Toolshed: Arizona Fall League preview
The baseball season is over. Now, time for more baseball.
The baseball season is over. Now, time for more baseball.
The Minor League schedule came to an end with the Triple-A National Championship Game on Tuesday in Memphis, but one day later, the national pastime is back on the schedule for many top prospects. Wednesday marks Opening Day in the Arizona Fall League, as some of the game's best young talents flock to the Southwest for what many call baseball's finishing school. It's a chance to measure their skills against other top Minor Leaguers, make up for time lost due to injuries (or other factors) or show off in front of potential trade partners or Rule 5 Draft pickers. The schedule has been moved up from years past so that players no longer have to shut down from the regular season only to build themselves back up in October.
Without further adieu, this week's Toolshed previews the early-coming AFL season by looking at the strengths, weaknesses and prospects to follow for each of the six Fall League teams.
Glendale Desert Dogs
Organizations: Brewers, Cardinals, Dodgers, Reds, White Sox
Top-100 prospects:
Strength: Third base -- India being the only Top-100 name here automatically makes the hot corner one of the Desert Dogs' most attention-worthy spots on the diamond. MLB.com's No. 94 overall prospect heads to Arizona after hitting .259/.365/.402 with 11 homers and 11 stolen bases in 121 games split between Double-A and Class A Advanced, which offers him a chance to build on that first full season in the Reds pipeline. Though he is considered defensively above-average at third, India has also seen time at second base and shortstop in his brief pro career, and this Fall League excursion could be used to develop that versatility -- something that helped fellow former third baseman
Peoria Javelinas
Organizations: Astros, Mariners, Padres, Pirates, Red Sox
Top-100 prospects:
Strength: Mariners outfielders -- No use in dancing around it. Kelenic and
Weakness: Command -- The list of intriguing pitchers suiting up for Peoria is not short. Whitley is back as the top pitching prospect in the entire AFL. The Pirates assigned hard-throwing righty
Salt River Rafters
Organizations: D-backs, Marlins, Rays, Rockies, Twins
Top-100 prospects:
Weakness: Power questions --Rays catcher
Prospect to follow:
Surprise Saguaros
Organizations: Nationals, Orioles, Rangers, Royals, Yankees
Top-100 prospects:
Strength: Kansas City contingent -- The Royals are coming off an incredible Minor League postseason in which four affiliates (Wilmington, Lexington, Idaho Falls, DSL Royals1) won their respective league titles. If that developed any excitement throughout the system, it will carry to the Fall League, with three ranked former Appalachian League prospects heading to Arizona -- No. 3 Lynch, No. 29
Click Here for full list of Appalachian league alums in the Arizona Fall League.