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MLB Top 100 Prospects AFL Check-In

 Daniel Fox - World Baseball Network  |    Nov 13th, 2024 8:30pm EST

An updated check-in on how MLB’s Top 100 Prospects are doing in the Arizona Fall League (AFL). 

  1. 1B Jac Caglianone, Kansas City Royals

After a relatively underwhelming performance with the High-A Quad City River Bandits this summer, Caglianone has shown plenty of encouraging signs this fall. The .235/.300/.420 may not jump off the page, but he has already homered four times and displayed top-of-the-charts exit velocity. The Royals’ sixth overall pick also stood out during All-Star weekend, blasting 14 longballs during the Home Run Derby and roping a double during the All-Star game.  

  1. C Ethan Salas, San Diego Padres 

There is no denying that the 2024 regular season was a disappointing one for Salas. The Padres phenom appeared overmatched at High-A Fort Wayne, slashing .206/.288/.311 in 111 games. On the bright side, those kind of struggles could be expected for an 18-year-old playing against much older competition, and Salas has shown signs of improvement this fall. He has improved his line to a respectable .244/.351/.427 while totaling nine extra-base hits in just 21 games. The Padres would like to see him cut down on his strikeout rate, but Salas’ fall performance has created much-needed momentum heading into 2025.  

  1. 1B Xavier Isaac, Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays’ first-round pick from 2022, Isaac, has risen up the prospect ranks as a Three True Outcome masher. That profile has carried over into the AFL, as he has mashed a trio of home runs and posted a solid .403 on-base percentage thanks to 11 walks. On the other hand, he has struck out in 27 of his 67 plate appearances, suitable for a 40% strikeout rate, a 10% increase from the regular season. Isaac’s power and patience will get him to the major leagues, but to fulfill his potential as a middle-of-the-order bat, he will need to get his strikeouts under control.  

  1. SS Colson Montgomery, Chicago White Sox

After a disappointing regular season that failed to earn him a promotion to the woeful White Sox, Montgomery desperately needed an excellent AFL stint to rebuild his prospect stock. The shortstop has delivered and then some, posting a terrific .311/.511./.656 line while walking more than he has struck out. Among all players with at least 30 plate appearances this fall, Montgomery’s .511 on-base percentage ranks third, while his 1.167 OPS ranks sixth. This performance is exactly what the White Sox were looking for this fall, and don’t be surprised if the 23-year-old Montgomery is firmly in the mix for an Opening Day roster spot.  

  1. SS Colt Emerson, Seattle Mariners 

Coming into this fall, the book on Emerson was that he possessed an elite hit tool and understanding of the strike zone, albeit without much power. His performance thus far has matched that scouting report to a tee. Even though he has not homered in 62 at-bats, he has posted a .370 batting average and tallied nine doubles. The lack of over-the-fence power likely caps his offensive upside, but the 19-year-old Emerson looks like a potential long-term solution to the Mariners’ middle-infield woes.   

  1. SP Andrew Painter, Philadelphia Phillies

Painter was the only top 100 pitching prospect sent to Arizona this fall, and there is good reason for that. An elbow injury that eventually required Tommy John surgery wiped out each of the last two seasons, leading the Phillies to send him to the AFL to make up for lost time. The results have been as good as the team could have asked for, as the former top pitching prospect in the game has posted a 2.30 ERA with 18 strikeouts against just four walks. Most importantly, he has still shown the same triple-digit fastball he possessed pre-surgery, providing hope that he can still be a frontline MLB starter.  

  1. SS Cole Young, Seattle Mariners

While Emerson has impressed this fall, his potential middle-infield partner of the future saw his AFL stint cut short. Young was removed from the Peoria Javelinas roster after just one game due to a wrist injury that had reportedly been bothering him for months, ending what has otherwise been a successful 2024 season.  The 20-year-old played in 124 games for the Double-A Arkansas Travelers, posting a .271/.369/.390 line to go along with 23 steals.  

