2024 Arizona Fall League rosters

It’s almost time for the Arizona Fall League, which opens play on Oct. 7. Since the developmental league began play in 1992, it has spawned more than 3,000 big leaguers, including Hall of Famers Roy Halladay, Todd Helton, Derek Jeter and Mike Piazza and current stars including Mookie Betts, Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge and Francisco Lindor.

The AFL announced preliminary rosters on Wednesday, and as usual they’re loaded with some of the most talented players in the Minor Leagues. Fourteen members of MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list are headed to Arizona:

15. Jac Caglianone, 1B, Royals (Surprise)
17. Ethan Salas, C, Padres (Peoria)
18. Xavier Isaac, 1B, Rays (Mesa)
25. Colson Montgomery, SS, White Sox (Glendale)
27. Colt Emerson, SS, Mariners (Peoria)
34. Cole Young, SS/2B, Mariners (Peoria)
39. Chase DeLauter, OF, Guardians (Surprise)
41. Moises Ballesteros, C/1B, Cubs (Mesa)
44. Leodalis De Vries, SS, Padres (Peoria)
50. Bryce Eldridge, 1B, Giants (Scottsdale)
53. Jett Williams, SS/OF, Mets (Scottsdale)
67. Edwin Arroyo, SS, Reds (Glendale)
76. Drew Gilbert, OF, Mets (Scottsdale)
78. Termarr Johnson, 2B, Pirates (Scottsdale)

Each of the Fall League’s six clubs draws talent from five organizations. Those affiliations are:

Glendale Desert Dogs: Cardinals, Dodgers, Phillies, Reds, White Sox
Mesa Solar Sox: Angels, Athletics, Cubs, Rays, Red Sox
Peoria Javelinas: Braves, Brewers, Mariners, Marlins, Padres
Salt River Rafters: Diamondbacks, Nationals, Rockies, Twins, Yankees
Scottsdale Scorpions: Blue Jays, Giants, Mets, Pirates, Tigers
Surprise Saguaros: Astros, Guardians, Orioles, Rangers, Royals

The AFL’s regular season will run through Nov. 14, followed by a play-in semifinal game between the second- and third-place finishers Nov. 15 at Scottsdale Stadium. The championship game will be held Nov. 16 at Salt River Fields.

Special events on the Fall League calendar include a home run derby on Nov. 8 and the annual Fall Stars game on Nov. 9, both at Sloan Park. There also will be games at three non-AFL venues: a tripleheader at Goodyear Ballpark on Oct. 19, a game at Grand Canyon University on Oct. 25 and a doubleheader at American Family Fields of Phoenix on Oct. 26.

Here are the initial rosters, sorted by big league organization:

Blue Jays (Scottsdale): Kendry Rojas, LHP (No. 12); Eddinson Paulino, INF (No. 18); T.J. Brock, RHP; Lazaro Estrado, RHP; Ryan Jennings, RHP; Johnathan Lavallee, RHP; Adrian Pinto, 2B/OF; Peyton Williams, 1B
Rojas seemed like an obvious fit for the Fall League after being limited to 62 ⅔ innings during the regular season due to shoulder issues. Thanks to an above-average fastball and slider, he impressed at High-A Vancouver (2.43 ERA, 61 strikeouts in 55 ⅔ innings) and should be ready to test that level of stuff in the desert. Paulino came over from the Red Sox in the Danny Jansen trade at the Deadline but didn’t debut in the organization until Aug. 28 due to injury. The infielder is Rule 5-eligible this offseason and has the well-rounded skillset to be a potential utility infielder.

Orioles (Surprise): Creed Willems, C/1B (No. 22); Zane Barnhart, RHP; Tyler Burch, RHP; Jake Cunningham, OF; Douglas Hodo III, OF; Preston Johnson, RHP; Juan Rojas, LHP; Houston Roth, RHP
Willems has hit 17 homers in back-to-back seasons, this year reaching Double-A for the first time and cutting his strikeout rate considerably compared to 2023. He has a strong arm behind the plate, but still needs to show he can stick there long-term. Cunningham was the organization’s fifth-round pick out of UNC-Charlotte in 2023 and while he didn’t tap into his raw power during his first full season, his well above-average speed did show up with 29 steals in 34 tries.

