Arizona Fall League Prospect Report — October 14, 2021

Image credit: Triston Casas (Photo by Bill Mitchell)

Rejoice one, rejoice all — the time has come for baseball … in Arizona … in the fall. From Surprise and Scottsdale to Glendale and Salt River to Mesa and Peoria, the premier postseason prospect showcase has returned in all its glory with a bounty of talented players on each of the league’s six rosters. 

Carlos Cortes, OF, Mets — Cortes started his fall campaign strong, with three hits that included of the game’s hardest-hit balls. The Mets’ prospect went 3-for-4 with a triple against Padres prospect MacKenzie Gore. The three-bagger left the bat at 102.1 mph, one of 10 balls hit with triple-digit exit velocity. The 24-year-old South Carolina product had four games of three or more hits during the regular season, but is already a quarter of the way to matching that total in the 30-game AFL campaign. 

Brett Baty, 3B, Mets — Carlos Cortes hit in the leadoff spot for Salt River, one spot ahead of his system-mate Baty, who had a similarly excellent AFL debut. One of the top prospects in the game, Baty went a perfect 3-for-3 for Salt River with a trio of singles, two of which were scalded. Both of his hits off of MacKenzie Gore were laced, with one at 106.5 mph off the bat and another at 108.7. Those two hits were among the top four exit velocities of the game. 

MacKenzie Gore, LHP, Padres — Gore’s prospect stock dipped significantly in 2021 thanks to a year that resulted him getting sent all the way back to San Diego’s spring training home in Arizona before starting the climb back up the minor league ranks. Quite simply, Gore needs a strong turn in the Fall League. On Opening Day, he took the first step. The lefthander spun five innings of two-run ball with three strikeouts and a walk. He brought his fastball up to 98 mph and got 10 swinging strikes in 88 pitches. He threw 56 pitches for strikes, giving a 63.6% strike rate for the day. 

Zach DeLoach, OF, Mariners — The first home run of the AFL belongs to DeLoach. He took Shumpei Yoshikawa deep in the sixth inning, redirected an 89 mph fastball for a three-run blast. The homer left the bat at 103.4 mph and traveled an estimated 429 feet to right-center field. 

Asa Lacy, LHP, Royals — In much the same way as MacKenzie Gore, Lacy could use a strong Fall League to rinse the bitter taste of the 2021 regular season. In his first turn as a pro, Lacy struggled with control and command while spending the year at High-A Quad Cities. There, he posted identical marks of 7.1 in terms of both hits and walks per nine innings. Also like Gore, Lacy started his AFL on a strong note. The lefty whiffed four over two scoreless innings with one hit and one walk the only blemishes on his ledger and earned the win in Surprise’s opener. 

Triston Casas, 1B, Red Sox — The 2021 silver medalist kicked off his Arizona Fall League campaign with a bang by going deep in his first at-bat of the season. The top Red Sox prospect smacked 14 homers in the regular year over 86 games while showing the ability to hit for average and get on base. The 21-year-old Casas has the look of a powerful, profile masher at first base who will fit nicely into Boston’s lineup in the near future. 

