Arizona Fall League Prospect Report — November 8, 2021

Image credit: Drew Lugbauer (Photo by Bill Mitchell)

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. 

HITTERS

ORG	CLASS	RANK	PLAYER	AB	R	H	RBI	AVG	NOTES
ARI	AFL		Dominic Canzone, RF	4	1	2	0	.324
ARI	AFL		Buddy Kennedy, 3B	5	0	0	0	.152
ATL	AFL		Jesse Franklin, OF	2	1	0	0	.077	BB (7),
ATL	AFL		Drew Lugbauer, C	3	0	1	0	.433	BB (8),
ATL	AFL		Luke Waddell, SS	4	1	2	1	.216	2B (3),
BOS	AFL		Triston Casas, 3B	3	2	2	0	.322	2 BB (12),
CHC	AFL		Luis Vazquez, SS	5	2	2	1	.167	3B (1),
CHC	AFL		Nelson Velazquez, LF	4	2	3	2	.392	HR (7), BB (13),
CHC	AFL		Andy Weber, SS	4	1	2	3	.328	BB (15),
CLE	AFL		Jose Tena, SS	4	2	3	2	.442	2B (5), BB (9),
COL	AFL		Michael Toglia, 1B	4	0	1	0	.274	BB (7),
CWS	AFL		Yoelkis Cespedes, OF	3	1	0	0	.200	BB (2),
CWS	AFL		Yolbert Sanchez, SS	3	1	1	2	.400	2 BB (7),
DET	AFL		Eric De La Rosa, OF	4	0	1	0	.225
HOU	AFL		Korey Lee, C	5	0	0	0	.268
HOU	AFL		Grae Kessinger, SS	4	1	2	2	.283	3B (1), E (1),
KC	AFL		Nathan Eaton, 2B	4	0	0	0	.345	BB (4),
KC	AFL		Seuly Matias, OF	3	1	0	1	.222	2 BB (11),
LAA	AFL		Orlando Martinez, RF	4	1	2	1	.232	BB (2),
LAD	AFL		James Outman, CF	4	3	3	1	.333	2 2B (7), BB (8),
LAD	AFL		Kody Hoese, 3B	2	1	0	1	.162	E (2),
LAD	AFL		Jacob Amaya, SS	4	1	2	0	.294
LAD	AFL		Carson Taylor, C	5	2	2	3	.409	HR (2),
MIA	AFL		JJ Bleday, OF	4	0	0	0	.338	BB (13),
MIA	AFL		Troy Johnston, OF	4	2	2	1	.298	BB (9),
MIA	AFL		Kameron Misner, OF	3	3	1	2	.200	HR (5), 2 BB (13),
MIL	AFL		Mario Feliciano, C	4	0	3	0	.308	BB (1),
MIL	AFL		David Hamilton, SS	4	0	1	0	.333
MIL	AFL		Joe Gray, OF	4	0	1	0	.093
MIN	AFL		Andrew Bechtold, 3B	4	2	2	2	.234	2B (4), BB (8),
MIN	AFL		Matt Wallner, RF	5	0	1	2	.244	2B (1),
NYM	AFL		Brett Baty, 3B	5	0	1	1	.258	2B (4),
NYM	AFL		Wilmer Reyes, SS	3	1	1	0	.226	BB (9),
NYY	AFL		Austin Wells, C	3	2	0	0	.277	2 BB (12), SB (1),
NYY	AFL		Andres Chaparro, 3B	5	2	2	2	.224	HR (2),
NYY	AFL		Elijah Dunham, OF	5	1	2	0	.362	SB (9),
OAK	AFL		Jonah Bride, 3B	4	1	1	0	.220
OAK	AFL		Austin Beck, OF	5	0	0	0	.214
PHI	AFL		Simon Muzziotti, CF	4	0	0	1	.250	SB (3),
PHI	AFL		Bryson Stott, SS	4	1	1	1	.333
SD	AFL		Chandler Seagle, C	3	1	1	1	.300	2B (2),
SD	AFL		Eguy Rosario, 2B	3	0	1	2	.255	BB (7), CS (2),
SEA	AFL		Zach DeLoach, CF	5	1	1	0	.192
SEA	AFL		Cade Marlowe, LF	3	2	1	1	.218	2B (5), BB (13),
SF	AFL		Marco Luciano, SS	4	1	1	0	.204	BB (10),
SF	AFL		Will Wilson, SS	4	2	1	3	.140	HR (2),
SF	AFL		Patrick Bailey, C	4	0	1	0	.308	2B (3), BB (5),
TB	AFL		Matthew Dyer, C	4	2	1	1	.211
TB	AFL		Jordan Qsar, OF	5	0	1	0	.154
TEX	AFL		Justin Foscue, 2B	2	2	1	2	.220	2 BB (11), SB (2),
TOR	AFL		Gabriel Moreno, C	4	1	2	1	.373	2B (8), BB (11),
WAS	AFL		Jackson Cluff, SS	5	1	1	0	.358	BB (10), SB (6),
WAS	AFL		Donovan Casey, RF	5	0	2	2	.273	BB (8),
WAS	AFL		Israel Pineda, C	4	0	1	1	.333	BB (1),