Rays (Mesa): Xavier Isaac, 1B (No. 2/MLB No. 18); Tre’ Morgan, 1B/OF (No. 10); Mac Horvath, 3B/2B (No. 19); Alexander Alberto, RHP; Derrick Edginton, RHP; T.J. Fondtain, LHP; Jack Hartman, RHP; Jackson Lancaster, LHP
With at least plus-plus raw pop, Isaac will be one of the most powerful sluggers at this year’s Fall League, but he’ll head to Mesa with something to prove after striking out 40.6 percent of the time in a 31-game sample at Double-A Montgomery. His patience should serve him well too against wilder AFL arms. Morgan is coming off a successful first full season in which he ranked eighth among full-season Minor Leagues with a .324 average over 100 games across three levels. The former LSU star and Isaac both could see time in the outfield as Tampa Bay sorts out its future options at first base.

Red Sox (Mesa): Brooks Brannon, C (No. 27); Cooper Adams, RHP; Max Ferguson, INF; Zach Fogell, LHP; Danny Kirwin, RHP; Caden Rose, OF; Conor Steinbaugh, RHP; Tyler Uberstine, RHP
Brannon possesses plus raw power and arm strength and led national high school players with 20 homers (tying his father Paul’s North Carolina state record) and 91 RBI in 2022, but has played just 79 games the last two seasons while dealing with back and knee issues. The most interesting of the Red Sox arms is Uberstine, who topped out at 75 mph with his fastball in high school but now works in the low 90s with his two- and four-seamers and in the low 80s with his sweeper. He had Tommy John surgery in June 2023 and returned to the mound this August.

Yankees (Salt River): Rafael Flores, C/1B (No. 30); Harrison Cohen, RHP; Caleb Durbin, INF; Jackson Fristoe, RHP; Ryan Harvey, RHP; Garrett Martin, OF
Flores has gone from nondrafted free agent out of Rio Hondo (Calif.) JC in 2022 to Double-A in two years, totaling 21 homers between High-A and Double-A this season. Last fall, Durbin became the first AFL player to steal 20 bases in 15 years, swiping 21 (three short of the record) while batting .353 for Mesa.

Guardians (Surprise): Chase DeLauter, OF (No. 2/MLB No. 39); Alaska Abney, RHP; Dylan DeLucia, RHP; Allan Hernandez, RHP; Kody Huff, C; Zak Kent, RHP; Andrew Misiaszek, LHP; Milan Tolentino, INF
DeLauter ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the Fall League a year ago, slashing .299/.385/.529 with more walks (14) than strikeouts (11) while topping the circuit with 27 RBI, though he missed much of this season with a fractured left foot. A premium strike-thrower, DeLucia was named Most Outstanding Player at the 2022 College World Series after leading Mississippi to its first national title and went in the sixth round that July but didn’t make his pro debut until two years later because of Tommy John surgery.

Royals (Surprise): Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP (No. 1/MLB No. 15); Carter Jensen, C (No. 5); Daniel Vazquez, SS (No. 23); Luinder Avila, RHP (No. 26); Brandon Johnson, RHP; Chazz Martinez, LHP; Shane Panzini, RHP; Anthony Simonelli, RHP; Brett Squires, 1B
Taken sixth overall in July, Caglianone is the highest-ranked prospect on an AFL roster this fall, and while he showed moderate success at High-A Quad Cities, his raw pop could really take off in the dry desert air. Notably, he’s only listed as infielder on the Surprise roster as he still awaits a potential professional pitching debut. Jensen was one of Kansas City’s best performers this year with a .259/.359/.450 line, 18 homers and 17 steals over 125 games at High-A and Double-A in his age-20 season. The race between him and Blake Mitchell to be Salvador Perez’s successor behind the plate in KC should be a fun one.

