Live from the Arizona Fall League: 10/15/25

Mesa Solar Sox

Ryan Lasko, OF, Athletics (2-3, RBI, BB, K)

Lasko was a Big Ten standout at Rutgers in 2023 but had disappointing stints with wood in the Northwoods and Cape Cod summer leagues, leading to questions about his future production as a professional. Still, the A’s took him in the second round and paid him $1.7M at 41st overall on the basis of his unrelenting motor on defense. His performance without a BBCOR bat proved more predictive than anticipated as he’s finished his first two pro seasons with a .681 career OPS and just 12 home runs through 227 games primarily in the lower minors. He’s fared better in the AFL and has collected five hits (all singles) through three games, but the sample is so small it can be entirely disregarded. He accounted for two of Mesa’s three hits last night.

Starlyn Caba, SS, Miami Marlins (0-2, 3 BB, 2 K)

Caba had a strange game. He led off the contest with a long at-bat that culminated in a walk but featured two rather contentious pitch challenges, which the home plate umpire handled with grace and humor. He didn’t put a ball in play all game, finishing with three walks and two strikeouts, but the interesting stuff came on defense. Though he’s known for his prowess with the leather, he failed to cover himself in glory when the ball was hit his way on multiple occasions. He booted several balls but was only tagged for one error. I’m not sure he has enough bat to be a real fantasy prospect if his glove doesn’t guarantee him playing time.

Surprise Saguaros

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

Espino was the gem of the pitchers we got to see throw yesterday; unfortunately, it was only an inning of work. Espino threw 14 pitches and walked one batter while having a scoreless frame. He looked good overall, but command was spotty on some pitches.

While he did not generate a whiff, the fastball averaged 97 mph and topped at 98 with 17 inches of IVB on average and good arm-side movement. He played off of it with several changeups, which had good carry and 17 inches of arm-side fade.

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

Malcolm Moore, C, Texas Rangers (2-3, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 1 K)

Moore is a player I have seen quite a bit this year. Although things looked good in April, an injury derailed his year, and he never got things going upon his return. In 263 trips to the plate, Moore slashed a poor .195/.300/.276 with just three home runs.

Moore needs a big fall league, and yesterday’s game looked like what many thought he could be when the Rangers selected him in the first round of the 2024 draft. Moore had two doubles in the game and drove in three of the Saguaros’ four runs. One of the doubles nearly left the yard, traveling 409 feet on a 103 mph shot. The other double was a modest 82.4 mph, but was a nice hustle double by Moore.

Salt River Rafters

Jared Thomas, OF, Colorado Rockies (2-4, HR, 3 R, 4 RBI)

Thomas was impressive on Tuesday, putting up some excellent swings from the left side of the plate, including a big-time grand slam that left the bat with a 106 mph exit velocity. Thomas also had a hard-hit single in the game on a solid line drive.

The Rockies' 2024 second-rounder out of Texas had a strong 2025 regular season, and it has carried over into the AFL. Thomas has strong bat speed, an impressive approach, and respectable contact skills. The launch angles have been strong as well.

Charlie Condon, 1B, Colorado Rockies (3-5, HR, 3B, 5 RBI)

Condon has found his swing, and it looked as good as it did during his draft year at Georgia. Condon blasted a 110.2 mph grand slam yesterday and nearly left the yard another time on a 106.4 mph triple that banged off the top of the wall in dead center, where it is 430 feet in Scottsdale. Condon added a third hit, a single, and had a 91 mph flyout.

His timing looked great, and the AFL numbers back it as Condon is running a strong 80 percent contact rate and an 87 percent in-zone mark. The chase rate is an impressive 16 percent. Condon might be on his way back to what many hoped he could be.

Will Taylor, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates (2-4, 2B, HR)

Taylor put together a strong performance on Wednesday, hitting a 100 mph home run to centerfield and adding a ninth-inning double. It has been a slow start for Taylor in his handful of games in the desert, but it was an encouraging day for him in Scottsdale.

During 398 regular-season plate appearances, Taylor hit 14 home runs and had 36 extra-base hits while slashing .262/.373/.458. He also added 23 stolen bases.

Esmerlyn Valdez, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates (1-3 HR, 2 BB)

Valdez had just one hit on Wednesday, but it was a big one, his fourth home run in five games in the AFL. He did reach base two more times via walk, as it seems like pitchers are just trying to pitch around him. The home run had a modest 103 mph exit velocity, but it was hit to the opposite field.

