Eduardo Quintero, Zyhir Hope Head AFL Prospect Class

The Arizona Fall League has always been a place where the next wave gets a few more innings, a few more at-bats and, occasionally, its first real spotlight. In its 34th season, the circuit again has a deep collection of young talent, from Dodgers outfielder Eduardo Quintero and Tigers outfielder Zyhir Hope to White Sox infielder Caleb Bonemer. Twelve members of the current MLB Top 100 Prospect list are headed to Arizona.

A desert league with a major league trail

The Fall League opened in 1992, with future Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza among its first class of players.
More than 3,000 AFL alumni have since reached the majors, including Hall of Famers Roy Halladay, Todd Helton and Derek Jeter.
Twenty-seven former Fall Leaguers made the 2026 All-Star Game, with Yordan Alvarez, Drake Baldwin, Cody Bellinger, Ernie Clement, Freddie Freeman, Brandon Marsh, Max Muncy, Andy Pages, Kyle Schwarber and Mike Trout starting.
Kevin McGonigle, the AFL MVP last November, is positioned to follow that award with American League Rookie of the Year recognition.

This year’s crop has a familiar Fall League mix: injured prospects looking to make up innings, recent draftees needing more professional reps, fast-rising hitters arriving from Double-A, and power arms being tested by more advanced bats. Here is the top prospect from each organization headed to the desert.

American League East

Club	Prospect	Clubhouse note
Blue Jays	Jake Bloss, RHP, No. 11	Bloss made three starts for Houston in 2024 before joining Toronto at that season’s Trade Deadline. UCL repair in 2025 and a right teres major strain this year have interrupted his climb. When healthy, the 25-year-old has worked with mid-90s four-seam and sinking fastballs, an 86-89 mph slider, an 80-82 mph curveball and an 87-89 mph changeup.
Orioles	Ike Irish, OF/1B, No. 5; MLB No. 97	Baltimore selected the Auburn product 19th overall in the 2025 Draft. In 76 High-A games with Frederick, he produced a .915 OPS, a 135 wRC+, 16 homers and 20 steals. A torn meniscus suffered shortly after the Futures Game ended his season before a likely Double-A move. Arizona gives him a quick return and upper-level preparation.
Rays	Nathan Flewelling, C, No. 4; MLB No. 62	The Alberta native, drafted in the third round in 2024, jumped from six homers in 2025 to 21 in 106 games at High-A Bowling Green. His 14.6 percent walk rate helped produce a 112 wRC+, second among High-A catchers age 19 or younger since 2006, behind only Francisco Alvarez’s 137 in 2021. The 6-foot-2 catcher can gain valuable experience handling pitchers outside the Tampa Bay system.
Red Sox	Mason White, 2B/SS, No. 26	White hit 49 college home runs in three seasons at Arizona, then added 18 in his first full pro year. The 2025 fourth-round pick batted .251/.353/.480 in 101 games between High-A and Double-A. He divided his defensive work between second and short, though second base is the cleaner long-term fit because of his average arm and quickness.
Yankees	Dax Kilby, SS, No. 1; MLB No. 83	A hamstring issue limited the 2025 supplemental first-rounder to 32 Single-A games, where he posted a .261/.448/.435 line with four homers and 12 steals. The Georgia high school product brings advanced swing decisions, plus raw power and plus speed.

American League Central

Club	Prospect	Clubhouse note
Guardians	Luke Hill, 3B/2B, No. 16	Hill established a reputation for disciplined at-bats at Mississippi and became a 2025 fourth-round pick. Despite a right oblique injury, he hit .254/.380/.484 with 13 homers and 13 steals in 76 games across High-A and Double-A.
Royals	Zion Rose, OF, No. 6	One of three 2026 Draft selections in the league, Rose lost time this spring to ankle and hamstring trouble. Kansas City took the former Louisville outfielder sixth overall, a selection that surprised some observers. He hit .268/.389/.338 with one homer and 14 steals in 19 High-A games at Quad Cities. His bat-to-ball ability, speed and power upside stand out, while getting more lift on contact remains part of the assignment.
Tigers	Zyhir Hope, OF, No. 1; MLB No. 26	Hope returns after playing for Glendale as a 19-year-old in 2024, when he hit .228/.301/.446 in 103 plate appearances. The centerpiece Detroit received from the Dodgers in the Tarik Skubal deal, Hope closed this regular season at .287/.367/.513 with 29 homers and 26 steals over 124 games for two Double-A clubs. He arrives older, stronger and carrying plus power potential with above-average speed.
Twins	Yasser Mercedes, OF, No. 17	Minnesota signed Mercedes for $1.7 million at the opening of the 2022 international period. After time in the Dominican Summer League, two Florida Complex League seasons and portions of three years at Single-A Fort Myers, he broke through with a 1.021 OPS over his first 21 games this year. His High-A Cedar Rapids numbers were quieter, but he still finished with 18 homers and 52 steals in 109 contests.
White Sox	Caleb Bonemer, 3B/SS/OF, No. 2; MLB No. 27	Bonemer won Carolina League MVP honors during his 2025 debut, then led the Minors with 69 extra-base hits and ranked fifth with 37 homers this season. The 2024 second-rounder from Michigan batted .251/.380/.550 with 17 steals in 132 games across High-A and Double-A. He has become a better shortstop than anticipated, projects as a possible plus defender at third, and will see outfield work as Chicago tries to move his bat quickly.

