Arizona Fall League Prospect Report — October 14, 2021
Image credit: Triston Casas (Photo by Bill Mitchell)
Rejoice one, rejoice all — the time has come for baseball … in Arizona … in the fall. From Surprise and Scottsdale to Glendale and Salt River to Mesa and Peoria, the premier postseason prospect showcase has returned in all its glory with a bounty of talented players on each of the league’s six rosters.
Carlos Cortes, OF, Mets — Cortes started his fall campaign strong, with three hits that included of the game’s hardest-hit balls. The Mets’ prospect went 3-for-4 with a triple against Padres prospect MacKenzie Gore. The three-bagger left the bat at 102.1 mph, one of 10 balls hit with triple-digit exit velocity. The 24-year-old South Carolina product had four games of three or more hits during the regular season, but is already a quarter of the way to matching that total in the 30-game AFL campaign.
Brett Baty, 3B, Mets — Carlos Cortes hit in the leadoff spot for Salt River, one spot ahead of his system-mate Baty, who had a similarly excellent AFL debut. One of the top prospects in the game, Baty went a perfect 3-for-3 for Salt River with a trio of singles, two of which were scalded. Both of his hits off of MacKenzie Gore were laced, with one at 106.5 mph off the bat and another at 108.7. Those two hits were among the top four exit velocities of the game.
MacKenzie Gore, LHP, Padres — Gore’s prospect stock dipped significantly in 2021 thanks to a year that resulted him getting sent all the way back to San Diego’s spring training home in Arizona before starting the climb back up the minor league ranks. Quite simply, Gore needs a strong turn in the Fall League. On Opening Day, he took the first step. The lefthander spun five innings of two-run ball with three strikeouts and a walk. He brought his fastball up to 98 mph and got 10 swinging strikes in 88 pitches. He threw 56 pitches for strikes, giving a 63.6% strike rate for the day.
Zach DeLoach, OF, Mariners — The first home run of the AFL belongs to DeLoach. He took Shumpei Yoshikawa deep in the sixth inning, redirected an 89 mph fastball for a three-run blast. The homer left the bat at 103.4 mph and traveled an estimated 429 feet to right-center field.
Asa Lacy, LHP, Royals — In much the same way as MacKenzie Gore, Lacy could use a strong Fall League to rinse the bitter taste of the 2021 regular season. In his first turn as a pro, Lacy struggled with control and command while spending the year at High-A Quad Cities. There, he posted identical marks of 7.1 in terms of both hits and walks per nine innings. Also like Gore, Lacy started his AFL on a strong note. The lefty whiffed four over two scoreless innings with one hit and one walk the only blemishes on his ledger and earned the win in Surprise’s opener.
Triston Casas, 1B, Red Sox — The 2021 silver medalist kicked off his Arizona Fall League campaign with a bang by going deep in his first at-bat of the season. The top Red Sox prospect smacked 14 homers in the regular year over 86 games while showing the ability to hit for average and get on base. The 21-year-old Casas has the look of a powerful, profile masher at first base who will fit nicely into Boston’s lineup in the near future.
| ORG | CLASS | RANK | PLAYER | AB | R | H | RBI | AVG | NOTES |
| CLE | AFL | Mike Amditis, C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| SFG | AFL | Patrick Bailey, C | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.333 | 2B (1), | |
| MIA | AFL | Will Banfield, C | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 BB (2), | |
| SDP | AFL | Matt Batten, 2B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.5 | SB (1), | |
| NYM | AFL | Brett Baty, 3B | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | BB (1), | |
| MIA | AFL | JJ Bleday, OF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| ARZ | AFL | Jose Caballero, IF | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.5 | 2B (1), BB (1), CS (1), | |
| ARZ | AFL | Dominic Canzone, RF | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.5 | 2B (1), BB (1), | |
| BOS | AFL | Triston Casas, 3B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0.5 | HR (1), | |
| WSH | AFL | Donovan Casey, RF | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.2 | ||
| CWS | AFL | Yoelkis Cespedes, OF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.25 | 2B (1), | |
| NYY | AFL | Andres Chaparro, 3B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| NYM | AFL | Carlos Cortes, 2B | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0.75 | 3B (1), BB (1), | |
| BOS | AFL | Kole Cottam, C | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| OAK | AFL | Logan Davidson, SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | BB (1), | |
| SEA | AFL | Zach DeLoach, CF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.25 | HR (1), BB (1), | |
| NYY | AFL | Elijah Dunham, OF | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0.75 | SB (1), | |
| TBR | AFL | Matthew Dyer, C | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.2 | CS (1), | |
| KCR | AFL | Nathan Eaton, 2B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.25 | SB (1), | |
| TEX | AFL | Justin Foscue, 2B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.333 | 2 BB (2), CS (1), | |
| PIT | AFL | Nick Gonzales, SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.25 | BB (1), | |
| STL | AFL | Nolan Gorman, 3B | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.5 | HR (1), BB (1), | |
| MIL | AFL | Joe Gray, OF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | BB (1), | |
| LAD | AFL | Kody Hoese, 3B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.25 | ||
| TOR | AFL | Spencer Horwitz, 1B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.25 | ||
| TEX | AFL | Sam Huff, C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | BB (1), | |
| ARZ | AFL | Cooper Hummel, OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | BB (1), | |
| LAA | AFL | Jeremiah Jackson, SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| TOR | AFL | Leonardo Jimenez, 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | E (1), | |
