If you thought the end of summer also brought the end of your chances to follow top prospects, just remember – there’s always desert ball.
Rosters for the six Arizona Fall League teams were officially announced Wednesday afternoon, headlined by 13 Top 100 prospects, including two of the Top 5. It will be the first time that two of MLB’s Top 4 prospects participate in the AFL since Bryce Harper and Mike Trout in 2011. The 2025 season begins Oct. 6 and runs through Nov. 15, the day of the circuit’s Championship Game to be played at Salt River Fields.
The Top 100 prospects are as follows:
2. Kevin McGonigle, SS, Tigers (Scottsdale)
4. Sebastian Walcott, SS, Rangers (Surprise)
12. Josue De Paula, OF, Dodgers (Glendale)
32. Braden Montgomery, OF, White Sox (Glendale)
47. Aidan Miller, SS, Phillies (Surprise)
48. Blake Mitchell, C, Royals (Surprise)
54. Chase DeLauter, OF, Guardians (Surprise)
58. Charlie Condon, 1B/OF, Rockies (Salt River)
71. Alfredo Duno, C, Reds (Peoria)
79. Jonny Farmelo, OF, Mariners (Peoria)
82. Ethan Salas, C, Padres (Peoria)
88. Hagen Smith, LHP, White Sox (Glendale)
95. Cam Collier, 1B/3B, Reds (Peoria)
The Peoria Javelinas and Surprise Saguaros lead the circuit with four Top 100 prospects each, followed by the Glendale Desert Dogs with three and the Salt River Rafters and Scottsdale Scorpions with one apiece. Every Fall League club represents five different farm systems with several staying at their Arizona-based Spring Training homes.
Here’s the breakdown for each AFL team in 2025:
Glendale Desert Dogs: Blue Jays, Braves, Cardinals, Dodgers, White Sox
Mesa Solar Sox: Athletics, Cubs, Marlins, Rays, Yankees
Peoria Javelinas: Mariners, Orioles, Padres, Reds, Twins
Salt River Rafters: Angels, D-backs, Pirates, Red Sox, Rockies
Scottsdale Scorpions: Astros, Giants, Mets, Nationals, Tigers
Surprise Saguaros: Brewers, Guardians, Phillies, Rangers, Royals
Among the highlights on this year’s AFL calendar are a tripleheader in Tucson on Oct. 11, another tripleheader in Goodyear on Oct. 18, the Home Run Derby on Nov. 8 and the Fall Stars Game (which will be broadcast live on MLB Network) on Nov. 9. The Fall League is moving to a new postseason format for 2025 in which all six teams make the playoffs and the top two clubs receive a first-round bye. The aforementioned Championship Game will also be shown live on MLB Network, MLB.com and the MLB app.
Fourteen AFL participants are alumni of MLB’s youth development programs (including MLB Develops and the Nike RBI program), including Montgomery and Collier, who have taken part in events such as the DREAM Series, Hank Aaron Invitational, and Breakthrough Series. Other alumni include Enrique Bradfield Jr., Kendall George, Ed Howard, Christian Little, Xavier Meachem, Brock Moore, PJ Morlando, Dante Nori, Kenny Serwa, D’Andre Smith, Jared Thomas, and Jaden Woods.
This year’s initial AFL rosters are below, organized by MLB parent club:
Kasevich was hopeful of a 2025 debut in the Majors until back issues severely limited him at Triple-A. He’s still shown incredible plate discipline with Buffalo but needs to start showing better impact with improved health ahead of his Rule 5 eligibility this offseason. Duran is a gifted defender and Toronto’s best catching prospect, and Rule 5 pick Bastardo will technically make his org debut after taking the summer to recover and build up from Tommy John surgery.
Yankees prospect Caleb Durbin set the AFL stolen base record with 29 in 2024; Bradfield is one of the few this year who could compete to break that mark. He swiped 74 last year and has 34 in 67 games this season, a year shortened by a hamstring injury. De Léon also missed the first month of the season, but pitched his way to Double-A, but still successfully pitched his way to Double-A. He’ll be looking to stretch out his innings total for the year with an eye towards impacting the big league staff in 2026.