American League West

Club	Prospect	Clubhouse note
Angels	Arjun Nimmala, SS, No. 1; MLB No. 35	Nimmala arrived from Toronto in the José Soriano deadline trade. He put up a .966 OPS and .577 slugging percentage at Double-A Rocket City after the move, then hit seven homers and slugged .826 in 11 September games for his new organization. A hamstring injury earlier cost him five weeks, and a hand laceration sidelined him for another week after the trade.
Astros	Nehomar Ochoa, OF, unranked	Ochoa’s father pitched three seasons in the Expos organization before a fall from a horse injured his shoulder. The younger Ochoa signed with Houston for $300,000, double slot value, as an 11th-round pick from a Houston high school in 2023. He hit .287/.349/.500 with 11 homers and 29 steals in 64 games at two Class A stops, showing the arm strength and raw power expected from a right-field profile.
A’s	Breyson Guedez, OF, No. 9	Guedez signed for roughly $1.5 million during the 2025 international period. After a strong Dominican Summer League debut, Oakland pushed him directly to full-season ball. He responded with a .309/.353/.460 line in 91 Single-A Stockton games and earned a High-A promotion. He turns 19 as AFL play begins, and the biggest area for refinement is an approach that produced 132 strikeouts against 25 walks.
Mariners	Boston Smith, C/OF, No. 13	Washington drafted Smith in the sixth round as a senior sign in 2025, then traded him to the White Sox for Curtis Mead at the end of Spring Training. He climbed from Single-A to Double-A in three months before Seattle acquired him from Chicago near the deadline for Luis Castillo. Smith completed the year with 31 homers, a .566 slugging percentage and a .990 OPS. He was one of six Minor League hitters with at least 30 homers and more than 90 walks.
Rangers	Jacob Johnson, RHP, No. 17	Johnson came back from internal brace surgery that erased much of his 2024 senior year in Mississippi high school. Texas signed the Pearl River Community College product for $300,000, double slot value, in the 11th round of the 2025 Draft. He posted a 2.51 ERA, held opponents to a .193 average and struck out 48 in 43 innings between Rookie ball and Single-A. His package starts with a heavy low-90s sinker and a tight low-80s slider, with control and delivery traits supporting a starting role.

National League East

Club	Prospect	Clubhouse note
Braves	Tate Southisene, SS/2B, No. 3; MLB No. 57	Atlanta’s 2025 first-round choice climbed from Single-A to Double-A at age 19, recording an .875 OPS, 12 homers and 45 steals in only 90 games. His first Double-A game ended when a hit by pitch fractured his wrist. The Fall League should prepare him for a full 2027 campaign with Columbus.
Marlins	Dillon Lewis, OF, No. 11	Miami acquired Lewis from the Yankees in the Ryan Weathers trade last January. The Queens College product is trying to become the school’s first major leaguer. His blend of plus power and speed produced 18 homers and 20 steals, along with a .242/.302/.460 slash line, in 89 Double-A games.
Mets	Cole Mathis, 1B/3B, No. 13	Mathis was New York’s first significant pickup in a season of prospect additions, acquired from the Cubs for David Peterson. Chicago’s 2024 second-round selection underwent Tommy John surgery soon after signing. He played just 13 games with Mets affiliates but had shown an ability to turn average raw power into game production through lift and pull. He has worked at both corner spots, though first base appears to be his eventual home.
Nationals	Jarlin Susana, RHP, No. 3; MLB No. 65	Susana returned in August after lat surgery last year and made eight starts across High-A, Double-A and Triple-A. At 6-foot-6, he brings extraordinary stuff: four-seamers and sinkers that sit in triple digits, a 103 mph peak since returning, and a mid-80s slider with two-plane movement that may be his best offering. More experienced AFL hitters will test his command, but few arms in the league can match his electricity.
Phillies	Aroon Escobar, 2B, No. 6	Philadelphia signed Escobar for $450,000 in 2022. His two Dominican Summer League seasons were not especially productive, but he gained attention after reaching the Florida Complex League in 2024, even with shin splints slowing him. He moved through three levels in 2025, then posted a .679 OPS at Double-A this season while hitting 12 homers and stealing 27 bases. Rule 5 eligibility gives his Arizona showing added importance as he seeks a roster place.