  1. OF Chase DeLauter, Cleveland Guardians

The 2024 season was a mixed bag for DeLauter, as he once again displayed elite power potential but was limited to 39 games due to a fractured foot. The 22-year-old only played in 10 games this fall, but the results were encouraging, as he drew ten walks against only six strikeouts and posted a .290 average. There is no question that DeLauter’s tools are as good as any outfield prospect in the game, but for him to jump to the upper echelon of prospects, he must prove that he can stay on the field.   

  1. C Moises Ballesteros, CHC

Despite the Cubs repeatedly pushing him to levels where he is among the youngest players, Ballesteros has done nothing but hit since coming stateside in 2022. The Arizona Fall League stint has been more of the same, as the 20-year-old catcher was rewarded with an All-Star appearance after posting a .306/.369/.556 line and homered five times in 17 games. With the Cubs getting almost no production from catcher Miguel Amaya last season, don’t be surprised if Ballesteros is strongly in the mix for a spot on the Opening Day Roster.   

  1. SS Leodalis De Vries, San Diego Padres

At first glance, De Vries’ .200/.286/.350 line looks like a disappointment for one of the top 50 prospects in the game. Those numbers, however, are far more understandable when you consider that De Vries is one of the youngest players in recent AFL memory, having just turned 18 years old last month. His October 31 round-tripper made him the youngest player to go deep in the AFL since Bryce Harper. It may be a while before we see De Vries in the majors, but given the aggressive assignments the team has given him over the past two years, it’s clear the Padres believe they have something special on their hands.  

  1. 1B Bryce Eldridge, San Fransisco Giants

Though the Giants stated that Eldridge’s 10-game stint in Arizona was mainly to get defensive reps and work with their coaching staff, the 2023 first-round pick continued to impress with the bat. The 19-year-old first baseman posted a .293/.348/.512, almost identical to .292/.374/.516 line he posted during the regular season. The 16-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio is a bit concerning, but that is nitpicking for a teenager who has climbed to the doorstep of the major leagues.  

 

  1. SS Jett Williams, New York Mets

A lingering wrist injury can be catastrophic for a hitter, and Williams never looked like himself even after returning from surgery in August. Though his numbers in Arizona are underwhelming, there have been several encouraging signs, such as a home run to dead center that traveled 420 feet. Though 2024 can only be described as a lost year, Williams will enter 2025 at just 21 years old, and he can easily rebuild his stock with a healthy season.  

  1. SS Edwin Arroyo, Cincinnati Reds 

Like Williams, Arroyo entered the AFL looking to rebound from a regular season derailed by injury. Pre-season shoulder surgery prevented Arroyo from ever taking the field, meaning that his stint in Arizona had a little added importance. A .258/.319/.349 line may not jump off the page, but it represents progress for a 20-year-old playing in his first game action in a calendar year. Arroyo also impressed during the All-Star game, collecting singles in each of his two at-bats.  

 

  1. OF Drew Gilbert, New York Mets

Gilbert, the centerpiece of the Justin Verlander trade, struggled with injuries and inconsistency during a disappointing first full season in the Mets organization. The last month, however, provided some reason for hope, as he homered nine times in his final 29 games. He has continued to hit for power during his AFL stint, with four homers in just 20 games, but has posted a batting average of just .197. Gilbert has now batted around .200 in both the regular season and the AFL, and he will have to answer questions about his ability to hit high-level pitching in 2025.  

  1. 2B Temarr Johnson, Pittsburgh Pirates 

Few players in the minor leagues have a more interesting profile than Temarr Johnson. The five-foot-seven-inch second baseman has an exceptional eye and surprising power but has yet to post a batting average above .250 at any level. His AFL stint has been more of the same: A terrific 26% walk rate and a batting average of exactly .250. Johnson’s performance hasn’t helped or hurt his prospect stock, and he will still enter a critical 2025 season as an intriguing, if uncertain, prospect.  

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