Smith and Taylor both appeared in the MLB Pipeline Top 100 at various times – the former as a power-speed outfielder and the latter as a potential jack of all trades on the dirt – but fell out due to inconsistency. Few Fall Leaguers have more to prove than Taylor specifically after the 2023 19th overall prospect stayed below the Mendoza line and slugged below .300 for the majority of the summer with Double-A Montgomery. This could be the coming-out party for Guerrero – a toolsy left-handed-hitting outfielder who signed for $3.7 million in 2023 but hasn’t played more than 51 games in a single season yet. He’s the youngest player on an initial Fall League roster at just 19 years old.
Perales ranked as Boston’s best pitching prospect and displayed an upper-90s fastball and upper-80s splitter before blowing out his elbow in June 2024, leading to Tommy John surgery that cost him all of this season. Taylor’s well above-average speed translates into basestealing prowess (29 swipes this year) and quality defense in center field. The younger brother of Top 100 Prospect Jhostynxon “The Password” Garcia, Johanfran is known as “The Username” and has more offensive upside than most catchers.
The Yankees have stocked up on Southeastern Conference right-handers in recent years, and their two best AFL prospects come from that demographic and missed some time with shoulder ailments this season. A 2024 second-rounder from Vanderbilt, Cunningham operates with a mid-90s fastball and a nifty upper-80s changeup with plenty of fade and sink. Smith, a 2023 sixth-rounder from Mississippi State, has good feel to spin with a plus mid-80s slider and a solid low-80s curveball.
Guardians (Surprise): Chase DeLauter, OF (No. 2/MLB No. 54); Daniel Espino, RHP (No. 30); Wuilfredo Antunez, OF; Juan Benjamin, 3B/2B; Trenton Denholm, RHP; Matt Jachec, RHP; Rorik Maltrud, RHP; Zane Morehouse, RHP
DeLauter has slashed .313/.417/.522 in the last two years in the AFL, and he’s back for a third stint after missing time with a sports hernia and a broken hamate this season. Despite repeated injury issues, he still has one of the best combinations of size, athleticism, hitting ability, power and plate discipline in the Minor Leagues. Espino once showed the best all-around stuff in the Minors (fastball up to 103 mph, wipeout slider up to 93, power curveball, effective changeup) but hasn’t pitched in an official game since May 2022 and has had two shoulder surgeries since.
Royals (Surprise): Blake Mitchell, C (No. 1/MLB No. 48); Daniel Vazquez, SS (No. 16); Carson Roccaforte, OF (No. 20); Hunter Owen, LHP (No. 26); A.J. Causey, RHP; Dennis Colleran, RHP; L.P. Langevin, RHP; Logan Martin, RHP
While Carter Jensen headed to the Majors for the first time this month, his fellow backstop Mitchell will go to the desert to make up for time lost due to a broken right hamate bone. His power may have suffered because of the injury with a .296 slugging percentage for High-A Quad Cities, but the extra playing time (and dry desert air) could do him wonders in that department. Vazquez and Roccaforte are both special defenders on the infield and in the outfield, respectively, and Causey and Langevin could make for fun watches out of the Saguaros bullpen – the former for his funk from a sidearm release, the latter for his elite fastball traits.
McGonigle’s at-bats will be must-watch at every stop in the Valley. The Tigers’ top prospect regularly barrels balls from the left side while showing impressive swing decisions; it’s the right balance to give him the best hit tool in the Minors. Anderson, a breakout performer this season, has been rewarded with an AFL trip as he tries to prove he can contribute in The Show next year. Keep an eye out for Serwa, baseball’s most notable knuckleball-throwing prospect as a 28-year-old.