Tigers (Scottsdale): Thayron Liranzo, C/1B (No. 6); Josue Briceño, C/1B (No. 9); Eric Silva, RHP (No. 27); Rayner Castillo, RHP; Wilmer Flores, RHP; Peyton Graham, SS; Jake Miller, LHP; CJ Weins, RHP
Acquired from the Dodgers in the Jack Flaherty deal, Liranzo made a huge first impression by hitting .315/.470/.562 with five homers and more walks (26) than strikeouts (20) over 26 games at High-A West Michigan. His power and patience as a switch-hitting backstop have him on the cusp of the Top 100. Standing in at 6-foot-5, Briceño looked set for a breakout season before a PCL sprain in his right knee forced him to sit much of the summer. He may play mostly first base in the AFL, but his proclivity for triple-digit exit velos should make him a standout all the same.

Twins (Salt River): Kala’i Rosario, OF (No. 20); Danny De Andrade, SS (No. 22); Kade Bragg, LHP; Jacob King, RHP; Devin Kirby, RHP; Jackson Noble, RHP; Benjamin Ross, INF
Rosario played in the Fall League last year and won the league’s home run derby. He made it to Double-A this year, but missed nearly three months with an elbow injury so he’s returning to make up for some lost at-bats. The Twins signed De Andrade for $2.2 million in January 2021 and the 20-year old had moved to High-A this season, only to see his season end after 29 games with an ankle injury that required surgery.

White Sox (Glendale): Colson Montgomery, SS (No. 2/MLB No. 25); Grant Taylor, RHP (No. 6); Peyton Pallette, RHP (No. 27); Eric Adler, RHP; Andrew Dalquist, RHP; Tim Elko, 1B; D.J. Gladney, OF; Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa, RHP; Michael Turner, C
Montgomery returns after ranking as the AFL’s top prospect last fall, and few shortstop prospects can match his offensive ceiling. Taylor, who missed Louisiana State’s 2023 national championship season following Tommy John surgery and much of this year with a lat strain, should be one of the league’s best pitchers thanks to his lively mid-90s fastball, sharp low-90s cutter and pair of solid breaking pitches.

Angels (Mesa): Cole Fontenelle, 3B (No. 21); Sam Bachman, RHP; Jack Dashwood; Brandon Dufault; David Mershon, 2B; Sammy Natera Jr., LHP; Kyren Paris, SS/2B
Fontenelle was the Angels’ seventh-rounder in 2023, taken out of Texas Christian and he was off to a solid start in Double-A (.278/.404/.417) through 22 games when his season ended with a slide into second that caused a dislocated ankle and a fractured fibula. He’ll be looking to get some at-bats and gain some confidence that his leg is OK. Bachman was a first-round pick, taken No. 9 overall in 2021, but injuries have derailed his progress. He touched the big leagues last year, but shoulder surgery this last offseason limited him to 16 rehab starts in the Minors.

Astros (Surprise): Jose Fleury, RHP (No. 10); Austin Deming, 3B; Quincy Hamilton, OF; Joey Mancini, RHP; Collin Price, C; Alex Santos, RHP; Nic Swanson, RHP; Alejandro Torres, RHP
Fleury’s fading low-80s changeup helps the rest of his repertoire play up and has allowed him to strike out 276 in 208 pro innings while limiting opponents to a .193 average. Among Minor Leaguers with 100 innings this season, Mancini ranked sixth in ERA (2.12) and 11th in opponent average (.191), thanks in large part to his low-80s slider.

A’s (Mesa): Max Muncy, SS (No. 8); Denzel Clarke, OF (No. 10); Daniel Susac, C (No. 11); Tyler Baum, RHP; Micah Dallas, RHP; Wander Guante, RHP; Mitch Myers, RHP; Jake Walkinshaw, RHP
Muncy played in the Fall League last year and put up solid numbers in Triple-A (.278/.374/.491)… when he was healthy. The infielder, who is still primarily a shortstop but saw some time at second this year, missed a bunch of time with a hand injury. Clarke is a toolsy outfielder who also played in the AFL, in 2022. He still needs to work on his approach, but he put up decent numbers with Double-A Midland this year, finishing with 13 homers and 36 steals.

Mariners (Peoria): Colt Emerson, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 27); Cole Young, SS/2B (No. 2/MLB No. 34); Jimmy Joyce, RHP (No. 23); Jared Sundstrom, OF (No. 29); Jordan Jackson, RHP; Travis Kuhn, RHP; Jason Ruffcorn, RHP
One of two teams to send their top two prospects, the Mariners are allowing us to see Emerson and Young together for the first time. A foot injury early, then an oblique issue later, limited Emerson to just 70 games, but the 2023 first-rounder did make it to High-A. Young, the club’s first-round selection in 2022, spent the year in Double-A and turned in a solid year while seeing time on both sides of second.