PITCHERS

ORG	CLASS	RANK	PLAYER	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	ERA	NOTES
ARI	AFL		Mitchell Stumpo, RHP	1	1	1	1	1	0	2.25
ATL	AFL		Indigo Diaz, RHP	1	0	0	0	1	2	15.19
ATL	AFL		Jake Higginbotham, LHP	1	1	0	0	0	0	15.43
BAL	AFL		Cameron Bishop, LHP	4	2	1	1	0	3	9.64	W (1-0)
BAL	AFL		Nick Vespi, LHP	1.2	1	0	0	2	2	2.19
BOS	AFL		Brendan Cellucci, LHP	1.1	0	0	0	1	1	9.72
BOS	AFL		Andrew Politi, RHP	0.1	2	2	2	2	0	7.71
BOS	AFL		Josh Winckowski, RHP	0.2	0	0	0	0	0	6.55
CIN	AFL		Eddy Demurias, RHP	1	2	3	3	2	1	11.37
CIN	AFL		Jacques Pucheu, LHP	2.2	3	3	3	1	2	2.45
COL	AFL		Jake Bird, RHP	1	1	0	0	0	2	1.17
CWS	AFL		Johan Dominguez, RHP	3	6	0	0	0	3	11.00
CWS	AFL		Caleb Freeman, RHP	1	1	0	0	1	1	1.29
CWS	AFL		McKinley Moore, RHP	1.1	1	0	0	0	1	4.50
DET	AFL		Zack Hess, RHP	1	0	0	0	0	0	8.53
KC	AFL		Alec Marsh, RHP	1.1	3	4	4	1	3	27.00	L (0-1)
KC	AFL		Stephen Woods, RHP	2	5	2	2	1	2	5.40
LAA	AFL		Nathan Burns, RHP	1	1	2	0	0	0	1.29
LAA	AFL		Zach Linginfelter, RHP	1.1	2	0	0	1	0	2.61	W (2-1)
LAD	AFL		Jeff Belge, LHP	1.1	0	0	0	1	3	14.85
MIA	AFL		Zach King, LHP	1.1	3	4	4	3	2	10.80
MIA	AFL		Josh Simpson, LHP	0.2	1	0	0	0	2	6.75	Sv (1)
MIL	AFL		Taylor Floyd, RHP	1	4	2	2	0	2	8.22
MIL	AFL		Justin Jarvis, RHP	3.2	4	5	5	3	3	6.39	L (1-1)
MIL	AFL		Lun Zhao, RHP	0.1	2	3	3	1	1	8.31
MIN	AFL		Kody Funderburk, LHP	4	4	2	2	0	6	7.36	W (2-2)
MIN	AFL		Evan Sisk, LHP	1	0	0	0	0	1	9.82
PIT	AFL		Carmen Mlodzinski, RHP	0.2	3	3	3	1	2	6.75
SD	AFL		Tom Cosgrove, LHP	0.1	0	0	0	0	1	7.20
SEA	AFL		Luis Curvelo, RHP	2.2	3	1	1	0	1	9.72
SEA	AFL		Juan Then, RHP	2.1	6	7	7	4	4	12.46	L (1-3)
SF	AFL		Gregory Santos, RHP	1	0	0	0	0	1	3.38
TB	AFL		Carlos Garcia, RHP	0.2	2	3	3	1	0	3.97
TEX	AFL		Tim Brennan, RHP	1	0	0	0	1	1	7.36
TEX	AFL		Spencer Mraz, RHP	1	0	0	0	1	1	5.40
TOR	AFL		Cre Finfrock, RHP	1	1	2	2	3	1	9.35
TOR	AFL		Brody Rodning, LHP	0.1	1	2	2	2	0	9.39