2023 Arizona Fall League: Mesa Solar Sox Roster Analysis
The 30th season of the Arizona Fall League is nearly here. On Sept. 22, the league released its preliminary rosters for the upcoming season, which begins on Oct. 2 and runs through the championship game, which will be held on Nov. 11 at Scottsdale Stadium. The annual Fall Stars Game will be played on Nov. 5 at Sloan Park.
In addition to the traditional six-week slate, the AFL this year will feature two special site days. On Oct. 14, all three games will played at Goodyear Ballpark, the spring training home of the Guardians and Reds. Two weeks later, two of the league’s games (Salt River vs. Glendale and Peoria vs. Mesa) will be held at Hohokam Stadium, in Mesa.
This year’s rosters include nine of Baseball America’s current Top 100 prospects, led by White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery, who ranks No. 14.
Roster Analysis
Top 100 Prospects: None
Intriguing Prospects: Cubs OF Kevin Alcantara has been on and off the Top 100 list the last few years and is one of the more exciting players in the league.
Alcantara leads a talented outfield group that features fellow Cubs OF Alexander Canario and Astros center field prospect Kenedy Corona.
The infield group is led by Astros 3B Zach Dezenzo. A 12th-round pick out of Ohio State, Dezenzo has some of the best raw power in the league with strong plate skills to back it.
The Cubs positional contingent is one of the strongest in the league and in addition to Alcantara and Canario, the Cubs are also sending infielder James Triantos who has some of the best plate skills in the league this Fall.
Between Max Muncy and Brett Harris the Athletics send two infielders with upper minors experience. Harris is a well rounded hitter who could turn out to be one of the biggest sleepers entering this fall.
As far as pitching the Solar Sox will roll out two of the better swing and miss arms in the league in Oakland’s Royber Salinas and the Astros’ Miguel Ullola. In Salinas the Solar Sox may possess the best slider in the 2023 AFL and in Ullola the league’s best fastball.
| Pitchers | Team | B | T | Ht. | Wt. | DOB | Birthplace | 2023 Level |
| Baulmer, Carter | BAL | R | R | 6’2 | 195 | 1/31/2002 | Grimes, IA | Delmarva (A) |
| Blubaugh, AJ | HOU | R | R | 6’2 | 190 | 7/4/2000 | Mansfield, OH | Corpus Christi (AA) |
| Emanuels, Stevie | OAK | R | R | 6’5 | 225 | 1/30/1999 | Seattle, WA | Midland (AA) |
| Gaither, Ray | HOU | R | R | 6’4 | 224 | 3/4/1998 | Denton, TX | Corpus Christi (AA) |
| Guilfoil, Tyler | HOU | R | R | 6’4 | 215 | 1/19/2000 | Lexington, KY | Ashville (A+) |
| Henriquez, Nolberto | NYY | R | R | 6’4 | 170 | 10/16/1999 | La Vega, Dominican Republic | Hudson Valley (A+) |
| Hull, Nick | CHC | R | R | 6’0 | 205 | 8/21/1999 | Edmonds, WA | South Bend (A+) |
| Kachmar, Chris | CHC | R | R | 6’3 | 180 | 9/3/1996 | East Greenville, PA | Tennessee (AA) |
| Laskey, Adam | CHC | R | L | 6’3 | 205 | 3/9/1998 | Vorhees, NJ | Tennessee (AA) |
| McGough, Trey | BAL | L | L | 6’3 | 190 | 3/29/1998 | Johnstown, PA | Bowie (AA) |