ORG	CLASS	RANK	PLAYER	AB	R	H	RBI	AVG	NOTES
CLE	AFL		Mike Amditis, C	4	0	0	0	0
SFG	AFL		Patrick Bailey, C	3	0	1	0	0.333	2B (1),
MIA	AFL		Will Banfield, C	1	0	0	0	0	2 BB (2),
SDP	AFL		Matt Batten, 2B	4	1	2	0	0.5	SB (1),
NYM	AFL		Brett Baty, 3B	3	2	3	0	1	BB (1),
MIA	AFL		JJ Bleday, OF	4	0	0	0	0
ARZ	AFL		Jose Caballero, IF	4	0	2	2	0.5	2B (1), BB (1), CS (1),
ARZ	AFL		Dominic Canzone, RF	4	0	2	2	0.5	2B (1), BB (1),
BOS	AFL		Triston Casas, 3B	4	1	2	2	0.5	HR (1),
WSH	AFL		Donovan Casey, RF	5	1	1	1	0.2
CWS	AFL		Yoelkis Cespedes, OF	4	0	1	1	0.25	2B (1),
NYY	AFL		Andres Chaparro, 3B	4	0	0	0	0
NYM	AFL		Carlos Cortes, 2B	4	1	3	0	0.75	3B (1), BB (1),
BOS	AFL		Kole Cottam, C	1	0	0	0	0
OAK	AFL		Logan Davidson, SS	3	0	0	0	0	BB (1),
SEA	AFL		Zach DeLoach, CF	4	1	1	3	0.25	HR (1), BB (1),
NYY	AFL		Elijah Dunham, OF	4	1	3	0	0.75	SB (1),
TBR	AFL		Matthew Dyer, C	5	0	1	0	0.2	CS (1),
KCR	AFL		Nathan Eaton, 2B	4	1	1	0	0.25	SB (1),
TEX	AFL		Justin Foscue, 2B	3	1	1	0	0.333	2 BB (2), CS (1),
PIT	AFL		Nick Gonzales, SS	4	0	1	0	0.25	BB (1),
STL	AFL		Nolan Gorman, 3B	2	1	1	3	0.5	HR (1), BB (1),
MIL	AFL		Joe Gray, OF	4	0	0	1	0	BB (1),
LAD	AFL		Kody Hoese, 3B	4	1	1	0	0.25
TOR	AFL		Spencer Horwitz, 1B	4	0	1	0	0.25
TEX	AFL		Sam Huff, C	4	0	0	0	0	BB (1),
ARZ	AFL		Cooper Hummel, OF	1	0	0	1	0	BB (1),
LAA	AFL		Jeremiah Jackson, SS	2	0	0	0	0
TOR	AFL		Leonardo Jimenez, 2B	3	0	0	0	0	E (1),
DET	AFL		Ryan Kreidler, 3B	4	1	1	0	0.25	BB (1), E (1),
HOU	AFL		Korey Lee, C	4	1	1	0	0.25	BB (1),
HOU	AFL		Pedro Leon, OF	5	0	0	0	0
SFG	AFL		Marco Luciano, SS	4	0	1	0	0.25
SEA	AFL		Cade Marlowe, LF	5	0	0	0	0
LAA	AFL		Orlando Martinez, RF	4	0	2	0	0.5	3B (1),
KCR	AFL		Seuly Matias, OF	4	0	1	0	0.25
TBR	AFL		Curtis Mead, 2B	4	0	1	0	0.25
KCR	AFL		Jake Means, 3B	3	1	1	0	0.333	2B (1), BB (1),
MIA	AFL		Kameron Misner, OF	4	0	0	0	0
STL	AFL		Lars Nootbaar, RF	2	1	0	0	0	BB (1),
PHI	AFL		Logan O’Hoppe, C	4	1	0	0	0	BB (1),
LAD	AFL		James Outman, CF	1	0	0	0	0	BB (1),
CLE	AFL		Richard Palacios, 2B	2	1	1	0	0.5	2B (1), 2 BB (2), CS (1),
WSH	AFL		Israel Pineda, C	2	0	1	3	0.5	2B (1),
NYM	AFL		Wilmer Reyes, SS	4	0	0	0	0	E (1),
CWS	AFL		Jose Rodriguez, IF	2	0	1	0	0.5
SDP	AFL		Eguy Rosario, 2B	5	0	0	0	0
CWS	AFL		Yolbert Sanchez, SS	2	0	1	0	0.5
NYM	AFL		Hayden Senger, C	2	0	0	0	0
PIT	AFL		Canaan Smith-Njigba, LF	3	0	1	0	0.333	2B (1), 2 BB (2),
PHI	AFL		Bryson Stott, SS	2	2	2	0	1	2B (1), 3 BB (3), SB (1),
BAL	AFL		Kyle Stowers, OF	4	0	0	0	0
CLE	AFL		Jose Tena, SS	4	1	1	0	0.25
COL	AFL		Michael Toglia, 1B	5	0	1	0	0.2
DET	AFL		Spencer Torkelson, 3B	4	1	1	2	0.25	2B (1), BB (1),
CHC	AFL		Luis Vazquez, SS	3	0	0	0	0	BB (1),
CHC	AFL		Nelson Velazquez, LF	4	0	3	0	0.75	2 2B (2), CS (1),
MIN	AFL		Matt Wallner, RF	4	0	1	0	0.25
NYY	AFL		Austin Wells, C	2	0	0	0	0	BB (1),
STL	AFL		Juan Yepez, 1B	3	0	0	0	0