The top two Twins prospects headed to Arizona are coming off a playoff run with High-A Cedar Rapids, with Winokur still working to consistently get to his power-speed combination and Amick, the club’s second-round in 2024, who missed chunks of the season with oblique and shoulder injuries, but managed an OPS of .867 in 59 games. Mendez, who came over from the Phillies in the Harrison Bader deal, has hit everywhere he’s been, hitting .316 in Double-A post-trade.
White Sox (Glendale): Braden Montgomery, OF (No. 1/MLB No. 32); Hagen Smith, LHP (No. 5/MLB No. 88); Sam Antonacci, 2B/3B (No. 11); Tyler Davis, RHP; Ryan Galanie, 1B; Carson Jacobs, RHP, Connor McCullough, RHP, Jarold Rosado, RHP
Part of the Garrett Crochet trade with the Red Sox, Montgomery fits the classic right-field profile with well above-average raw power and arm strength. Both he and Smith went in the top half of 2024’s first round, thought the latter’s fastball and slider haven’t overmatched pro hitters like they did with college batters. Antonacci’s advanced bat-to-ball skills enabled him to hit .292/.435/.404 and reach Double-A in his first full pro season.
Angels (Salt River): Juan Flores, C (No. 18); Raudi Rodriguez, OF; Brandon Dufault, RHP; Will Gervase, LHP; Fulton Lockhart, RHP; David Mershon, SS/2B; Najer Victor, RHP; Ryan Costeiu, RHP
Still only 19, Flores scuffled a bit with the move up to High-A Tri-City this year, though he did homer 10 times in 89 games. Mershon, a 2024 draftee out of Mississippi State, is making his second straight trip to the AFL after missing the first month and change of the 2025 season and struggled to find his footing in Double- or Triple-A upon his return.
A 2024 first-rounder, Janek impressed with his defense and slammed 12 homers in High-A during his first full pro season. Some evaluators believe the action on his mid-90s fastball and low-80s slider make Brito Houston’s best pitching prospect. Cole has some of the best all-around tools in the system and slashed .279/.377/.544 with 19 homers and 16 steals in 95 games between Double-A and Triple-A.
The club’s second-round pick in 2024, White, known by many as “Tommy Tanks,” is coming off a solid first full season of pro ball that saw him reach Double-A and homer a dozen times. Kuroda-Grauer went a round after White and also reached Double-A Midland. There hasn’t been a ton of impact, but there’s been a lot of contact as the shortstop has hit a combined .294 with a .360 OBP and a Jacob Wilson-esque 8.7 percent strikeout rate.
Mariners (Peoria): Jonny Farmelo, OF (SEA No. 7/MLB No. 79); Marcelo Perez, RHP (No. 19); Brock Rodden, 2B (No. 22); Tyler Cleveland, RHP (No. 30); Christian Little, RHP; Brock Moore, RHP; Stefan Raeth, RHP
Farmelo, a 2023 draftee the Mariners went well over slot to sign, will bring one of the best overall raw toolsets to Arizona this fall. He was literally getting his legs back under him after missing a year due to a torn ACL in June of 2024, then missed more time because of a stress reaction in his rib, playing just 29 games in 2025. Perez is an undersized strike-thrower who can really spin the ball well and pitched his way to Double-A for the first time this season.
This looks like the deepest crop of Arizona Fall League talent. One of the best prospects in the Minors, Walcott successfully navigated Double-A at age 19 and has jaw-dropping power and arm strength. Corniell returned from Tommy John surgery in 2024 to once again throw strikes with a solid four-pitch mix. Back issues short-circuited Santos’ season but he can reach 98 mph with his fastball and spin a plus mid-80s slider when he’s fully healthy.
Hackenberg is a groundball machine who was unable to follow up on a very solid 2024 season with a repeat this year, and he missed a month and a half to boot, so he’s hoping to get back on track in the AFL. Sinnard, a 2024 draftee who also missed time on the injured list, is the other ranked prospect heading to Arizona after pitching well across two levels of A ball when healthy. Alvarez was a top five prospect in the organization, but officially graduated from prospect status even though he missed a ton of time (which he’s trying to make up for) with wrist and oblique injuries this season.