Rangers (Surprise): Alejandro Osuna, OF (No. 16); Josh Stephan, RHP (No. 25); Skylar Hales, RHP (No. 28); Max Acosta, SS/2B; Marc Church, RHP; Cody Freeman, 3B; Leandro Lopez, RHP; Avery Weems, LHP
Osuna idolizes Alex Verdugo, has a similar offensive profile and batted .292/.362/.507 with 18 homers and 17 steals between High-A and Double-A. A rare nondrafted free agent signed out of high school, Stephan is one of the more polished pitchers in the system but missed the final two months of the season with elbow inflammation. Hales has one of the more unhittable fastballs in the Minors, working at 94-97 mph and touching 100 while his low slot and short arm action produce terrific carry and deception.

Braves (Peoria): Drake Baldwin, C (No. 5); David McCabe, 3B/1B (No. 13); Adam Maier, RHP (No. 17); Hayden Harris, LHP (No. 27); Ryan Bourassa, RHP; Isaac Gallegos, RHP; Landon Harper, RHP
After posting an OPS of .844 in his first full season in 2023, mostly with High-A Rome, Baldwin went to the Futures Game and spent much of the year in Triple-A, posting an .887 OPS in 69 games there. The left-handed-hitting backstop is looking more and more like a future big league regular. McCabe had a solid first full season in 2023 and capped it off by playing in the AFL, but Tommy John surgery in February kept him from building off of it until the very end of July, and he’s still working on shaking off the rust.

Marlins (Peoria): Kemp Alderman, OF (No. 12); Andrew Pintar, OF (No. 18); Jun-Seok Shim, RHP (No. 27); Jay Beshears, SS/3B; Justin King, LHP; Patrick Monteverde, LHP; Justin Storm, LHP; Brandon White, RHP
The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Alderman offers some of the best raw power in the Minors, though he hit just eight homers in 77 games this summer while dealing with a broken hamate that cost him the first two months of the season. Part of the A.J. Puk deal with the Diamondbacks in July, Pintar has plus speed and stole 24 bases in 25 attempts. Another July trade acquisition (from the Pirates for Bryan de la Cruz), Shim has power stuff but has missed most of his first two pro season with pectoral and shoulder maladies.

Mets (Scottsdale): Jett Williams, SS/OF (No. 2/MLB No. 53); Drew Gilbert, OF (No. 3/MLB No. 76); Jacob Reimer, 3B/1B (No. 20); Saul Garcia, RHP; Noah Hall, RHP; Jonathan Pintaro, RHP; Jawilme Ramirez, RHP; Dylan Ross, RHP
It’s been a rough year on the injury front for Mets position-player prospects, and Williams (right wrist) and Gilbert (hamstrings) were poster children for that. The pair of Top 100 prospects will make up for the weeks of lost time with extra games for Scottsdale, and they each have a high-octane style of play that could be assets for the Scorpions. Given their season-ending assignments with Triple-A Syracuse, both should be playing to impress the Mets ahead of potential 2025 debuts.

Nationals (Salt River): Cayden Wallace, 3B (No. 11); Robert Hassell III, OF (No. 13); Matt Cronin, LHP; Michael Cuevas, RHP; Maxwell Romero Jr., C; Dustin Saenz, LHP; Chase Solesky, RHP; Luke Young, RHP
Washington acquired Wallace from the Royals in a deal for Hunter Harvey in mid-July but played only 15 games in the organization due to rib and oblique injuries. The 2022 second-rounder has a rocket arm at third base and enough bat to be a potential regular at third base, where he’ll compete with Brady House to be the future of the hot corner in DC. Hassell is back in the AFL for the third straight season and is still trying to show he can provide enough power to be a starting outfielder after hand/wrist injuries have held him back since his move to the Nats in the Juan Soto blockbuster.

