Ranking The 10 Hottest Arizona Fall League Prospects

With the Arizona Fall League underway, we’ll be continuing our usual Hot Sheet installments by ranking the hottest prospects in the AFL each week. Contributing this week were BA staffers Josh Norris and Jesús Cano.

Just as with our regular in-season Hot Sheet, our weekly AFL list simply recognizes how the hottest prospects in the minors did in the past week—itâ€s not a re-ranking of the Baseball America Top 100 Prospects.

We host our weekly Hot Sheet Show on YouTube at 3:30 p.m. ET on Mondays. Weâ€ll also be answering prospect questions in our weekly Hot Sheet chat on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. ET.

1. Luis De Leon, LHP, Orioles

• Team: Peoria Javelinas
• Age: 22
• Why Heâ€s Here: 0-0, 2.25, 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop:Through the first few games of the AFL season, De Leon has easily been the circuitâ€s most impressive arm. The tall southpaw dominated in his first outing, using a high-octane arsenal fronted by a heavy, mid-90s sinker and backed by a breaking ball and changeup capable of getting plenty of swings and misses. His seven strikeouts were tied for the most in the league. (JN)

2. Max Anderson, 2B, Tigers

• Team: Scottsdale Scorpions
• Age: 23
• Why Heâ€s Here: .571/.700/1.000 (4-for-7), 3 R, 3 2B, 0 HR, 2 RBIs, 3 BB, 2 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop:While much of the spotlight in Scottsdale shines on Kevin McGonigle, Anderson should draw plenty of excitement, too. Despite limited action over the week, Anderson delivered an eye-catching performance in just his second game, going 3-for-4 with three doubles and two RBIs. His ability to drive the ball with authority and produce runs adds another layer of excitement to an already-talented Scorpions lineup. The 23-year-old slashed .296/.350/.478 with 19 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A this season. (JC)

3. Corey Avant, RHP, Athletics

• Team: Mesa Solar Sox
• Age: 23
• Why Heâ€s Here: 0-0, 3.00, 3 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop:Avant’s AFL debut served as something of a breakout for the righthander, who punched out seven Salt River hitters over three innings. A ninth-round pick out of Wingate in 2023, he ran his fastball into the upper 90s and got eight whiffs over the course of his outing. Avant’s breaking pitches were especially effective, drawing four misses on 11 swings. (JN)

4. Wuilfredo Antuñez, OF, Guardians

• Team: Surprise Saguaros
• Age: 23
• Why Heâ€s Here: .500/.571/1.500 (3-for-6), 3 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop:Antuñez was a low-dollar signee for Cleveland who broke out in 2022 and has been a steady producer throughout the course of his minor league career. His AFL campaign has gotten off to a scorching start, including long balls for two of his three hits in the seasonâ€s opening week. His second home run left the bat at 103.6 mph, and his single from the same game produced an exit velocity of 107 mph. (JN)

5. Seaver King, 2B, Nationals

• Team: Scottsdale Scorpions
• Age: 22
• Why Heâ€s Here: .385/.467/.692 (5-for-13) 5 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: King put on a show on Wednesday, going 3-for-4 with a double and his first home run of the fall. His biggest swing came against Angels righthander Najer Victor, against whom he drove a sinking fastball the other way for a 364-foot laser over the right field wall for a three-run homer that showcased both his power and plate coverage. Itâ€s an encouraging sign for Washingtonâ€s 2024 first-round pick, who started strong in High-A but faced growing pains after a midseason promotion to Double-A, where he slashed just .233/.287/.313. (JC)

6. Juan Flores, C, Angels

• Team: Salt River Rafters
• Age: 19
• Why Heâ€s Here: .333/.400/.889 (3-for-9) 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop:At just 19 years old, Flores is one of the youngest players in the Arizona Fall League, so extra reps are exactly what he needs at this stage in his development. The power-hitting catcher is coming off an up-and-down season with High-A Tri-City, where he slashed .207/.283/.341 with 10 home runs, 11 doubles and 40 RBIs over 89 games. Known for his aggressive approach at the plate and natural raw power, Flores wasted no time making an impression in his AFL debut, launching a no-doubt, 420-foot home run that served as a reminder of his high offensive ceiling. (JC)

7. David Hagaman, RHP, Diamondbacks

• Team: Salt River Rafters
• Age: 22
• Why Heâ€s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop:Hagaman made his pro debut this season in the Arizona Complex League after completing rehab from Tommy John surgery he had while still an amateur. Quickly, he showed enough stuff to merit inclusion in the deal that brought Merrill Kelly to Texas. Hagaman showed the same swing-and-miss stuff in his first AFL outing this past week, racking up five strikeouts in three shutout innings. (JC)

8. Hagen Smith, LHP, White Sox

• Team: Glendale Desert Dogs
• Age: 22
• Why Heâ€s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop:In his first AFL start, Smith showed the same whiff-worthy stuff that made him famous at Arkansas and wooed the White Sox into selecting him in the first round in 2024. He showed both sides of his profile in his first AFL start—scattered strikes but filthiness when everything is in sync. The result was four strikeouts over three shutout frames with three hits and two walks in the middle of it all. (JN)

9. Cutter Coffey, 3B, Blue Jays

• Team: Glendale Desert Dogs
• Age: 21
• Why Heâ€s Here: .462/.500/.538 (6-for-13) 3 R, 1 2B, 0 HR, 1 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO

The Scoop:Coffey made the most of a rain-shortened week, showcasing steady production rather than power. While he didnâ€t have a breakout performance or go deep, Coffey impressed with his consistency at the plate, collecting six hits over the week to highlight his contact skills and disciplined approach. Coffey had a solid 2025, hitting .273/.359/.427 with 11 home runs in 99 games, marking the second time heâ€s played that many games..(JC)

10. Esmerlyn Valdez, OF, Pirates

• Team: Salt River Rafters
• Age: 21
• Why Heâ€s Here: .286/.615/1.143 (2-for-7) 3 R, 0 2B, 2 HR, 2 RBIs, 6 BB, 1 SO

The Scoop:Power. That is what Valdez is known for, and he wasted no time putting it on display in his first two Arizona Fall League games. Making his debut Tuesday, Valdez unloaded on the third pitch he saw—a hanging slider from Blue Jays righthander Alex Amalfi—and crushed it 425 feet to straightaway center. He followed it up with another powerful display against Scottsdale, turning around yet another slider and launching it deep. This time, the ball left his bat at a scorching 114.4 mph and traveled an estimated 414 feet. (JC)

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