MLB Network to air AFL games

SECAUCUS, N.J. -- Some of Major League Baseball's top prospects will be featured in Arizona Fall League matchups on MLB Network and MLB.com. MLB Network's Dave Valle and Daron Sutton, who calls play-by-play for the Arizona Diamondbacks, will call the fifth annual Rising Stars Game on Saturday, November 6 at 9:00 p.m. ET at Surprise Stadium. Valle will be joined by MLB Network's Greg Amsinger in the broadcast both for the 19th annual AFL Championship game on Saturday, November 20 at 3:00 p.m. ET live from Scottsdale Stadium. MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, will co-produce and provide free live and on-demand video streams of the two games.

The Rising Stars Game is a showcase pitting elite prospects from each Major League Baseball organization in an East Division vs. West Division format. The East Division squad will feature prospects from the Angels, Athletics, Braves, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Giants, Marlins, Mets, Nationals, Orioles, Phillies, Pirates, Rockies and Yankees. The West Division will field players from the Astros, Blue Jays, Cardinals, Indians, Mariners, Padres, Rangers, Rays, Red Sox, Reds, Royals, Tigers, Twins and White Sox. The Arizona Fall League annually pits its two division winners in a championship game. The Peoria Javelinas were the 2009 champions, breaking the Phoenix Desert Dogs' five-year championship streak.

Eighteen former first-round Draft picks are on the rosters for this year's Rising Stars Game, including 2009 second overall pick Dustin Ackley (Mariners), fourth overall pick in 2009 Tony Sanchez (Pirates) and third overall pick in 2008 Eric Hosmer (Royals). Several current MLB standouts have appeared in the previous four Rising Stars Games, including 2010 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey, 2010 National League Central Division Champion Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mike Leake, Gordon Beckham (White Sox), Ryan Braun (Brewers), Jacoby Ellsbury (Red Sox), Phil Hughes (Yankees), Jed Lowrie (Red Sox) and Ike Davis (Mets).

The Arizona Fall League, known throughout professional baseball as a "finishing school" for Major League Baseball's elite prospects, is a six-team league owned and operated by Major League Baseball that plays six days per week in five Cactus League stadiums (Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Surprise) in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The AFL began its 19th season on October 12, 2010. For more information, go to MLBFallBall.com.

MLB Network launched on January 1, 2009 as the largest debut in cable television history and is currently available in more than 55 million cable, telco, TV and satellite homes throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. In its inaugural year, MLB Network was honored with four Sports Emmy Awards and 12 nominations by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. With live games, original programming, highlights, classic games, and coverage of baseball events, MLB Network is the ultimate television destination for baseball fans. For more information and to find MLB Network in your area, go to mlbnetwork.com, www.facebook.com/mlbnetwork, or www.twitter.com/mlbnetwork.