Phillies (Glendale): Bryan Rincon, SS (No. 10); Gabriel Rincones Jr. (No. 11); Wen-Hui Pan, RHP (No. 20); Griff McGarry, RHP (No. 21); Christian McGowan, RHP (No. 22); Otto Kemp, 3B/2B (No. 28); Jordan Dissin, C; Tristan Garnett, LHP; Wesley Moore, LHP
A premium defender the Phillies took in the 14th round of the 2022 Draft, Rincon had shaken off a rough April in a move to High-A this year and was playing well in May when a hamstring injury kept him out until late August. His glove is well ahead of his bat, so facing the pitching in the AFL should be a good challenge for him. After a very solid showing in the AFL last year (.889 OPS), Rincones seemed poised for a jump to the upper levels of the system, but a torn thumb ligament limited him to just 68 total games, so he’s back to hit the reset button.

Brewers (Peoria): Brock Wilken, 3B (No. 7); Luis Lara, OF (No. 16); Juan Baez, 3B/2B (No. 27); Coleman Crow, RHP (No. 30); Ryan Birchard, RHP; Will Childers, RHP; Mark Manfredi, LHP; Nick Merkel, RHP
Finishing his time at Wake Forest with 71 homers, Wilken had some of the best power in the 2023 Draft, and the Brewers got aggressive with him with an opening assignment to Double-A Biloxi in the spring. A hit-by-pitch in the face during his fifth game of 2024 not only caused him to miss time but also might have hurt his results as he finished with a .199/.312/.363 and 17 homers in 108 games with the Shuckers. Time with Peoria could help the third baseman end the year on a brighter note. The same could be said for 19-year-outfielder Luis Lara, who slugged just .327 in 110 High-A games but has the speed, glove and arm to impact games at any level. Crow will pitch in his first games since April 2023 after missing time due to Tommy John surgery.

Cardinals (Glendale): Thomas Saggese, INF (No. 4); Leonardo Bernal, C (No. 9); Trent Baker, RHP; Nathan Church, OF; Alex Cornwell, LHP; Ixan Henderson, RHP; Brycen Mautz, RHP; Matt Svanson, RHP
Saggese will be the rare AFL participant with MLB experience (like Lars Nootbaar in 2021), and considering it’s been a slow start for the 22-year-old in The Show, ending the season in the AFL could provide some additional momentum heading into a possible MLB return in 2025. It could also allow him to work at multiple positions after seeing time at second, short and third in the bigs. Bernal will be one of the most advanced defensive catchers in the circuit despite being only 20 years old. He was also a solid hitter during the regular season with a .270/.343/.419 line and 10 homers in 96 games for High-A Peoria.

Cubs (Mesa): Moises Ballesteros, C/1B (No. 4/MLB No. 41); Benjamin Cowles, INF (No. 30); Grant Kipp, RHP; Jonathon Long, 1B: Shane Marshall, RHP; Aaron Perry, RHP; Vince Reilly, RHP; Luis Rujano, RHP; Sam Thoresen, RHP
One of the best young hitters in the Minors, Ballesteros slashed .284/.342/.459 in Triple-A at age 20, though his catching still is a work in progress. Part of the package received from the Yankees for Mark Leiter Jr. in July, Cowles missed most of the rest of the season because an errant pitch chipped a bone in his right wrist just before the trade. He led AFL shortstops with a .956 OPS last fall.

Pirates (Scottsdale): Termarr Johnson, 2B (No. 3/MLB No. 78); Mike Burrows, RHP (No. 16); Khristian Curtis, RHP (No. 27); Derek Diamond, RHP; Kervin Pichardo, INF; Geovanny Planchart, C; Sammy Siani, OF; Eddy Yean, RHP
It’s been an uneven two full seasons of pro ball for Johnson since the Pirates took him No. 4 overall in the 2022 Draft, but at the same time he made it to Double-A not long after his 20th birthday. He draws a ton of walks, shows some power and can steal some bags, but needs to keep honing his overall approach. Burrows likely would have been in the big leagues by now if it hadn’t been for Tommy John surgery he had after two starts in 2023. He’s making his way back, having thrown 46 1/3 innings this year and pitching well in Triple-A before heading to Arizona.

