Last week, we broke down the top prospects from every major league organization heading into the Arizona Fall League. This week we’ll dig a little deeper.
Below you will find a possible candidate for the AFL for each team. This list is worth keeping an eye on. Every year, the Fall League produces unknown talents who appear on the map and make it to the big leagues. On this list last year we included Edouard Julien, who is currently on the Twins’ postseason roster, Bryan Woo, who made 18 starts for the Mariners during the regular season, and Blake Sabol, who was a Rule 5 pick last December and he got over 300 at-bats with the Giants.
This year we increased the difficulty and only selected players who are not currently on a team’s top 30 list.
Blue Jays: CJ Van Eyk, RHP
Van Eyk, a second-round pick in 2020 who signed for $1.8 million, missed the entire 2022 season due to Tommy John surgery and returned to the mound this summer with fits for the double in late August -A to reach. He has a full four-pitch mix with a fastball that can reach 95 mph, and he can get whiffs with a low-80s curveball and a low-80s changeup. The mid-80s slider is located at the back of the package. The extensive repertoire gives him a starting point, but the 25-year-old needs to show consistent health before a Rule 5 decision this off-season.
Oriole: Peter Van Loon, RHP
Val Loon, a 6-foot-11 right-hander, was taken by the Orioles out of UC Irvine in the 16th round of the 2021 draft and spent the regular season at Double-A Bowie. His numbers may not be eye-popping, but the makings are there, with a fastball up to 98 mph, broken stuff, and a splitter that can miss all at-bats. He might be best suited for a bullpen role, although he pitched 3 2/3 scoreless in his first AFL start on Tuesday.
Rays: Austin Vernon, RHP
Set aside Vernon’s more traditional numbers at High-A Bowling Green this season (6.12 ERA, 1.63 WHIP in 82 1/3 IP) for a moment. Consider this: The 2021 10th-rounder ranked fifth in High-A with a 15.2 percent swinging-strike rate among 89 pitchers with at least 80 frames. He has reached the upper 90s with his fastball in the past and flashes good sliders and changeups – the latter of which has helped him become a reverse-split expert in 2023. If he can keep the home runs in check in the AFL, Vernon will cement his place as an interesting arm in a system that knows how to get the most out of relievers.
Red Sox: Corey Rosier, OF
Rosier was acquired from the Padres in August 2022 as part of the Eric Hosmer transfer and is primarily characterized by well-above-average speed that allows him to steal bases and cover ground in center field. He hit .285/.351/.431 with seven home runs and 49 swipes in 116 games between Double-A and Triple-A.
Yankees: Benjamin Cowles, INF
Cowles led the Big Ten Conference with 18 home runs for Maryland in 2021 before the Yankees selected him in the 10th round. An aggressive hitter with the versatility to play all over the infield, he hit .254/.356/.393 with 10 home runs and 23 steals in 106 High-A games.
Legal Guardian: Ryan Webb, LHP
Despite undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2021, Webb didn’t make it past the fourth round in this year’s draft and was selected by the Guardians out of Georgia. With a low-90s fastball and two solid breaking pitches, he posted a 3.29 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 82 innings in High-A.
Royals: Eric Cerantola, RHP
The 23-year-old right-hander has a good base with a fastball in the mid-90s and a slider that generates plenty of swing-and-miss. Two things are worth seeing during his time in the desert. First, his control improved over the course of 2023 after initial struggles, and he walked just 11 batters in his final 10 appearances (34 2/3 innings) between High-A and Double-A. Second, he was used late after working as a backup and made his last two appearances as a starter for Northwest Arkansas. Cerantola needs a lot of momentum to surprise.
Tiger: Tanner Kohlhepp, RH
Kohlhepp, a 2021 fifth-rounder out of Notre Dame, did not make his minor league debut until June 22 at Single-A Lakeland after Tommy John surgery sidelined him for the entire 2022 season. He survived the season in the Florida State League, making shortened one-to-two inning appearances while recovering on the mound. Control was an issue after lost time (25 walks in 23 2/3 IP), but he showed good speed, sitting 93-95 mph and reaching 98 mph while throwing in turns and changes. It’s all about handling innings in the desert, but keep an eye on Kohlhepp’s ability to limit walks the further away he gets from TJ.
Gemini: Andrew Cossetti, C
Cossetti, the Twins’ 11th-round pick in the 2022 draft out of St. Joseph’s University, began the year with full-season Fort Myers and was promoted to High-A Cedar Rapids after just 35 games. He controls the strike zone well and showed good pop this year (.287/.426/.534). His defense has improved, especially his arm, which continues to be the focal point for him to stay behind the plate long-term.
