2026 Arizona Fall League Roster Breakdown: Surprise Saguaros

As Minor League Baseball wraps up, it is time to turn our attention to the Arizona Fall League. My mind is already in Arizona as I look forward to seeing more prospects play and get a chance to see quite a few that I have never seen before.

With the AFL just a few weeks away, it is the time to break down each team’s roster and to give thoughts on players who could see their stock increase in the prospect world.

We will go team by team, alphabetically. So today, we look at Surprise. The team is comprised of prospects from the Cleveland Guardians, Kansas City Royals, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and Texas Rangers.

Glendale Desert Dogs Roster Breakdown

Pitchers

Best Arm

Justin Lamkin was selected in the Comp-B round of the 2025 draft; Lamkin received a $1.6 million bonus at pick 71. The Texas A&M lefty took a massive leap in 2025, posting a 3.42 ERA across 84.1 innings with a 28 percent strikeout rate to just a 5.4 percent walk rate. He took an even bigger leap in his first season of pro ball before injury struck.

In 39.2 innings, Lamkin struck out 35 percent of batters while walking just 9.2 percent of hitters. He posted an impressive 2.04 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP, splitting time between A+/AA. Now set to return from a shoulder injury, Lamkin could really see his stock increase in Arizona.

The fastball velocity has jumped from just south of 92 mph in college to now being 92-94 mph. Throwing from a higher 6’5” release height, Lamkin creates below-average IVB, but around 12-14 inches of arm-side movement.

Lamkin’s slider is a dominant swing-and-miss pitch, sitting in the lower-80s. The changeup has 15 inches of fade, having around 10 mph of separation from the fastball. Command is the name of the game here, but the stuff has improved as well, and Lamkin has a strong arsenal.

Arm Who Could Increase Stock

Ryan Lambert certainly looked like he had a terrible year in 2026 on the surface, but the stuff is electric. Battling injuries, Lambert pitched just 29 innings, posting an 8.07 ERA. He struck out 27 percent of batters, but he also walked 23 percent.

Under the hood, you’ll see an electric 96-97 mph fastball that can reach triple digits. He creates an insane amount of ride on the pitch with 19 inches of IVB in a cut-ride shape. The pitch missed bats at a strong clip last year.

The slider sits around 86-87 mph with around five inches of sweep and good depth. It grades out well, and though a small sample, it had a 47 percent whiff rate. Yes, Lambert has two pitches, and he is going to be a reliever, but the stuff is there to be a useful one in the Majors.

If Lambert can harness his control in Arizona, he could become an arm that has some fantasy relevance in 2027.

Sleeper Arm

Calvin Ziegler will likely go down as a major “what if” due to his long injury history. Selected in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft, Ziegler has pitched just 20 innings since the 2023 season due to a variety of injuries, with an elbow injury bothering him this year.

When healthy, Ziegler has fun stuff and can miss bats. The fastball works 95-96 on average with strong ride plus some good arm-side movement to play off of it. It has the ability to miss bats and grades out exceptionally well.

The slider works in the upper-80s and clips some in the 90s with more of a traditional slider shape. There is a two-plane curveball that gets up to 85 mph as well. It gets heavy depth and gives hitters tough looks.

Ziegler is a major wild card, and who knows if he ever builds up the innings he needs to, but the stuff could be fun to watch in Arizona.

Hitters

Best Bat

Zion Rose will be playing in the Fall League after being selected in the first round of this summer’s draft. After a breakout sophomore campaign at Louisville, Rose missed time in 2026 due to an ankle and hamstring injury. In 173 plate appearances this year, Rose blasted six home runs and stole 24 bases while slashing .417/.491/.646. He walked at an 11 percent clip and struck out just 8.7 percent of the time. He was solid in 90 pro plate appearances in High-A.

Under the hood, Rose ran an 88 percent zone contact rate with an overall mark at 83 percent. He chased at just a 20 percent clip. Rose ran a 105 mph 90th percentile exit velocity and topped out at 111 mph. He will need to pull more balls in the air, but there is solid power in the profile.

Rose is a premium athlete, which led him to move off the catcher position and play in the outfield where he clocks plus run times. The hit tool carries the profile, but Rose is capable of being a 20-home-run hitter who steals plenty of bags.

Bat Who Could Increase Stock

Welbyn Francisca was a favorite of mine since he signed in 2023, but his performance in 2025 left a lot to be desired. After spending a lot of the 2026 season injured, Francisca returned straight to High-A and has been dominant. In 347 plate appearances, Francisca has 19 home runs and 16 stolen bases while slashing .272/.366/.513.

The underlying power metrics have taken a notable leap forward, and the contact rates are respectable. While the contact has trended in the wrong direction compared to previous seasons, the power trade-off has been worth it.

Francisca has done a good job of pulling the ball in the air and has shown good aggression on pitches in the zone and over the heart of the plate. The chase rate is a bit high at 30 percent, but it works with the profile overall. Francisca is moving back up the rankings.

Sleeper Bat

Paxton Kling was selected in the seventh round of the 2025 MLB Draft and immediately hit the ground running with the Rangers. This year he started out strong again, but a wrist injury ended his season shortly after his promotion to Double-A.

Kling has exceptional speed, and it shows on the basepaths and in the field. He stole 40 bases in 401 plate appearances. While the power is not there, he has shown flashes and had seven home runs, a triple, and 15 doubles this year.

The approach is strong, and while Kling has shown some inconsistent contact skills, he still finds ways on base. It would not be surprising to see Kling hit a few home runs in the Arizona air, and he will certainly be a threat on the base paths.