Top 25 Prospects From The 2024 Arizona Fall League

Top 25 AFL Prospects

1. Colt Emerson, SS, Mariners

The highest-ranking player on the Top 100 also holds the crown as the Fall League’s top talent. In his first full season, the 2023 first-rounder showed a combination of hittability and power, both of which were amplified by his extremely-advanced ability to find the barrel. Emerson is not necessarily a slam dunk to stick at shortstop—some scouts believe he’d fit better at either second or third—but he doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses to suggest a move off the position is coming any time soon.

2. Andrew Painter, RHP, Phillies

It would have been understandable if Painter had shown some rust in the Fall League, where he was making his first competitive appearances since 2022. Instead, he looked as dominant as ever, cruising through six outings and winning the league’s Pitcher of the Year award. The tall righthander brought his fastball into triple-digits and showed uncommon command of a powerful four-pitch mix. All together, his mix of stuff, strikes and savvy gives Painter the foundation of a pitcher who could one day be one of the very best in the sport.

3. Bryce Eldridge, 1B, Giants

San Francisco’s 2023 first-round pick had one of the most exemplary seasons in the minor leagues this past year. Eldridge started the year in Low-A and finished in Triple-A. He crushed 19 home runs along the way, tied with Seattle’s Michael Arroyo for the most in the minors by a teenager. Though he appeared tired during his brief stint in the AFL, he still showed the same combination of hittability and power that has the chance to make him a perennial all-star. He still has some polish to apply in terms of his overall hittability, and he might never be better than fringe-average at first base, but his power has a chance to change games.

4. Leodalis De Vries, SS, Padres

De Vries opened the Fall League as a 17-year-old and more than held his own as the league’s youngest player. The Dominican-born infielder showed off loose swings from both sides of the plate, as well as an impressive ability to hit the fastball for someone his age. There are still some struggles against spin, which is to be expected for a player the equivalent of a junior in high school. De Vries split his time in the AFL between shortstop and second base, but evaluators believe he has the quickness, range and just enough arm strength to stick on the left side. All told, he has the upside of a perennial all-star.

5. Ethan Salas, C, Padres

A year ago, Salas was the toast of the minor leagues. He’d signed in January 2023, appeared in Cactus League games shortly thereafter and zoomed all the way to Double-A by season’s end. His encore season—spent solely at High-A—was uneven, though, he finished second in the Midwest League with 27 doubles. In the Fall League, he re-established himself as one of the game’s premier talents. Even as the second-youngest player in the league, he married a strong ability to find the barrel with a sublime package of skills which should lead to a long career in the big leagues.

6. Chase DeLauter, OF, Guardians

DeLauter’s biggest weakness is the reason he’s spent the last two seasons in the Fall League: He’s dealt with injuries which have limited him to a combined 96 games over the last two seasons. Although his swing is unorthodox, DeLauter produces preposterous power from the left side. DeLauter’s more than an all-or-nothing slugger, though. He’s capable of shooting line drives to all sectors and becoming a player who anchors an order and holds down an outfield corner for years to come. Now, he just needs to get through a season with a clean bill of health.

7. Thayron Liranzo, C, Tigers

The Dodgers dealt Liranzo to the Tigers this summer as part of the package used to bring Jack Flaherty to the eventual World Series champions. As soon as the ink was dry on the trade, Liranzo went off. In 26 games with this new team, the switch-hitting 21-year-old posted a 1.032 OPS with five home runs. Liranzo added two more home runs in the AFL, which he finished with a .492 on-base percentage. Scouts are bullish on Liranzo’s chances to stick behind the dish. He has a strong arm and has made positive strides toward transforming his body into one capable of withstanding the rigors of a full big league season.

8. Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics

Kurtz only played the second half of the AFL season, but he made a strong impression with Mesa down the stretch. The Wake Forest slugger—whom the A’s chose in the first round of the 2024 draft—showed the signature power which made him so attractive as an amateur. The lefty swinger also has plenty of hittability, too, racking up 18 hits in just 13 Fall League games. Scouts also cooed over Kurtz’s defense at first base, where he showed strong footwork and fluid movements.

9. Tre’ Morgan, 1B, Rays

In a league full of monster mashers, Morgan ranked as one of the AFL’s purest hitters. The Louisiana State alum was an expert when it came to putting the bat on the ball and pinging line drives through the dry desert air. He hasn’t shown the power typically associated with a corner infielder, but his impeccable knowledge of the strike zone might help him wring every ounce of juice out of his bat once he reaches the big leagues. He finished both the regular season and the Fall League with a 1-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His value also gets a boost from his defense—which is Gold Glove-caliber at first base—and athleticism, which could allow him to move to the outfield one day.

