Arizona Fall League Recap: 10/22/25

Mesa Solar Sox

Ed Howard, SS, Chicago Cubs (2-3 2 1B)

In a terrible day for offense for Mesa, Howard was the small bright spot. He collected two hits, both singles, one on a ground ball and the other on a blooped line drive. His hardest hit ball of the day checked in at 88.2 mph. This just goes to show you how the day went for Mesa.

If you have been around a while, you will remember when the Cubs selected a Chicago local in Howard during the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft. Injuries and underperformance have been the story of Howard’s career. In 2025, he got just 74 plate appearances and put up an atrocious .108/.205/.138 slash. In 2024, Howard had a career high 436 plate appearances, slashing .225/.281/.298.

Bryce Cunningham, RHP, New York Yankees (2.1 IP/5 H/4 ER/1 BB/4 K)

Cunningham was off to an incredible start to the 2025 season after being selected in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft. He went down with an injury in early June and missed over two months, pitching just 6.2 innings after returning. For the season, Cunningham had a 2.82 ERA in 54.1 innings, but 11 of his 17 earned runs allowed were over two starts. So far, the AFL numbers have not looked great.

Leading with a four-seam fastball, Cunningham creates strong carry with over 16 inches of IVB and a cut-ride shape from a 5’7” release height. It makes a relatively flat VAA, considering his release height, and it works around 94 mph and tops around 97.

Cunningham’s new cutter, which sits around 90 mph, is a strong pitch that he uses often. He still used his slider, which sat in the mid-to-upper 80s. The changeup might be Cunningham’s best pitch, sitting in the 87-89 mph range with carry and an average of 18 inches of horizontal movement.

I would ignore the surface numbers. Cunningham has a strong arsenal and is building back up in Arizona.

Surprise Saguaros

Daniel Espino, RHP, Cleveland Guardians (1 IP/1 H/0 ER/1 BB/3 K)

Back on the mound, Espino has been working in one-inning stints throughout the AFL. He looked the part in a dominant outing on Wednesday as he struck out three batters across a scoreless inning of work.

While he only generated three whiffs, all came on the fastball, which averaged 98 mph and topped at 100.2 mph with 16 inches of IVB on average and good arm-side movement. He did not throw the changeup, which typically plays off it well. When I saw Espino last week, the changeup had good carry and 17 inches of arm-side fade.

The slider worked 87-90 mph with strong traits, and Espino has even dropped in a curve at 74 mph with two-plane break. It was hard to take a ton away from the short outings, but it was just encouraging to see Espino on the mound and his velocity sitting where it was.

Dylan Campbell, OF, Philadelphia Phillies (1-4, HR, 2 RBI)

While others may have had better games, I have not written about Campbell yet this AFL, as Beck has had the Surprise coverage every time he performs. Campbell was drafted by the Dodgers out of Texas but was traded to the Phillies last offseason for international bonus pool money, which allowed the Dodgers to sign Roki Sasaki.

While I saw Campbell several times in the regular season, he showed a lot of inconsistencies. He has looked really good in the AFL so far. The home run last night left the bat at 104 mph, and Campbell smoked another lineout at 103.3 mph, which traveled 302 feet. Keep an eye out for him, as the underlying data looks pretty respectable on him as well.

Salt River Rafters

Charlie Condon, 1B, Colorado Rockies (5-6, 2B)

Condon has found his swing, and it looked as good as it did during his draft year at Georgia. While it was nothing showy yesterday, Condon did collect two five hits and was close to having four hard-hit balls on the day. His first inning double left the bat at 102.2 mph and traveled 382 feet. His combined batted ball distance in the game was

His timing looked great, and the AFL numbers back it as Condon is running a strong 77 percent contact rate and an 84 percent in-zone mark. The chase rate is an impressive 20 percent. Condon might be on his way back to what many hoped he could be. The exit velocities are very strong as well.

Stanley Tucker, 2B, Boston Red Sox (3-4, 2B, 4 RBI, BB)

Tucker missed the entire 2025 season due to a broken wrist he suffered in Spring Training, and this followed a dislocated shoulder he suffered at the end of 2024. An undersized player, Tucker plays at a high level every play and makes the most of his at-bats.

Tucker was on fire on Wednesday as he collected three hits and drove in four runs. All three of his batted balls left the bat as hard hits, and his double was hit at 102 mph.

Glendale Desert Dogs

Jim Jarvis, 2B, Atlanta Braves (2-3 BB)

The Braves traded with the Tigers at the trade deadline and received Jarvis, who spent time in Double-A and ended the year in Triple-A this year. Showing a lack of power during the season, Jarvis hit just two home runs across 413 plate appearances, but he did add 24 doubles and three triples. He swiped 14 bases as well while slashing .249/.324/.347.

While Jarvis’ AFL slash line is not great to this point, I was impressed by some at-bats I saw from him, and his arm in the field is impressive. He has begun to pick it up, though, as he blasted a home run last weekend and added two hits last night. While both singles, he hit a couple of balls hard off some tough hitters.

Jarvis is the kind of scrappy player who is going to find himself in the majors, even if it is in a bench role.

Hagen Smith, LHP, Chicago White Sox (3 IP/2 H/3 ER/1 H/7 K)

Smith has a strong night, striking out seven batters in three innings of work and leading the league in whiffs with 11. The fastball velocity was up, which I like to see, but it accounted for only two of his whiffs, and it had an 86 percent zone-contact rate against. The slider did the work, having a 75 percent whiff rate and a 54 percent chase rate.

Read my full scouting report on Hagen Smith in my White Sox top prospects article that just dropped:

Peoria Javelinas

Brandon Winokur, SS/3B, Minnesota Twins (1-2, HR, 3 RBI, BB)

Winokur led the way for Peoria as they scored ten runs, and Winokur accounted for five of them. He blasted a home run off Hagen Smith that left the bat at 99 mp,h and he had another deep fly out at 98 mph that turned into a sacrifice fly.

What we have seen from Winokur so far in Arizona is in line with what he has shown throughout his career. While having a tall frame, Winokur is a premium athlete who has an outside chance to stick at shortstop.

He has a 95 mph average exit velocity with a 104 mph 90th percentile exit velocity. The contact has been questionable at times, and he is also running a 39 percent chase rate.

The athlete is high-end, but the contact skills will have to be cleaned up.

Ethan Anderson, C, Baltimore Orioles (3-4, 2B, 3 RBI)

While not collecting a hard-hit ball yesterday, Anderson was effective at the plate, having three hits, including a double. The double did get close to a hard-hit ball at it left the bat at a 94.6 mph exit velocity. His best struck ball was probably off Hagen Smith in the first inning, a 92 mph lineout that traveled 314 feet.

Anderson was very impressive physically, with a large frame that was still athletic. I think he moves really well behind the plate. He has shown a respectable arm, and at times, he has really shown some power in the bat. While he was really bad in the 2025 regular season, it is encouraging to see Anderson showing some signs of life here.

Scottsdale Scorpions

Kevin McGonigle, INF, Detroit Tigers (2-4 HR)

Scottsdale collected four hits throughout the game, and McGonigle accounted for two of them, including a home run. The home run left the bat at 103 mph and traveled 416 feet, and he added a single off Daniel Espino.

To no surprise, McGonigle has been hitting extremely well in Arizona, having a .313/.452/.531 slash with a home run, four stolen bases, and more walks than strikeouts.

The exit velocities are there, and McGonigle is showing his typical strong hit tool and approach. He is one of the best prospects in the game, no doubt about it.