Valdez is no stranger to high-end exit velocities, though, as he had a 108 mph 90th percentile exit velocity and topped out at 116 during the regular season. He also had a 114.4 mph exit velocity this fall.

He is not just a power hitter, though, as Valdez showed a strong in-zone contact rate of 85 percent this season. The approach is also strong as well as he chased just 20 percent of pitches out of the zone. While he did not chase often, he did struggle with contact on pitches out of the zone.

When all is said and done, it would not be shocking if Valdez is the AFL MVP.

Glendale Desert Dogs

Sam Antonacci, 2B, Chicago White Sox (2-4, HR, 2 RBI)

Sam Antonnaci put together a highly impressive 2025 campaign after the White Sox selected him in the fifth round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Coastal Carolina. Splitting the season between High-A and Double-A, Antonnaci slashed .291/.433/.409 with five home runs and 48 stolen bases. Sure, you want to see a little more home run power, but Antonnaci did add 32 extra-base hits to his ledger.

While the profile is built on contact, the exit velocity data is better than you might expect. Given the high OBP, it should not be surprising that Antonnaci has a strong approach. His chase rate around 16 percent is highly impressive, and Antonnaci shows respectable swing rates on pitches in the zone. The contact skills stand out as well.

The home run on Wednesday was Antonacci’s first AFL home run, which he blasted at 103.3 mph and traveled 406 feet. Antonnaci had another single in the game and added two more strong flyouts. He was the bright spot in Glendale’s lineup on Wednesday.

Peoria Javelinas

Jonny Farmelo, OF, Seattle Mariners (1-2, HR, RBI, 2 R, 3 BB, K)

We opted to forego the Peoria/Glendale game in favor of Scottsdale/Salt River, and my only regret is missing a 103 mph pull-side tank from Jonny Farmelo. He’s one of the players who stands to gain the most from a strong, healthy AFL campaign, and he’s making the most of it thus far. He’s 5-for-16 through five contests with one extra-base hit of each variety, seven walks, and three stolen bases.

Ethan Anderson, C/1B, Baltimore Orioles (2-5, 2B, 2 RBI, R, 2 K)

Anderson was a 2024 second-rounder out of Virginia and struggled to find his footing in pro ball this year. He finished with a .248/.338/.339 line with four home runs and 15 stolen bases across 90 games between Aberdeen (A+) and Chesapeake (AA). He’s a solid athlete in a strong, 6-foot-2 frame, and he made plenty of contact with reasonable vertical and horizontal spray tendencies, which makes his meager surface lines a little confounding. He finished Wednesday’s game with a double and a single in four at-bats and owns a .357/.375/.643 line through 16 AFL plate appearances.

Charlie Pagliarini, 2B, Seattle Mariners (2-4, 2 2B)

Just as everyone expected, Charlie was the exit velocity king on Wednesday. Pagliarini, that is, with a 112.2 mph double that registered as the hardest hit BBE across all three games. He was a 19th-rounder in 2023 and is already 24 years old, which makes his 113 wRC+ with Everett (A+) a relatively mediocre showing, though there is some intrigue based on the exits and his positional flexibility. He finished 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three batted balls over 105 mph.

Scottsdale Scorpions

Seaver King, SS, Washington Nationals (4-6, 3 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R)

King had arguably the best day of any player in the desert on Wednesday. He finished with three doubles and three RBI in a 4-for-6 night and, as you may expect, looked very good doing it. He’s tremendously athletic and can get to power when he’s on time and disciplined, evidenced by his 104.4 and 103.3 mph BBEs on Wednesday. He’ll merit playing time by way of his defense at short and center field and could be a good source of stolen bases in a blossoming Nationals offense.

Chris Suero, OF, New York Mets (2-5, HR, 3 RBI, R, K)

Suero is an interesting eval. He’s clearly athletic, a compact and explosive player with some positional flexibility, and can get to some power even when off-balance. He roped a two-run homer over the short porch in right in the bottom of the first and posted a 109.1 mph exit velocity on a force out in the seventh. He finished 2-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored. If his exits were more consistent and he were four inches taller, he’d be a slam-dunk top-100 prospect.

Joseph Sullivan, OF, Houston Astros (2-5, BB, 2 SB)

There have been nine Joe Sullivans to ever play in MiLB. That’s really got nothing to do with this Joe Sullivan, but I found it fun. The former Astros 7th rounder is a pest who happens to have physical tools; he chased at just an 11% rate in 2025 while collecting 17 home runs and 42 stolen bases over 106 games. He put two balls in play over 100 mph on Wednesday (105.7 and 102.3) and finished 2-for-5 with a walk and two stolen bases.