Arizona Fall League Roster Breakdown: Scottsdale Scorpions

As Minor League Baseball wraps up, it is time to turn our attention to the Arizona Fall League. All Single-A and High-A affiliates are done, and Double-A and Triple-A playoffs are in the championships.

I will be out in the desert the second week of the AFL season to cover the league and the players there. So now 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 have Scottsdale. The team is comprised of prospects from the Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, and Washington Nationals.

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Scottsdale Scorpions Roster Breakdown

Pitchers

Best Arm

Sean Paul Liñan was the hottest pitcher in baseball early in the year and generated a ton of buzz in the Dodgers org. Later traded to Washington, Liñan only pitched three innings as part of the Nationals organization before an injury ended his season in early August. Between the four affiliates he pitched at in 2025, Liñan posted a 3.03 ERA across 77.1 innings with 106 strikeouts, good for a 33 percent clip.

While fastball works in the 92-94 mph range, it can sit closer to 93-95, and when it does, it plays exceptionally well. The movement profile is solid on the pitch, getting good horizontal movement on the offering.

The changeup that has been the bread and butter might be a 70-grade pitch. It gets up to 20 inches of arm-side fade and averages around 17 inches regularly, with good depth as well. The ball just dies in the air and falls off the map. It generated a whiff rate north of 60 percent this season while working in the 81-83 mph range.

The slider sits in the mid-80s with shorter horizontal movement and good carry. It is capable of missing bats. While changeup-heavy arms have not always had the most success, Liñan has traits that could lead to him being a solid MLB starting pitcher as he moves up. The horizontal and vertical separation between his pitches keeps hitters on their toes at all times, and Liñan should find plenty of success in Arizona.

Arm Who Could Increase Stock

James Hicks missed over three months of the season in 2025 due to a fractured forearm, but ended the year as strong as any pitcher. Though he did cough up four earned runs in his final start, his previous two starts in September saw Hicks strike out 21 batters in 11 innings while walking just three. Hicks is not a perfect pitching prospect, but it will be interesting to see what the stuff looks like in the fall league after how he finished the year.

Hicks’ fastball sits in the 92-94 mph range with heavy arm-side run. At times, Hicks will create more run on it that keeps hitters on their toes. He misses the most bats with his slider in the 83-85 mph range with sweeping action.

Hicks also mixes in a mid-80s changeup that is mostly used against lefties. From his arm slot, the low-80s curveball gives hitters tough looks, and Hicks rounds out his arsenal with a cutter. The command is good, and Hicks has the makings of a back-end starting pitcher. If he thrives in Arizona, the stock rises.

Sleeper Arm

Wyatt Hudepohl is probably the biggest wild card in the fall league. After two seasons at Kentucky to begin his college career before transferring to UNC Charlotte during his draft year. There he thrived, posting a 4.27 ERA with a 30 percent strikeout rate to just a six percent walk rate. After being selected in the fourth round of the 2023 draft by the Mets, Hudepohl has not pitched in game action since May 2024 due to injury. He will return to the mound in Arizona.

Having a high-riding fastball, Hudepohl worked in the 92-94 mph range before injury, creating 18-20 inches of IVB from a 6’2” release height. It is a cut-ride fastball, which gives hitters a tough look.

From a secondary standpoint, Hudepohl mixes a splitter and slider evenly. The splitter worked between 84 and 85 mph with late drop and fade. It gave hitters fits in his pro debut, with a 36 percent whiff rate. The slider almost plays like a death-ball with a little below zero IVB and just one inch of sweep. It worked in the 83-84 mph range.

What Hudepohl looks like after nearly two years since pitching in a game is still to be determined. But I am intrigued to see him pitch.

Hitters

Best Bat

Kevin McGonigle is one of the two best prospects in baseball, and when you get him in the fall league, of course, he earns the best prospect on his own team. In 397 plate appearances this year between High-A and Double-A, McGonigle hit 19 home runs and stole 10 bases while slashing .305/.408/.583. Not only was the performance impressive, but the underlying data stands out, too.

The contact rates are remarkably impressive, achieving an overall mark of 83 percent with an in-zone contact rate of 87 percent. The approach has been stellar throughout McGonigle’s career, with a chase rate of 20 percent. Not only does McGonigle rarely expand the zone, but he also does serious damage on pitches in the zone, having elite zone and heart swing rates.

While he may be small, McGonigle has more power than you might think. The exit velocities show that as McGonigle has reached 113 mph and 112 mph several times in his career. The 90th percentile exit velocity of 106 mph is already plus, and when you factor in the hit tool and angles, this is a special talent.

Bat Who Could Increase Stock

Parks Harber went undrafted during the 2024 draft after a strong senior year at the University of North Carolina. Upon his signing with the Yankees, Harber has done nothing but hit and wound up being part of the Camilo Doval trade and has killed it for his new team. On the season, Harber has 13 home runs in 343 plate appearances, but seven of the homers have come in his last 24 games since joining Eugene.

Hitting the cover off the ball, Harber has run exit velocities in the plus-plus range with a 90th percentile exit velocity over 108 mph and a hard-hit rate north of 50 percent. Using the whole field well, Harber also gets the ball in the air often and has a highly impressive line drive rate.

The contact rates are around average, with a 73 percent overall mark and an in-zone mark of 82 percent. Showing strong swing rates on pitches in the zone, Harber also does not expand the zone often, with a chase rate in the low-20 percent range.

Harber has good traits and should be on the radar for prospect hounds who like power.

Sleeper Bat

Sam Petersen checks a lot of boxes of what I look for when scouting a player. There is 110 percent effort every play, a great first step, good bat-to-ball skills, and a strong athlete who has added power. Drafted in the eighth round of the 2024 MLB Draft, Petersen did not receive much fanfare, but this year, he has done nothing but hit.

Getting a late start to the season, Petersen spent a few games at the complex and Single-A before landing in High-A Wilmington, where I saw him. His first step and reads in centerfield are impressive, and he uses his plus foot speed to just glide and make plays many would not.

Injuries were an issue to begin and end the year, and Petersen got just 222 plate appearances in which he hit seven homers and stole 23 bases on 24 attempts. The slash line was highly impressive at .310/.416/.489.

At the plate, Petersen is a tough out. He puts more balls in play than you might expect, and he makes things happen. He used his speed to beat out several infield hits in my week of looks, but he also blasted a homer and nearly left the yard another time to dead center.

Petersen is just a ball player, and one who is not getting enough love. He just needs to stay healthy, but he could be a player who has a strong fall league.