Caba is one of the best defenders in the Minors, though a sprained left thumb cost him most of the season and hampered him at the plate. A 2024 first-rounder, Morlando dealt with left elbow and hamstring injuries this year but the Marlins believe in his hitting ability and power potential. Milbrandt has a high-spin fastball that touches 99 mph and has developed a solid low-80s curveball to back it up.
A Bronx native, Suero is the rare catching prospect with plus speed, and he backed up that report by eclipsing the 30-steal mark for the first time in his career this year. He’s also set a new career best in homers, reaching double-digits for the first time, and his versatility in the outfield and at first base could be advantageous for the Scottsdale roster. Speaking of speed, Morabito will be one of the fastest players in the desert, and while he lacks serious pop, his center-field defense, along with those wheels, give him a decent floor.
It hasn’t been an ideal first full season for 2024 10th overall pick King, but going from pitcher-friendly Wilmington and Harrisburg to the hitter-friendly desert could be just what the doctor ordered. He’ll have to work on improving his pitch selection after getting swing-happy at both locations. Bennett is still building up after missing 2024 due to Tommy John surgery, but has found success early in that process, particularly with his mid-80s changeup. Petry – a second-rounder in July out of South Carolina – is the rare player to reach the Fall League in his Draft year, but he was limited in the spring by a sprained left shoulder so he could use the extra work.
Phillies (Surprise): Aidan Miller, SS (No. 2/MLB No. 47); Dante Nori, OF (No. 6); Carson DeMartini, 3B (No. 13); Eiberson Castellano, RHP (No. 24); Jack Dallas, RHP; Jaydenn Estanista, RHP; Daniel Harper, RHP; Tommy McCollum, RHP
The Phillies’ first-rounder in 2023, Miller spent nearly all of the 2025 season with Double-A Reading, turning 21 in June. He had trouble finding consistency until things clicked in August thanks to a gradual change in his approach. From Aug. 1 on, the infielder hit .361/.485/.630 to earn a late bump up to Triple-A before heading to Arizona. Nori, who followed Miller as the Phillies’ first-rounder in 2024, hit well enough across two levels of A ball to take Miller’s place on Reading’s roster to finish off the year.
Dinges and Adamczewski were two of the breakout stars in a loaded Milwaukee system this season because of their impressive offensive displays, and both will be tested against top competition in Arizona. Dinges specifically could be a fun follow with his all-out swing, while Adamczewski was interestingly listed as an outfielder on the Surprise roster after seeing only four games out there in the regular season. Adams – one of the Minors’ best OBP machines – will end his age-21 season in the Valley after missing two months with a left shoulder contusion.
Cardinals (Glendale): Chen-Wei Lin, RHP (No. 16); Tyler Bradt, RHP; D.J. Carpenter, RHP; Randel Clemente, RHP; Travis Honeyman, OF; Darlin Saladin, RHP; Graysen Tarlow, C; Miguel Ugueto, OF
Listed at 6-foot-7, Lin will be one of the tallest pitchers in the Fall League, alongside the 6-foot-8 Carpenter. After a breakout 2024, the right-hander has much to prove after massively struggling with control at High-A and Double-A in ‘25, but on his day, he can show off three pitches in his 95-97 mph fastball, 82-84 mph slider and upper-80s changeup – the last of which is his best offering. Clemente climbed three levels as a reliever who can touch the upper-90s and flash a plus-plus slider, though his control is also a major question mark. A third-rounder out of Boston College in 2023, Honeyman has yet to reach the upper Minors but has above-average speed and decent contact rates.
Cubs (Mesa): Cole Mathis, 1B/3B (No. 17); Owen Ayers, C; Ed Howard, SS; Thomas Mangus, RHP; Luis Martinez-Gomez, RHP; Koen Moreno, RHP; Mathew Peters, RHP; J.P. Wheat, RHP
Mathis has a patient approach and 20-homer potential, though he has yet to play in the field after having Tommy John surgery shortly after signing as a 2024 second-rounder. Martinez-Gomez posted a 1.46 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings between two Class A stops while missing bats with a 92-96 mph fastball and a low-80s slider and splitter.