ORG	CLASS		PLAYER	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	ERA	NOTES
COL	AFL		Jake Bird, RHP	0.1	0	0	0	1	0	0
TB	AFL		Trevor Brigden, RHP	1	1	0	0	1	1	0
CIN	AFL		Michael Byrne, RHP	1	2	0	0	0	2	0
ARI	AFL		Slade Cecconi, RHP	2	1	0	0	4	1	0
OAK	WIN		Bryce Conley, RHP	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
NYY	AFL		Harold Cortijo, RHP	1	0	0	0	2	2	0
CWS	AFL		Johan Dominguez, RHP	2	2	1	1	1	3	4.5	W (1-0)
MIA	AFL		Justin Evans, RHP	1	0	0	0	0	1	0
MIA	AFL		Evan Fitterer, RHP	4	4	1	1	3	5	2.25	L (0-1)
MIL	AFL		Taylor Floyd, RHP	1	0	0	0	0	2	0
TB	AFL		Carlos Garcia, RHP	1	0	0	0	0	1	0
SD	AFL		MacKenzie Gore, LHP	5	6	2	2	1	3	3.6
NYY	AFL		Zach Greene, RHP	1.1	1	0	0	0	4	0
WAS	AFL		Cole Henry, RHP	2.2	0	0	0	1	6	0
NYM	AFL		Colin Holderman, RHP	1	1	0	0	0	1	0
LAD	AFL		Kyle Hurt, RHP	1	2	0	0	0	2	0
KC	AFL		Asa Lacy, LHP	2	1	0	0	1	4	0	W (1-0)
NYM	AFL		Brian Metoyer, RHP	1	2	1	1	1	1	9
TEX	AFL		Spencer Mraz, RHP	1	0	0	0	0	1	0
STL	AFL		Andre Pallante, RHP	3	5	2	2	1	5	6
TB	AFL		Matthew Peguero, RHP	1	0	0	0	0	1	0
BOS	AFL		Andrew Politi, RHP	1	1	0	0	0	2	0
ATL	AFL		Jose Quezada, RHP	1.1	1	1	1	2	1	6.75	L (0-1)
TOR	AFL		Brody Rodning, LHP	1	1	0	0	0	1	0
SF	AFL		Gregory Santos, RHP	1.2	1	0	0	0	4	0
BOS	AFL		Connor Seabold, RHP	2.1	3	4	3	3	3	11.57	L (0-1)
ARI	AFL		Mitchell Stumpo, RHP	1	1	0	0	0	3	0	W (1-0)
SEA	AFL		Devin Sweet, RHP	1	2	2	2	1	2	18
STL	AFL		Zack Thompson, LHP	3	0	0	0	0	5	0	Sv (3)
SD	AFL		Matt Waldron, RHP	1	2	1	1	0	2	9
OAK	AFL		Brock Whittlesey, RHP	1	3	4	4	2	1	36
MIA	AFL		Jefry Yan, LHP	1	0	0	0	0	3	0
ARI	AFL		Shumpei Yoshikawa, RHP	2.2	4	4	4	3	2	13.5