10. Zyhir Hope, OF, Dodgers

Hope was part of the two-player package the Dodgers received from the Cubs in exchange for first baseman Michael Busch. In his first series with his new organization, he was extremely impressive. He showed off an interesting blend of hittability and power at Low-A Rancho Cucamonga—albeit in a season fractured by injury. He showed some of the same traits in the Fall League, where he spent most of his time manning center field for Glendale. He’s most likely to move to a corner at the highest level, but his big-time power would profile just fine if he does make the switch.

11. Moises Ballesteros, C, Cubs

The 2024 season was the finest of Ballesteros’ career. He swatted 19 home runs between both of Chicago’s upper-level affiliates and struck out just 93 times in 124 games. He took that production to another level in Arizona, where he added five more long balls and produced a .933 OPS. Questions about his body will always follow him, but evaluators are heartened by his improved mobility and potent arm strength. If he does have to move, his bat—elevated by his knack for finding the barrel—will play at any spot on the diamond.

12. Jac Caglianone, 1B, Royals

Caglianone was one of two top-10 picks to finish their first pro seasons in the Fall League. His season began in February in Gainesville and finished in November in Surprise. In the Fall League, Caglianone showed both his upside and his trouble spots. His lefthanded power is both breathtaking and bountiful, but his overall hit tool needs several coats of polish. Scouts in the Fall League noticed a grooved bat path which left him susceptible to well-executed offspeed pitches. If he can make his swing more malleable, he’ll get to his power more often and elevate himself even further among the game’s premier prospects.

13. Colson Montgomery, SS, White Sox

After showing plenty of promise throughout his time in the minor leagues, Montgomery seemed poised for big things this past season. He was slated to play at Triple-A Charlotte, one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in the minor leagues. Instead, Montgomery scuffled. In Arizona, Montgomery looked rejuvenated and once again showed off thunderous power. Scouts reported a player who put together quality at-bats, showed improved athleticism and better actions at shortstop. There are still some kinks to work out mechanically, but the AFL gave Montgomery a fine springboard into his age-23 season, which he’ll likely spend back at Charlotte.

14. Josue Briceño, 1B/C, Tigers

Briceño’s AFL season was arguably the finest in the league’s 32-year history. The 20-year-old slugger logged a .433/.509/.867 slash line with five doubles, 10 home runs and 17 RBIs. All of those numbers added up to the first triple crown in AFL history and the first season with double-digit home runs since 2011. Briceño absolutely bullies fastballs and is especially adept at turning his best contact into loud, long fly balls. There are few concerns about a bat tip in his swing that might need to be eliminated, and he needs to get a lot better on defense, whether that’s at first base or behind the plate. No matter where he lands on the diamond, he has the look of someone with a middle-order pedigree.

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15. Jett Williams, SS/OF, Mets

Williams was limited to just 33 games in the regular season but made up for those reps in the Fall League, where he split his time evenly between center field and shortstop. Scouts uniformly praised Williams’ game-changing speed, which some believed would make him more of an asset on the grass than the dirt. He also showed a strong approach, a swing geared toward lacing drives from pole to pole and enough raw power to reach double-digit home runs annually. Power will be a supplementary part of his appeal, however, and he’ll need to make sure his swing doesn’t get too big and throw his offensive game out of whack. He fits as a potential table-setter who fits somewhere up the middle.

16. Drake Baldwin, C, Braves

The AFL’s catching crop was strong, and Baldwin is likely the most MLB-ready of the bunch. He has a compact body and a powerful stroke from the left side, a sound sense of plate discipline and takes mature at-bats. Baldwin left the Fall League at the end of October to take his spot on the United States’ roster for the Premier12 tournament. Defensively, he is a sound receiver with quiet actions. His arm strength is near average and could improve with a quicker transfer.

17. Eriq Swan, RHP, Dodgers

When the Fall League announced its rosters, it was clear that Andrew Painter was going to be the cream of the pitching crop. The only question was: Who was going to take second place? Swan filled that role to perfection. The tall righthander, whom Los Angeles selected with their fourth-round pick in 2023, handcuffed hitters with a four-pitch mix led by a mid-90s fastball and backed by a sweeper, slider and changeup. His slider was at least a plus offering, and his changeup showed plenty of potential, as well. He’ll need to sew up some mechanical inconsistencies and improve his direction to the plate, but Swan’s time in the AFL pointed toward a pitcher capable of being one of the breakout stars of 2025.

