The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is well underway as the MLB’s top prospects look to sharpen their skills in hopes of getting the call to the big leagues in 2025.
Denzel Clarke Finishes Double Shy of the Cycle
Though he couldn’t quite pull off the first cycle of the AFL season, Athletics prospects Denzel Clarke put on a show on Monday with a four-hit, 5-RBI performance. The 24-year-old outfielder is now batting .425/.549/.625 during the AFL season. Perhaps most encouraging for the Athletics is his improved patience, as he has already walked nine times in 11 games after just 39 during the regular season. Already possessing elite power and speed, Clarke could be a prospect to watch next season if he can maintain that plate discipline.
Nothing but hits for Denzel Clarke 💥
The #Athletics' No. 10 prospect falls a double shy of the cycle on a 4-hit, 5-RBI day in Arizona. pic.twitter.com/HNggfhvlee
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) October 28, 2024
Two Players Hit 468-foot Home Runs….. In The Same Inning
It’s not often that a player hits a ball that travels well over 450 feet and leaves the bat at over 110 miles per hour. Yet we saw two such moonshots in the same inning on Saturday’s contest between the Mesa Solar Sox and the Glendale Dirt Dogs. First came Red Sox catching prospect Brooks Brannon, who blasted a 1-1 cutter from Eric Alder 468 feet over the center-field wall. That feat was matched in the bottom half of the fifth when White Sox prospect D.J. Gladney deposited a hanging changeup way over the left-field fence. Though Gladney’s homer was also measured at 468 feet, his colossal homer edged Brannon’s in terms of exit velocity, leaving the bat at 117 miles per hour compared to Brannon’s 113-mile-per-hour laser. To put those numbers in perspective, only eight major league players hit homers that reached both plateaus in 2024, and only an Aaron Judge longball exceeded both in exit velocity (117.5 miles per hour) and distance (477 feet)
Now THAT'S a moonshot!@MLBDevelops alum DJ Gladney (@whitesox) demolishes his 1st Fall League HR: 117.1 mph, 468 ft. pic.twitter.com/AQkJ4qASEe
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) October 27, 2024
Josh Stephan Turns in Another Strong Start
Ok, enough about hitting. Let’s turn our attention to the mound, where pitching prospect Josh Stephan continues to dominate. The Rangers farmhand turned in another strong outing on Saturday, turning in three scoreless innings and striking out three. Stephan has allowed just one run over 12.2 innings this fall, proving he is healthy after not pitching since July due to an elbow strain. The 22-year-old is making a solid case to be added to the 40-man roster this fall, protecting him from the Rule 5 draft.
Jett Williams Hits First AFL Home Run
MLB.com’s 30th-ranked prospect entering the season, Jett Williams regular season never truly got off the ground. The Mets prospect suffered a wrist injury during Spring Training that hampered his performance and eventually required surgery in July. Williams took the field 33 times in the regular season, slashing just .217/.358/.298 without a single home run. That made it all the more encouraging when Williams blasted a solo shot over the center field wall on Friday, giving strong evidence that his wrist is fully healed. Should he enter the season healthily, Williams will be a popular bounce-back pick and a strong call-up candidate in 2025.
420 foot home run from Jett Williams last night, his first of the AFL season.
Williams played center field and had two outfield assists.
Drew Gilbert went 0-for-2 with two walks.
— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) October 26, 2024
Bryce Eldridge Finishes AFL League Strong
After climbing four levels in 2024 and making an appearance in the AFL, the Giants finally decided they had seen enough from star prospect Bryce Eldridge, ending his fall stint after ten games. As he had during the regular season, Eldridge continued to showcase one of the best bats in all of the minor leagues, posting a .860 OPS and blasting two home runs. Giants farm director Kyle Haines also told The Athletic that he was pleased with Eldridge’s work on defense and with the coaching staff, which was a priority during his stint in Arizona. The newly-turned 20-year-old will now focus on the 2025 season, where another strong performance could earn him a look in the majors.
#SFGiants No. 1 prospect Bryce Eldridge clobbers his second Fall League homer, a go-ahead 2-run shot for Scottsdale in the 9th pic.twitter.com/yXKYPjEB1E
— Jesse Borek (@JesseABorek) October 23, 2024
Watch the Arizona Fall League all year on MLB.com.
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WBN Arizona Fall League: https://worldbaseball.com/league/arizona-fall-league/
Photo Credit: Henry Davis #34 of the National League Fall Stars signs items for fans before the game between the American League Fall Stars and the National League Fall Stars at Sloan Park on Sunday, November 6, 2022 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
