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Velazquez, Haake turning heads in AFL

Cubs outfielder scores four times, Royals hurler tosses blanks
Nelson Velazquez established career highs with 20 homers, 73 RBIs and 17 stolen bases while batting .270 across two levels in 2021. (Jill Weisleder/Getty Images)
October 21, 2021

Mesa 11, Scottsdale 9 Nelson Velazquez is enjoying his first week in the Arizona Fall League. The No. 29 Cubs prospect snapped a brief 1-for-10 skid by reaching base three times and scoring four runs for the Solar Sox on Wednesday. Velazquez stroked his third double of the fall campaign

Mesa 11, Scottsdale 9
Nelson Velazquez is enjoying his first week in the Arizona Fall League. The No. 29 Cubs prospect snapped a brief 1-for-10 skid by reaching base three times and scoring four runs for the Solar Sox on Wednesday. Velazquez stroked his third double of the fall campaign in the fifth inning to extend Mesa's lead to 7-2. After adding a single and walking for the first time in 19 plate appearances, he is batting .333/.368/.500. The 22-year-old was a driving force offensively for the Solar Sox, but he wasn't alone. Austin Beck (OAK 28) tallied two RBIs on a double and a bases-loaded walk. Orioles prospect Greg Cullen blasted his first homer and drove in three runs as did Toronto's Spencer Horwitz, who singled twice. Jeter Downs (BOS 5) homered for the third consecutive game for the Scorpions to move into a tie for the AFL lead and reached safely three times. Fellow Red Sox prospect Christian Koss collected three RBIs and Patrick Bailey (SF 8) hit his first home run. More »

Surprise 4, Salt River 2
A rough AFL debut didn't carry over to start No. 2 for Zach Haake, who was in control for the Saguaros. The No. 30 Royals prospect did not allow a hit until Michael Toglia (COL 6) singled with one out in the fourth and ended his second start with 3 2/3 scoreless frames. Haake walked two and struck out three, including newly named AFL Hitter of the Week and MLB Pipeline's No. 45 overall prospect Brett Baty (NYM 2) twice. Haake exited after throwing 60 pitches, 37 for strikes. MLB's No. 91 overall prospect Sam Huff (TEX 5) went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a walk for Surprise. Garrison Bryant (NYM) also posted zeros through three frames, allowing a hit and a walk while striking out three. Ryan Vilade (COL 5) drove in both Rafters' runs with a two-run single while Toglia tallied two hits. Despite being held out of the hit column, Baty walked twice and scored once. MLB's No. 4 overall prospect Spencer Torkelson (DET 1) departed the game early after rolling his ankle in the fourth inning. More »

Peoria 5, Glendale 4
After going hitless through his first three games, Logan O'Hoppe broke through with three knocks on Monday. The No. 11 Phillies prospect was back at it again two days later, stroking a pair of doubles and a single while driving in two runs to lead the Javelinas to victory. O'Hoppe went 6-for-9 with three doubles and five RBIs in his last two games after an 0-for-11 start to his AFL campaign. Fellow Phillie Bryson Stott, MLB's No. 97 overall prospect, singled twice and stole his third base in six games. Philly's No. 2 prospect has hit safely in all six of Peoria's games, batting .421 with a 1.186 OPS and an AFL-best nine walks. Simon Muzziotti (PHI 16) gave the Javelinas the lead for good with a two-run single in the third. St. Louis' No. 27 prospect Juan Yepez singled and tallied his fifth RBI for Glendale on a bases-loaded walk. More »