Reds (Glendale): Edwin Arroyo, SS (No. 3/MLB No. 67); Connor Phillips, RHP (No. 15); Jose Acuna, RHP; Tyler Callihan, OF; Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 1B/3B; Arij Fransen, RHP; Luis Mey, RHP; Carson Rudd, RHP
Arroyo had a good head of steam with a strong finish to the 2023 season, with high expectations for a start in Double-A in 2024 when surgery needed to repair a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder in March ended his year before it began. He’ll still be just 21 years old for nearly all of the 2025 season. At one point, Phillips was a Top 100 caliber pitching prospect, one who touched the big leagues last year. But he lost feel for the zone so much, the Reds sent him from Triple-A back to their complex in Arizona to get straightened out. The good news is he posted a 2.49 ERA and .238 BAA over five games with Louisville upon his return in late August.

D-backs (Salt River) Tommy Troy, SS (No. 5); Yu-Min Lin, LHP (No. 7); Gino Groover, 3B/1B (No. 9); Dylan Ray, RHP (No. 16); Philip Abner, LHP; Kyle Amendt, RHP; Alfred Morillo, RHP; Kristian Robinson, OF
Troy (left hamstring strain), Lin (facial fractures) and Gino Groover (broken left wrist) all have ceilings of being regular starters in the Arizona system but dealt with injuries that held them back from triple-digit games/innings. Groover especially heads to Salt River Fields with some momentum after going 17-for-50 (.340) with three homers in 13 games with Double-A Amarillo to end his first full season.

Dodgers (Glendale): Zyhir Hope, OF (No. 11); Jake Gelof, 3B; Alex Makerewich, RHP; Kelvin Ramirez, RHP, Jerming Rosario, RHP; Eriq Swan, RHP
One of the best all-around athletes in the Fall League, Hope has plus raw power, double-plus speed and well above-average arm strength. Swan can push his fastball to 101 mph and back it up with a tight mid-80s slider, though he lacks polish.

Giants (Scottsdale): Bryce Eldridge, 1B (No. 1/MLB No. 50); Bo Davidson, OF (No. 26); Marques Johnson, RHP; William Kempner, RHP; Cale Lansville, RHP; Elijah Pleasants, RHP; Charlie Szykowny, 3B; Tyler Vogel, RHP
The 16th overall pick in the 2023 Draft, Eldridge reached Triple-A at age 19 during his first full pro season and is one of the best offensive prospects in the game. A nondrafted free agent signed for $50,000 out of Caldwell (N.C.) CC last summer, Davidson hit .327/.437/.605 with 11 homers in 63 games between Rookie ball and Single-A while displaying plus raw power and speed.

Padres (Peoria): Ethan Salas, C (No. 1/MLB No. 17); Leodalis De Vries, SS (No. 2/MLB No. 44); Romeo Sanabria, 1B (No. 23); Ryan Bergert, RHP (No. 25); David Morgan, RHP (No. 29); Luis German, RHP; Harry Gustin, LHP; Gabe Mosser, RHP
The Padres being aggressive with talented teenage prospects? Try not to be shocked. Salas and De Vries were the game’s two best international prospects in the last two signing cycles, and they’ll already head to what is considered a prospect graduating school, in part so San Diego can keep them close to its Peoria facility to begin the offseason. Salas was showing momentum at the plate late with High-A Fort Wayne, while De Vries was really coming on offensively for Single-A Lake Elsinore before a right shoulder strain ended his regular season on Aug. 17.

Rockies (Salt River): Ryan Ritter, SS (No. 12); Michael Prosecky, LHP (No. 17); Gabriel Hughes, RHP (No. 22); McCade Brown, RHP; Juan Guerrero, OF; John Justice, LHP; Skyler Messinger, INF; Carlos Torres, RHP
Ritter entered pro ball with a reputation as a glove-over-hit shortstop, and while he still can flat-out defend, his offense in his first full season (2023) was much better than expected as he finished with a 20-20 season. He was having a solid, albeit not as explosive season up in Double-A in 2024, swinging the bat particularly well in July (.320/.404/.420) before an ankle injury that shelved him a month halted his progress, something he’ll try to pick up this fall. Prosecky could be one of the better lefties in the AFL this season and is looking to get things going after he couldn’t follow up on his fine first season of pro ball in 2023 because elbow issues limited him to just 48 2/3 IP this year.