White Sox: Adisyn Coffey, RHP
Coffey, a two-way player at Arizona State, San Jacinto (Texas) JC and Wabash Valley (Illinois) CC, was a third-rounder below the slot in 2020 who underwent Tommy John surgery after the draft. Now he’s a full-time reliever with a 93-96 mph fastball and a slider in the mid-80s. He posted a 4.82 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings between High-A and Double-A.
Angel: Eric Torres, LHP
In 2022, Torres was our first team alternate for the Prospect Team of the Year. In 2023, the inability to find the strike zone (combined 11 BB/9!) at the upper levels derailed the lefty. It’s average stuff with an unconventional bottom slot, but the fastball and slider still missed quite a few at-bats. He enjoyed the success he had in 1922 in Double-A. Therefore, the hope is that his stint in the AFL can help him regain his command and continue his rise to the big leagues as a left-handed reliever.
Astros: AJ Blubaugh, RHP
Blubaugh was named the Horizon League’s Reliever of the Year in both 2021 and 2022 while pitching in Milwaukee and has developed into a starter since turning pro as a seventh-round pick last year. Equipped with a 92-96 mph fastball and a solid slider, he posted a 4.41 ERA with 112 strikeouts in 100 innings between High-A and Double-A.
A’s: Stevie Emanuels, RHP
Emanuels was primarily a backup player at the University of Washington (he had a chance to start during the shortened 2020 season) and was the A’s fifth-rounder in this summer’s shortened draft. He did get some starting opportunities in 2021 and 2022, but A move back to the full-time bullpen this year was successful for the 6-foot-1 right-hander. Despite missing the first two months of the season, he made it to Double-A for the first time and finished with a 2.04 ERA, a 12.9 K/9 rate and a .193 BAA.
Mariners: Troy Taylor, RHP
While Taylor served as a starter in the 2021 draft league, his time playing for UC Irvine saw him drafted in Round 12 of the 2022 draft in 2022. It looks like his stuff is playing, with a fastball that reached 98-99 mph and a power slider to hit 12.3 per nine over two levels of A ball. His strike-throwing skills have improved significantly over the year (1.85 BB/9 as of July 1), so he has a solid upside next to his name heading into Fall League play.
Rangers: Justin Slaten, RHP
Slaten possesses a 94-98 mph fastball and a mid-80s slider, and he’s done a better job of utilizing them this year as a full-time reliever. A 2019 third-round pick out of New Mexico – the second-highest drafted pitcher in school history – he posted a 2.87 ERA, .206 opponent average and 86/20 K/BB ratio between Double-A and Triple-A.
Braves: Tyler Tolve, C
A Georgia native, Tolve went to Kennesaw State before staying “home” by going to the Braves as a 17th-round pick in 2021. After a strong first full season at High-A Rome, his promotion to Double-A was slowed by a right quadriceps strain. But when healthy, he’s an intriguing left-handed catcher who has historically been athletic enough to play other positions.
Mets: Brendan Hardy, RHP
The 23-year-old right-hander climbed three levels from Single-A to Double-A after a late start to the season and posted solid numbers throughout: 1.80 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 54 strikeouts, .184 average-against in 35 innings. Hardy lacks velocity with a 90-92 mph fastball, but he can throw it up with good extension in his 6-foot-4 frame. His standout pitcher is a 79-81 mph sweeper that helps generate K-values, and it should be something to lean on in advanced AFL competition before becoming Rule 5 eligible this winter becomes.
National: Holden Powell, RHP
Powell, a third-round pick out of UCLA in 2020, looked like a potential quick-action backup when he entered pro ball, but two surgeries, including one on his shoulder in late 2021, have slowed that progress. He reached Triple-A last month and managed 94-96 mph with his four-seam fastball while also relying heavily on a mid-80s slider. Those two spots and his new health give him a chance to reach Washington next summer or could make him a Rule 5 option this winter when he becomes eligible for the first time.
Marlins: Ike Buxton, RHP
Buxton, a catcher and pitcher who split his college career between Boise State and Lipscomb, was a 15th-round pick in 2022. He scored with powerful pitching from his 93-97 mph power sinker and a solid slider He posted a 2.45 ERA with a .188 opponent average and 73 strikeouts in 77 innings in the promotion from Single-A to Double-A.