18. Termarr Johnson, 2B, Pirates

The 2022 first-round pick is one of the more polarizing in the game thanks to a maddeningly inconsistent tool set. The lefty hitter has the eye-popping bat speed needed to launch tape measure home runs and the gifted hands to manipulate the barrel into different sectors of the strike zone, but the skills rarely show up on a consistent basis or at the same time. When they do, however, it’s easy to see his sky-high upside. Defensively, he has the ability to make the five-star play but evaluators noticed occasional lacks of focus on the routine plays.

19. Xavier Isaac, 1B, Rays

In Isaac and Tre’ Morgan, the Rays sent two of their best offensive prospects to the desert for a little bit more seasoning. Isaac is one of the most feared sluggers in the organization, and he showed it in the Fall League with six doubles and three home runs in 15 games with Mesa. He has a ways to go to successfully marry that power with hittability, however, and scouts in Arizona reported a player with a long swing and vulnerabilities against well-located offspeeds. As was the case with Morgan, Isaac split his time between first base and right field. His power would play well at either spot.

20. Thomas Saggese, 2B, Cardinals

Saggese made his big league debut in 2024 and was one of a handful of players in the Fall League with MLB time already under his belt. In Arizona, the 22-year-old showed the same blend of skills for which he’s gained acclaim. He put the bat on the ball often, walked more than he struck out and showed hints of power while playing mostly at second base with a one-game cameo at the hot corner.

21. Max Acosta, SS, Rangers

Acosta is a former top Texas prospect who’d fallen off the radar somewhat in recent years. No longer. In his age-22 season, the infielder reached Double-A and cut his strikeout rate while showing plenty of doubles pop. Eights were wild in the Fall League for Acosta, who hit eight doubles, swiped eight bases and drew eight walks with Surprise. His overall year earned him a spot on the Rangers’ 40-man roster and a chance to one day crack the Rangers’ crowded infield picture, likely in a utility capacity.

22. Caleb Durbin, 2B, Yankees

In his second straight Fall League appearance, Durbin made history. He stole 29 bases in 30 tries, rocketing past the previous record. Stealing bases requires being on base, and Durbin had no problem in that department. He put the bat on the ball early and often, and he struck out just six times—while working 17 walks—over 117 plate appearances. Durbin moved around the diamond all fall and would fit adequately at either second or third base, and his above-average speed should help him on the bases, as well. Despite the gaudy numbers, scouts believe Durbin’s aggressive approach at the dish might be exposed against the kind of pitching he’ll see at the highest level.

23. Jonathon Long, 1B, Cubs

Long was another one of the Fall League’s pop-up prospects, although he really began putting himself on the map with an offensive outburst at Double-A Tennessee. Over 46 games in the typically pitcher-friendly Southern League, Long slashed a mighty .340/.455/.528 with seven home runs and more walks (35) than strikeouts (33). With Mesa, Long produced more of the same. His swing is not conventional—he strides open and uses an uphill path—but he’s got plenty of bat speed and made lots of contact. He hit six home runs in 18 games and will have to continue to mash in order to profile at first base.

24. Tommy Troy, 2B, Diamondbacks

Troy’s regular season was one to forget. The 2023 first-rounder missed a swath of the season with injuries and was unproductive during his 65 games at High-A Hillsboro. In the Fall League, however, he showed hints of his potential. The Stanford alum is the classic professional hitter, with a short swing geared to lash doubles to both gaps with enough power to reach double-digit home runs. He’s still got some polish to apply at second base on his reads and jumps, but his above-average arm strength should serve him well.

25. Andrew Pintar, OF, Marlins

Pintar moved from the D-backs to the Marlins this past summer in the deal that sent A.J. Puk to Arizona. In both organizations and in the Fall League, the righthanded-hitting outfielder showed the skills to be a classic table-setter. He’s got a lean, athletic frame and the chops to be an above-average center fielder in the big leagues. His offensive profile might take a bit longer to come into focus. He’s got solid bat speed and sneaky power to his pull side, but scouts saw a little bit more swing-and-miss than they’d like, especially against breaking balls. If he can sort that out, his stock will rise.