Arizona Fall League Week 5 top performers

Here are the top performers from the fifth week of AFL action:

Thayron Liranzo, C, Scottsdale (DET No. 6)
Liranzo had a quiet week up until Saturday's Fall Stars Game, when he clocked the go-ahead (and ultimately game-winning) homer in the top of the ninth inning of the AL squad's 6-5 victory. The backstop earned Fall Stars MVP honors, becoming the first player in Tigers history to do sot. Up until that point, it had been a productive-but-power-light fall for Liranzo, who Detroit acquired as part of the Jack Flaherty deal at this year's Trade Deadline. Outside of the Fall Stars Game, he's hit .326/.463/.581 with one homer in 54 plate appearances in Arizona.

Caleb Durbin, SS, Salt River (NYY)
Stats: .462 (6-for-13), 6 R, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBIs, 3 BB, SB, 11 TB
The AFL's stolen-base leader made an impact in the Fall Stars Game and had a huge three-hit game on Nov. 4 against Glendale. His stat line for the week wound up stuffed with a little bit of everything. He finished second in total bases and third in hits league-wide for the week.

Jonathon Long, OF, Mesa (CHC No. 30)
Stats: .400 (6-for-15), 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 4 BB, 13 TB
The only AFL player to homer more than once this week, Long went yard in consecutive games on Nov. 5-6, giving the third baseman six long balls in 16 games this fall. Entering Week 6, he stands tied for the second-most homers in the Fall League and is hitting .348 with a robust 1.110 OPS.

Sammy Siani, OF, Scottsdale (PIT)
Stats: .417 (5-for-12), 4 R, HR, 3 RBIs, BB, 2 SBs, 8 TB
The 37th overall pick in the 2019 Draft, Siani has been on a tear for a while now in the Fall League, hitting close to .400 for the past three weeks. He topped that mark in Week 5, and with 26 total hits in 18 games, he ranks third in the AFL in that department.

Creed Willems, C, Surprise (BAL No. 22)
Stats: .500 (5-for-10), 2 R, HR, 3 RBIs, BB, 8 TB
You can make the argument that Willems has been the most productive offensive catcher on the circuit for a while, but this week it was no contest. The 21-year-old posted an impressive .545 on-base-percentage and .800 slugging percentage for the week.

Gabriel Rincones Jr., OF, Glendale (PHI No. 11)
Stats: .636 (7-for-11), 2 2Bs, RBI, 3 SB, 9 TB
This is a big fall for the 23-year-old after a season limited by injuries, and he's heating up at the right time. Rincones led the AFL in hits this week, reached base in two-thirds of his plate appearances and stole a few bags as well in an all-around excellent showing for the Desert Dogs.

Ben Ross, UTIL, Salt River (MIN)
Stats: 7-for-11 (.636), 3 R, 2B, 3 RBIs, 2 BB
The versatile Ross is a 23-year-old fifth-round pick from 2022, and though he didn't slug much this week, he was almost impossible to get out. Ross reached base in nine of his 13 plate appearances while playing shortstop and center field for the Rafters. He delivered a 4-for-5 performance in which he scored three runs and drove in two more on Nov. 5.

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Statcast Hitting Feat of the Week: Jac Caglianone, 1B, Surprise (KC No. 1/MLB No. 17)
It's no secret that Caglianone can put a charge into a baseball. He's showing that more and more lately this fall. On Nov. 6 against Glendale, Caglianone socked the hardest-hit home run of the week, a 113.1 mph shot that traveled an estimated 418 feet, per Statcast. Caglianone also has a 117.1 mph homer under his belt this fall, the second-hardest hit of this year's AFL.

Jake Miller, LHP, Scottsdale (DET)
Stats: 4 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 SO
The best Fall League start of the week came from Miller, a 23-year-old eighth-round pick from 2022, on Nov. 6 against Peoria. The southpaw struck out eight across four innings of one-hit ball, thoroughly dominating in what turned into an eventual 8-1 win. He not only led the league in strikeouts this week, he also had the most K's in a single game for the entire season.

Jerming Rosario, RHP, Glendale (LAD)
Stats: 3 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 SO
The 22-year-old Rosario came in to finish off an fine outing by his teammate Connor Phillips (CIN No. 15) on Nov. 7. The result was a dominant nine-out save in which Rosario struck out six and allowed only one hit. He also didn't walk a batter, notable for a pitcher who issued eight free passes in his first 10 innings this fall.

Alex Santos II, RHP, Surprise (HOU)
Stats: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO
The 22-year-old righty has been one of the more consistent arms in Arizona this fall, and he earned placement on this list once again with another breezy outing, logging three perfect innings in his Nov. 5 start against Peoria. Santos has racked up 20 strikeouts across 14 1/3 innings in his five Fall League outings, three of which were starts.