National League Central

Club	Prospect	Clubhouse note
Brewers	Braylon Payne, OF, No. 6	The 17th overall pick in 2024 raised his homer total from eight at Single-A in 2025 to 28 across High-A and Double-A this year. He also stole 25 bags, becoming the youngest Minor Leaguer with a 25-homer, 25-steal season since Adrian Beltré in 1997. Payne already has elite speed and strong left-handed exit velocities; reducing swing-and-miss would strengthen his Top 100 case entering 2027.
Cardinals	Brandon Clarke, LHP, No. 9	St. Louis obtained Clarke from Boston in the Sonny Gray trade last offseason. The 23-year-old lefty touched 103.1 mph with his sinker and works with a strong four-seamer and an exceptional sweeper from a low release point. More than seven feet of extension brings the ball close to hitters. Shoulder surgery for a blood-flow issue limited him this spring, and he has not yet thrown beyond 38 innings in a Minor League season, making Arizona a useful place to pile up competitive work.
Cubs	Myles Bailey, 1B, No. 8	The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Florida State slugger was regarded as the 2026 Draft’s leader in raw power and exit velocity. Chicago selected him in the second round after he hit 13 homers in 26 sophomore games before breaking his right ankle on a slide in late March.
Pirates	Wyatt Sanford, SS, No. 5	A hand injury cost Sanford almost two months and likely kept him from reaching Double-A this year. The 2024 second-round pick still made a louder impact in 77 games, compiling 37 extra-base hits, including 19 homers, a .963 OPS and 33 steals. His 30.6 percent strikeout rate remains a point of emphasis.
Reds	Carlos Sanchez, 3B/SS/OF, No. 14	Cincinnati signed Sanchez for only $70,000 in the 2022 international class. Except for a difficult 2024, he has hit at each stop, finishing this season at .270/.376/.440 with 46 extra-base hits, 16 homers and 23 steals. His first Double-A look was rough, but he has previously responded to a promotion by finding his footing in the following season.

National League West

Club	Prospect	Clubhouse note
D-backs	Demetrio Crisantes, 2B, No. 1; MLB No. 72	Crisantes owns a .312 career Minor League average across four seasons, built on an easy, contact-oriented swing. Injuries have repeatedly cut into his workload, most recently a preseason hamstring problem that held him to 92 games. His power will be watched closely after he slugged .412 in 50 games at Triple-A Reno, a hitter-friendly environment in the Pacific Coast League.
Dodgers	Eduardo Quintero, OF, No. 3; MLB No. 18	Quintero is the highest-ranked player in this year’s field. Los Angeles signed the Venezuelan outfielder for $297,500 in 2023, and he earned California League MVP and Prospect of the Year honors in 2025. At age 20, he led the High-A Midwest League in batting average and on-base percentage while hitting .309/.455/.495 with 45 extra-base hits and 44 steals in 111 games.
Giants	Dakota Jordan, OF, No. 7	Jordan was a three-star wide receiver recruit who initially planned to play football and baseball at Mississippi State. He signed for an over-slot $1,997,500 as a 2024 fourth-rounder and brings double-plus raw power and speed. In 102 High-A and Double-A games, he hit .283/.343/.500 with 19 homers and 21 steals.
Padres	Ty Harvey, C, No. 4	Harvey is a power-oriented 2025 fifth-round catcher who gives San Diego a strong option behind Ethan Salas. A hamstring injury and a broken left hand limited him to 46 games at Single-A Lake Elsinore. The hand issue may have affected his late-season production, while the Fall League can offer more distance from the injury, more chances to show his right-handed pop and a wider range of pitchers with whom to sharpen his defense.
Rockies	Jared Thomas, OF, No. 10	Thomas returns after an AFL stop last year in which he hit .302/.343/.524, though he also struck out 28 times against three walks. He was playing through a broken hamate in his right hand, and continued trouble this season came from a bone spur that required another operation. He returned late and carried an .838 OPS over his final 11 Double-A games into this assignment with Salt River.

The Fall League does not promise a straight path to the majors. It does offer one more useful stretch of baseball before the offseason settles in. For players such as Bloss, Susana, Clarke, Nimmala, Southisene and Sanford, the work is about recovering lost time. For Quintero, Hope, Bonemer, Flewelling and Payne, it is another chance to show that their climb has room for another jump. In Arizona, the box score matters, but so do the healthy innings, the cleaner decisions and the extra at-bats that can shape a season to come.