Arizona Fall League Prospect Report — November 8, 2021

Drew Lugbauer, C/1B, Braves — Power, especially from the left side, is one of the most valued commodities in the game. Lugbauer has it in spades. That much was clear on Friday, when he put together a superlative effort against Scottsdale. In that game, Lugbauer, who was called away from vacation in Hawaii to replace Shea Langeliers on the Peoria roster, collected four hits in five trips, including two impressive home runs. The first went to the opposite field, was hit slightly off the end of the bat and served as a perfect showcase of the massive Lugbauer's brute strength. The second home run was pulled into the gap in right-center field and was gone the moment it was hit. Both of Lugbauer's other hits on the day were struck soundly. All in all, the day provided a glimpse into the kind of power Lugbauer can provide and why he'll get plenty of chances to succeed.

Kameron Misner, OF, Marlins — Speaking of impressive power from the left side, Kam Misner also collected a pair of home runs over the weekend. The second, against Surprise, left little doubt. The blast came against Royals prospect Alec Marsh and found its way to the right field bullpen in a flash. Misner showed plenty of juice as an amateur at Mizzou. As a pro, he's working to get to it more often. Specifically, the Marlins are working with Misner on finding swing mechanics which will allow him to keep the barrel of the bat in the zone as long as possible. If he can do that, then he'll fit right in as a middle-of-the-order masher in a corner-outfield spot.

Nelson Velazquez, OF, Cubs — There's no two ways about it: Nelson Velazquez has been one of the most impressive players in this year's Arizona Fall League. The Cubs outfielder has showcased a swing that is shorter than in previous years and allows him to be on time to the ball while allowing the barrel to explode through the zone with plenty of authority. His seven home runs are the most in the league, the latest a rocket to left field off of Surprise righthander Alec Marsh. Perhaps even more impressive than his power, however, is the way Velazquez seems to command at-bats. Earlier in the week against Dodgers top pitching prospect Bobby Miller, Velazquez confidently took offspeed pitch after offspeed pitch without so much as flinching. Velazquez is commanding at-bats. Now, he also commands your attention.

Gabriel Moreno, C, Blue Jays — Before he broke his thumb in the regular season, Moreno had emerged as one of the best prospects in the game. In Arizona, he's reinforced that reputation and stands as the clear-cut best prospect in the league. Despite a swing with loud movements at the top, Moreno has consistently shown the ability to be on time and manipulate the barrel to not only get to pitches in all sectors of the strike zone, but to hit them with authority as well. He's lashed balls from line to line against both velocity and spin, and enters the fifth week of the AFL hitting .373/.469/.588 with eight doubles, a home run and more walks (11) than strikeouts (eight). Lest you think his output was a fluke fueled by pitching that can mostly be described as highly flammable, Moreno hit .373/.471/.508 in 2020 in the Venezuelan Winter League. Perhaps even more interesting than his offense is where Moreno played defensively on Saturday. Against Surprise, the top Blue Jays prospect stepped out from behind the plate and continued dabbling at third base. He only got one chance—a slow roller that would have been a 50-50 ball for many players more experienced at the position—but the fact that Toronto is giving Moreno experience at the hot corner will help open another avenue toward big league time on a club flush with young catching like Alejandro Kirk and Danny Jansen.

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