Hot Sheet: Baseball’s 10 Hottest Prospects From The Past Week (10/31/22)

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1. Edouard Julien, 2B, Twins
Team: Glendale
Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .389/.522/.833 (7-for-18), 6 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 2 BB, 5 SO, 3-for-3 SB

The Scoop: Julien is quickly emerging as one of the AFL’s breakout stars. In the fourth week of the AFL, the Auburn alum continued to show a discerning eye and the ability to make impact on contact. His two home runs vaulted him into a four-way tie for second place in the league, and his .536 on-base percentage and .706 slugging percentage both rank first. 

2. Andy Pages, OF, Dodgers
Team: Glendale
Age: 21

Why He’s Here: .421/.476/.632 (8-for-19), 6 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBIs, 1 BB, 3 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Pages continues to show a set of powerful skills. He swatted two more home runs, doubling his AFL total. With four longballs, he’s in a four-way tie for second place on the circuit, one behind Heston Kjerstad (Orioles) and Matt Mervis (Cubs). He also has four outfield assists. 

3. Ronny Simon, SS/2B, Rays
Team: Mesa
Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .444/.474/.556 (8-for-18), 1 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 8 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: The twice-traded Simon makes plenty of contact with sneaky power and has shown both traits throughout the first month of the AFL. His eight hits this past week helped him draw within four of league leader Heston Kjerstad. His 37 total bases give him the edge for second place, 10 behind Kjerstad. 

 

4. Evan Reifert, RHP, Rays
Team: Mesa
Age: 23

Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 3.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Reifert’s eight strikeouts this week pushed him into second place in the league, four behind leader Connor Thomas (Cardinals). Perhaps more impressively, Reifert has racked up those 20 Ks in just 9.2 innings spread across six games. Of the 137 pitches he’s thrown, 39 have been swung at and missed. That figure is good for a whiff rate of 28.4%.

5. Hunter Stanley, RHP, Guardians
Team: Peoria
Age: 24

Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: As difficult as it might be to believe, Cleveland might have another pitching prospect from the college ranks. Stanley, whom the Guardians chose in the 11th round in 2021 out of Southern Mississippi, was limited to just 14.2 innings in the regular season. He’s one inning shy of that total so far in the AFL, but is tied for third place in the league with 19 strikeouts. That total includes eight in a four-inning turn this past week. 

6. Connor Thomas, LHP, Cardinals
Team: Salt River
Age: 24

Why He’s Here: 0-0, 1.80, 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: In an AFL season that’s already included the rare game with double-digit strikeouts, Thomas has continued his mastery of the competition. He punched out seven more hitters this week, extending his league-best total to 24, four ahead of Mesa reliever Evan Reifert. 

 

7. Tyler Black, OF, Brewers
Team: Glendale
Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .400/.438/.600 (6-for-15), 1 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBIs, 3 BB, 3 SO

The Scoop: Black was limited by injury to just 64 games during the regular season, all with High-A Wisconsin. The Wright State alum entered the week with just one extra-base hit (a home run) to his name. He quadrupled that total by slashing three doubles as part of his six hits on the week. 

8. Cristian Hernandez, RHP, Phillies
Team: Surprise
Age: 22

Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Hernandez was one of the more intriguing prospects in the Phillies’ system in 2021 but backed up a touch after moving to High-A Jersey Shore this season. The righthander has found his groove in the Fall League, where he’s pitched 10 innings and allowed just one earned run while striking out 10 against just one walk. Six of those strikeouts came in four innings this past week. 

9. Gage Workman, SS/2B, Tigers
Team: Salt River
Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .444/.500/1.222 (4-for-9), 3 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 1 BB, 1 SO

The Scoop: The Arizona State alum collected four hits this past week, but three of them went for extra bases, including his first two home runs of the fall. The outburst to open the AFL’s back stretch also account for 60% of Workman’s extra-base hits in the fall. 

10. Mike Antico, OF, Cardinals
Team: Salt River
Age: 24

Why He’s Here: .429/.600/1.286 (3-for-7), 3 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 3 BB, 3 SO, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: Antico’s time in the Fall League hasn’t been the loudest, but he went off for two home runs this week. The blasts were his first of the AFL. Antico stole 67 bases during the regular season and added two more thefts this week, bringing his AFL total to three in four chances.