| DET | AFL | Ryan Kreidler, 3B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.25 | BB (1), E (1), | |
| HOU | AFL | Korey Lee, C | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.25 | BB (1), | |
| HOU | AFL | Pedro Leon, OF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| SFG | AFL | Marco Luciano, SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.25 | ||
| SEA | AFL | Cade Marlowe, LF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| LAA | AFL | Orlando Martinez, RF | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.5 | 3B (1), | |
| KCR | AFL | Seuly Matias, OF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.25 | ||
| TBR | AFL | Curtis Mead, 2B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.25 | ||
| KCR | AFL | Jake Means, 3B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.333 | 2B (1), BB (1), | |
| MIA | AFL | Kameron Misner, OF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| STL | AFL | Lars Nootbaar, RF | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | BB (1), | |
| PHI | AFL | Logan O’Hoppe, C | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | BB (1), | |
| LAD | AFL | James Outman, CF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | BB (1), | |
| CLE | AFL | Richard Palacios, 2B | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | 2B (1), 2 BB (2), CS (1), | |
| WSH | AFL | Israel Pineda, C | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.5 | 2B (1), | |
| NYM | AFL | Wilmer Reyes, SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | E (1), | |
| CWS | AFL | Jose Rodriguez, IF | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | ||
| SDP | AFL | Eguy Rosario, 2B | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| CWS | AFL | Yolbert Sanchez, SS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | ||
| NYM | AFL | Hayden Senger, C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| PIT | AFL | Canaan Smith-Njigba, LF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.333 | 2B (1), 2 BB (2), | |
| PHI | AFL | Bryson Stott, SS | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2B (1), 3 BB (3), SB (1), | |
| BAL | AFL | Kyle Stowers, OF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| CLE | AFL | Jose Tena, SS | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.25 | ||
| COL | AFL | Michael Toglia, 1B | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.2 | ||
| DET | AFL | Spencer Torkelson, 3B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.25 | 2B (1), BB (1), | |
| CHC | AFL | Luis Vazquez, SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | BB (1), | |
| CHC | AFL | Nelson Velazquez, LF | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.75 | 2 2B (2), CS (1), | |
| MIN | AFL | Matt Wallner, RF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.25 | ||
| NYY | AFL | Austin Wells, C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | BB (1), | |
| STL | AFL | Juan Yepez, 1B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ORG | CLASS | PLAYER | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | ERA | NOTES | |
| COL | AFL | Jake Bird, RHP | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| TB | AFL | Trevor Brigden, RHP | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| CIN | AFL | Michael Byrne, RHP | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| ARI | AFL | Slade Cecconi, RHP | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | ||
| OAK | WIN | Bryce Conley, RHP | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| NYY | AFL | Harold Cortijo, RHP | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| CWS | AFL | Johan Dominguez, RHP | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4.5 | W (1-0) | |
| MIA | AFL | Justin Evans, RHP | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| MIA | AFL | Evan Fitterer, RHP | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2.25 | L (0-1) | |
| MIL | AFL | Taylor Floyd, RHP | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| TB | AFL | Carlos Garcia, RHP | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| SD | AFL | MacKenzie Gore, LHP | 5 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3.6 | ||
| NYY | AFL | Zach Greene, RHP | 1.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| WAS | AFL | Cole Henry, RHP | 2.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | ||
| NYM | AFL | Colin Holderman, RHP | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| LAD | AFL | Kyle Hurt, RHP | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| KC | AFL | Asa Lacy, LHP | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | W (1-0) | |
| NYM | AFL | Brian Metoyer, RHP | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | ||
| TEX | AFL | Spencer Mraz, RHP | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| STL | AFL | Andre Pallante, RHP | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | ||
| TB | AFL | Matthew Peguero, RHP | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| BOS | AFL | Andrew Politi, RHP | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| ATL | AFL | Jose Quezada, RHP | 1.1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6.75 | L (0-1) | |
| TOR | AFL | Brody Rodning, LHP | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| SF | AFL | Gregory Santos, RHP | 1.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| BOS | AFL | Connor Seabold, RHP | 2.1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 11.57 | L (0-1) | |
| ARI | AFL | Mitchell Stumpo, RHP | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | W (1-0) | |
| SEA | AFL | Devin Sweet, RHP | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 18 | ||
| STL | AFL | Zack Thompson, LHP | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | Sv (3) | |
| SD | AFL | Matt Waldron, RHP | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 9 | ||
| OAK | AFL | Brock Whittlesey, RHP | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 36 | ||
| MIA | AFL | Jefry Yan, LHP | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| ARI | AFL | Shumpei Yoshikawa, RHP | 2.2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 13.5 |
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