The 10 Youngest Players In The Arizona Fall League

1. Leodalis De Vries, SS, Padres (17 years old)

De Vries is not only the youngest player in the Fall League, he was the youngest player in the full-season minor leagues this year. The 17-year-old was the top player available in the most recent international signing period, and signed with San Diego for a bonus of roughly $4.2 million. He skipped over both the Dominican Summer League and Arizona Complex League, instead heading to Low-A Lake Elsinore after a quick warmup in extended spring training. After a couple of months to adjust, De Vries was spectacular in the Cal League, where he finished with 22 doubles, 11 home runs and 13 stolen bases over 75 games. He missed time with a shoulder injury and will make up those at-bats in the Fall League.

2. Ethan Salas, C, Padres (18 years old)

The script the Padres used with De Vries was very similar to the one they used with Salas in 2023. The precocious youngster got into Cactus League games, held his own against seasoned big leaguers on the backfields and eschewed the complex leagues for a one-way ticket to Lake Elsinore to begin his pro career. He rocketed from Low-A to Double-A by season’s end but spent all of 2024 at High-A Fort Wayne, where he struggled offensively. Still, it’s hard to deny his talent and discount his age—he’s younger than some of the high schoolers who got selected in the 2024 draft—when assessing his future. He’ll look to get back in the swing of things in the offense-friendly environs of the AFL.

3. Colt Emerson, SS, Mariners (19 years old)

Emerson not only is the top-ranked prospect in the Fall League, he’s the third-youngest as well. The Ohio prep product opened his pro career with a bang by crushing brief stops in the Arizona Complex League and at Low-A Modesto. He performed well again at Low-A to begin the year, but injury largely waylaid his season and limited him to just 70 games. At his best, he shows the earmarks of a player who can hit for average and power while sticking up the middle.

4. Juan Baez, 3B, Brewers (19 years old)

Baez is a do-it-all infielder who placed among the Arizona Complex League’s top 20 prospects two summers ago. His 2024 season was shortened by injuries, but at Low-A Carolina, he showed an aggressive approach that produced plenty of contact and a small amount of mostly-doubles power. He’s a fun player who gets the most out of his abilities and can never be questioned for lack of effort.

5. Zyhir Hope, OF, Dodgers (19 years old)

In the early days of the season, Hope was tracking toward big things. He’d annihilated the competition at Low-A Rancho Cucamonga and was showing strong underlying traits in addition to his baseball card stats. Then he got hurt. He missed roughly three months on the injured list but was no worse for wear when he came back, producing similar numbers to his pre-injury form. He’ll make up for lost time in the AFL and could reinforce his prospect stock with a strong showing.

6. Luis Lara, OF, Brewers (19 years old)

Much like the Padres, the Brewers love to challenge their prospects with aggressive assignments. After jumping Jackson Chourio over the Arizona Complex League in 2022, they did the same thing a year later with Lara, another center fielder hailing from Venezuela. Lara doesn’t carry the same prospect cachet as Chourio, but he’s an excellent defender who can spray the ball around and cause havoc with his legs. He didn’t get much of a chance to show his skills this season thanks to an injury that limited him to just 17 games at High-A Wisconsin.

7. Bryce Eldridge, 1B, Giants (19 years old)

What more can you say about Eldridge? He had one of the very best seasons in the minor leagues, advanced from Low-A to Triple-A in his first full year as a pro, and has the kind of power that would make the Polo Grounds look small. He will be must-watch material every time he steps in the box at Scottsdale Stadium, and his exit velocities from games at Salt River are sure to make eyes pop all fall long.

8. Josue Briceño, 1B, Tigers (20 years old)

Briceño was a name to watch entering the season, but his year ended because of injuries after just 40 games at Low-A Lakeland. Though he split his time in the field evenly between first base and catcher, Briceño is listed on the Scottsdale roster as an infielder. The designation doesn’t preclude him from getting time behind the plate, but the majority of those reps will likely go to Geovanny Planchart (Pirates) and fellow Tigers prospect Thayron Liranzo. He has plenty of thump and has shown solid contact skills in the past, but his offensive game could be tested against the more veteran pitchers of the Fall League.

9. Rayner Castillo, RHP, Tigers (20 years old)

The second consecutive Tiger on this list is Castillo, a 6-foot-3 righthander who made 13 starts but missed roughly two months before making his season debut at Low-A Lakeland. He signed in 2021 and had spent the entirety of his career until this season in the complex leagues. Castillo works primarily with four- and two- seam fastballs—both of which peak around 97-98 mph—and a mid-80s slider. He has also sprinkled in a handful of low-90s changeups. He struck out just 56 hitters in 70.1 innings this season but did a good job keeping the ball on the ground and yielded just four home runs.

10. Termarr Johnson, 2B, Pirates (20 years old)

Johnson’s resume is well known. He was one of the best prospects available in the 2022 draft, lauded for his advanced offensive skills. Since turning pro, he has found the road a bit more difficult. There’s little doubt about his strike zone knowledge and his bat speed, but in 2024 he showed a three-true-outcome profile, as nearly 40% of his 544 plate appearances ended in a walk (85), strikeout (116) or home run (15). Johnson got a little time at shortstop during the regular year but is likely to be a second baseman at the highest level.