Phillies: Jordi Martinez, LHP
A starter early in his Phillies career, Martinez enjoyed further success when he moved to the full-time bullpen in 2023. He made it from High-A to Double-A, hitting 10.8 out of nine. His fastball averaged around 95 mph and was up to 97 mph in Reading this year, and he combines it with a nasty upper-80s slider that misses a lot of at-bats.
Brewer: Wes Clarke, 1B/C
The Double-A Biloxi lineup was loaded this season with Jackson Chourio, Jeferson Quero and Tyler Black highlighting the roster at various points, but none of them hit as hard as Clarke. The right-handed hitter led the Southern League (a circuit that experienced an offensive slump in the first half when a pre-stacked ball was used) with 26 home runs in 118 games and ranked fourth among qualifiers with an .889 OPS . Strikeouts (29.2 percent K rate) may be an issue in the desert, but given the AFL’s hitter-friendly environment, it won’t be surprising if Clarke is among the HR leaders there too.
Cardinals: Andre Granillo, RHP
The 2021 14th-round pick has already carved out an impressive spot in the Cardinals system compared to his draft position as a classic two-pitch reliever. Granillo can reach speeds of 94-96 mph with his four-seater and does a low-80s slider very well to get strikeouts. His K rate of 30.1 percent was the second-best among Cardinals minor leaguers with at least 60 innings pitched this summer. After allowing 38 runs in 68 1/3 frames at Double-A and Triple-A, control will be the priority, but Granillo has already shown his skillset works with five K’s over two innings in his Fall League debut on Tuesday.
Boys: Jose Romero, RHP
Signed from Venezuela in 2020 for just $10,000, Romero has emerged as one of the better reliever candidates in the Cubs system. He posted a 2.77 ERA, a .193 opponent average and 68 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings in Single-A while displaying a 93-95 mph fastball and a solid slider.
Pirates: Alessandro Ercolani, RHP
This could be more than just the human story of Ercolani, who wants to become the first major league player from the small country of San Marino (it’s not part of Italy!). He has a fastball that can reach 95-96 along with a solid slider. He needs to work on his command (he walked four times in his AFL debut) and his offspeed stuff, but he can miss bats.
Reds: Jacob Hurtubise, OF
After four years with Army, Hurtubise signed with the Reds as an undrafted free agent following the shortened 2020 draft. He has 70-degree speed and isn’t afraid to use it, with a career-high 45 steals in a breakout season in 2023. Hurtubise, now 25, hit a combined .330/. .479/.483 and walked more than he struck out as he led the minors in OBP.
D-Backs: Caleb Roberts, C/OF
Roberts ranked third in the Texas League with a .523 slugging percentage and fifth with a .906 OPS, but he achieved those points in one of the minors’ most hitter-friendly environments in Amarillo. He hit .677 in the Sod Poodles’ home games and .360 on the road. The 2021 fifth-rounder’s strength gains were still impressive, and the advanced competition of the AFL (sometimes a hitter’s paradise) should provide another litmus test for the left-hander’s bat.
Dodgers: Ben Casparius, RHP
Casparius trusts his plus-82-85 mph slider more than his low-90s fastball, and moving from the rotation to the bullpen might be better for him in the long run. A 2021 fifth-round pick out of Connecticut, he posted a 5.27 ERA with 120 strikeouts in 107 2/3 innings between High-A and Double-A.
Giants: Hayden Wynja, LHP
After moving from Purdue to Lincoln Trial (Ill.) CC to South Florida to Murray State, Wynja signed with the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2022. As a quality slider, he recorded a 4.16 ERA with 115 strikeouts in 97 1/3 innings between Single-A and High-A.
Padres: Cole Paplham, RHP
There was a lot of talk about Ethan Salas and Robby Snelling moving up from Single-A to Double-A in their first full seasons. Well, Paplham did the same, albeit older as a 23-year-old who signed as an undrafted free agent out of the University of New Orleans. The 6-foot-3 right-hander moved quickly with the power of his 95-97 mph fastball and his 85-87 mph slider — the latter of which was a major bat mistake in 2023. Paplham already has what it takes to be a developmental winner for San Diego, and if things hold up in the AFL, he will be an even more prominent arm of the system by 2024.
Rockies: Juan Mejia, RHP
The sleeper tag may have been ripped away from him when he recorded all four of his outs via strikeout in his AFL debut on Monday, but that’s okay. The right-hander is coming off a year in which he reached Double-A for the first time, posting a 13.2 K/9 rate across two levels. With a fastball that can reach 98 mph and a slider that keeps getting better, he goes straight at hitters.