| Melendez, Jaime | HOU | L | R | 5’8 | 190 | 9/26/2001 | Pubela, Mexico | Corpus Christi (AA) |
| Peek, Zach | BAL | R | R | 6’3 | 189 | 5/6/1998 | Pineville, NC | Aberdeen (A+) |
| Perkins, Jack | OAK | R | R | 6’1 | 220 | 12/26/1999 | Kokomo, IN | Midland (AA) |
| Romero, José | CHC | R | R | 5’10 | 185 | 4/20/2001 | Santa Barbra, Venezuela | Myrtle Beach (A) |
| Salinas, Royber | OAK | R | R | 6’3 | 205 | 4/10/2001 | Guarenas, Venezuela | Midland (AA) |
| Santana, Tyler | CHC | R | R | 6’1 | 205 | 5/13/1998 | Miami, FL | South Bend A+) |
| Stevens, Kevin | NYY | R | R | 6’2 | 225 | 1/26/1998 | Tucson, AZ | Tampa (A) |
| Stuart, Baron | NYY | R | R | 6’4 | 209 | 7/24/1999 | Stuart, FL | Hudson Valley (A+) |
| Tavera, Carlos | BAL | R | R | 6’1 | 195 | 10/6/1998 | For Worth, Texas | Bowie (AA) |
| Tur, Yunior | OAK | R | R | 6’6 | 200 | 10/9/1999 | La Habana, Cuba | Stockton (A) |
| Ullola, Miguel | HOU | R | R | 6’1 | 205 | 6/19/2002 | Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic | Ashville (A+) |
| Van Loon, Pete | BAL | R | R | 6’5 | 210 | 2/18/1999 | Pleasanton, CA | Bowie (AA) |
| Vrieling, Trystan | NYY | R | R | 6’4 | 200 | 10/2/2000 | Lewistown, ID | Tampa (A) |
| Weisenburger, Jack | OAK | R | R | 6’3 | 220 | 10/8/1997 | Winston Salem, NC | Midland (AA) |
| Catchers | Team | B | T | Ht. | Wt. | DOB | Birthplace | 2023 Level |
| Palma, Miguel | HOU | R | R | 5’8 | 170 | 1/4/2002 | Caracas, Venezuela | Ashville (A+ |
| Pavolony, Connor | BAL | R | R | 6’1 | 185 | 10/25/1999 | Atlanta, GA | Bowie (AA) |
| Infielders | Team | B | T | Ht. | Wt. | DOB | Birthplace | 2023 Level |
| Bowens, TT | BAL | R | R | 6’4 | 235 | 5/27/1998 | New London, CT | Bowie (AA) |
| Cook, Billy | BAL | R | R | 6’1 | 200 | 1/7/1999 | Layton, UT | Bowie (AA) |
| Cowles, Ben | NYY | R | R | 6’0 | 180 | 2/15/2000 | Rochester, NY | Hudson Valley (A+) |
| Dezenzo, Zach | HOU | R | R | 5’11 | 220 | 5/11/2000 | Canton, OH | Corpus Christi (AA) |
| Durbin, Caleb | NYY | R | R | 5’6 | 185 | 2/22/2000 | Lake Forest, IL | Somerset (AA) |
| Harris, Brett | OAK | R | R | 6’1 | 208 | 6/24/1998 | Arlington Heights, IL | Las Vegas (AAA) |
| Muncy, Max | OAK | R | R | 6’1 | 180 | 8/25/2002 | Camarillo, CA | Midland (AA) |
| Triantos, James | CHC | R | R | 6’1 | 185 | 1/29/2003 | Fairfax, VA | Tennessee (AA) |
| Outfielders | Team | B | T | Ht. | Wt. | DOB | Birthplace | 2023 Level |
| Alcántara, Kevin | CHC | R | R | 6’6 | 188 | 7/12/2002 | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | Tennessee (AA) |
| Canario, Alex | CHC | R | R | 5’11 | 212 | 5/7/2000 | Montecristi, Dominican Republic | Iowa (AAA) |
| Corona, Kenedy | HOU | R | R | 5’10 | 184 | 3/21/2000 | Maracaibo, Venezuela | Corpus Christi (AA) |
| Rhodes, John | BAL | R | R | 6’0 | 200 | 8/15/2000 | Soddy Daisy, TN | Bowie (AA) |
| Medina, Nelson | NYY | R | R | 6’2 | 175 | 9/14/2000 | San Cristobal, Dominican Republic | Scranton Wilkes-Barre (AAA) |
| Lazaro Armenteros | OAK | R | R | 5’11 | 182 | 5/22/1999 | Havana, Cuba | Midland (AA) |
