Jase | SRR | PIT | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .359 | .423 | .625 | HR |
| Pauley, Graham | PEJ | SDP | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .240 | .259 | .480 | 2B |
| Locklear, Tyler | PEJ | SEA | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .277 | .397 | .489 | 2B |
| Robertson, Will | SUR | TOR | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .250 | .421 | .455 | 2B |
| Player | Team | ORG | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Notes |
| Penrod, Zach | GDD | BOS | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1.13 | |
| Romero, Jose | MSS | CHC | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.69 | |
| Hubbart, Bryce | SUR | CIN | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4.76 | |
| Spiers, Carson | SUR | CIN | 3 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1.29 | L |
| Carver, Ross | PEJ | CLE | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6.00 | W |
| Smith, Dylan | SRR | DET | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 6.97 | |
| Daniel, Davis | SCO | LAA | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0.90 | |
| Casparius, Ben | GDD | LAD | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 12.00 | |
| Stuart, Baron | MSS | NYY | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3.60 | |
| Vrieling, Trystan | MSS | NYY | 2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0.00 |