The Pirates are sending some serious power potential to the desert this year. Valdez reached Double-A in his age 21 year this season, hitting a combined 26 homers and a .905 OPS, holding his own up at the higher level. This will be a stiff test for Blanco, the 20-year old whose father of the same name played in the big leagues. He’s 6-foot-7 and has as much raw pop as anyone in the system, but it comes with a good amount of swing-and-miss and he’s played just 28 games of full-season ball in his career.
Handling older and more advanced pitching will be a very good experience for the 19-year-old Duno, who was swinging a blistering bat down the stretch for Single-A Daytona to head into the Florida State League playoffs, hitting .355/.500/.763 with 10 homers in 22 games from Aug. 1 on. Collier was just making the transition to first base in Spring Training when he suffered a thumb injury on a tag play that required surgery. He showed off a solid approach upon his return, but the power had not yet come back. He’ll try to find that and make up for lost ABs for Peoria.
A switch-hitting infielder, Luis heads to the Fall League with tons of momentum, having hit .336 with a .475 slugging percentage in 54 games since July 1 with High-A Hillsboro. He has exceptional contact rates on pitches inside the zone but could get swing-happy with the Hops, meaning reeling in that aggression will be a focus in the AFL. Hagaman was acquired from the Rangers in the Merrill Kelly trade at the Deadline and posted a 3.15 ERA, 27 strikeouts and four walks in 20 innings in the Northwest League after the move. His fastball, slider and changeup all have above-average potential, and if he continues to show decent control with the Rafters, his stock could shoot up even more.
Few teenagers can match De Paula’s combination of swing decisions and exit velocities, and he looks on his way to becoming a slightly smaller but more athletic version of Yordan Alvarez. Martin and Jang both can reach 99 mph with their fastballs and back them up with plus mid-80s sliders. George used his off-the-charts speed to lead the Minors with 100 steals in 124 attempts this year.
The Giants see some Brandon Crawford parallels with Ahuna, a slick defender who had Tommy John surgery in his first pro season but rebounded to slash .269/.370/.453 while advancing to High-A in his second. Martin made progress this year after a rough pro debut in 2024, showing good athleticism and 20-20 upside.
Padres (Peoria): Ethan Salas, C (No. 1/MLB No. 82); Isaiah Lowe, RHP (No. 26); Braedon Karpathios, OF (No. 29); Ryan Jackson, INF; Maikel Miralles, RHP; Carson Montgomery, RHP; Johan Moreno, RHP; Tucker Musgrove, RHP
Salas went just 6-for-32 (.188) with a double in 10 games with Double-A San Antonio in April and didn’t play for the Missions again due to back problems. The 19-year-old’s second AFL stint will be closely followed by scouts and evaluators trying to figure out if he can reach cathedral-high ceiling or if a further slip down (or even out of) the Top 100 is justified. He’s still the second-youngest player on an initial AFL roster (only 24 days older than Brailer Guerrero). Musgrove, who missed 2024 due to Tommy John, will be an interesting arm with his upper-90s fastball and plus slider with good spin and horizontal break.
Rockies (Salt River): Charlie Condon, OF/1B (No. 2/MLB No. 58); Jared Thomas, OF (No. 8); Welinton Herrera, LHP (No. 20); Ben Shields, LHP (No. 30); Cade Denton, RHP; Jack Mahoney, RHP; Austin Smith, RHP; Braylen Wimmer, OF/2B/3B
It took a little while for Condon, the former Golden Spikes Award winner who went No. 3 overall in the 2024 Draft, to find his groove, dealing with a hand injury during his pro debut last summer then suffering a broken wrist in Spring Training. A hot June in High-A earned him a promotion and he started tapping into his power in August, with six homers and a .998 OPS. Thomas was taken a round after Condon a year ago and has also reached Double-A, hitting a combined .302/.399/.457 over 114 games.
