Phils' prospect Painter showing he can still light up the radar gun in Fall League
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If double plays are a pitcher’s best friend, then 98-plus mph fastballs are life’s thrill ride. Just 15 months removed from Tommy John surgery that cost Andrew Painter the entirety of his 2024 regular season, the velocity has bountifully returned in spades for MLB’s No. 32 prospect.
Giants prospect Davidson continues baseball revival in Fall League
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Bo Davidson is the Giants’ No. 25 prospect. He signed for $50,000 as an undrafted free agent in July 2023 and enjoyed a breakout age-21 season at Single-A San Jose. He was limited to 63 total Minor League games by a hamstring injury and was sent to
Marlins prospect Alderman crushes 119.5 mph (!!) home run in Arizona Fall League
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Kemp Alderman has been putting on a power show in the Arizona Fall League. But on Friday, he managed to one-up himself and set a new slugging standard for the showcase circuit. The Marlins' No. 12 prospect hit a 119.5 mph, 443-foot homer in Peoria's matinee against
Holy Toledo! A baby dinosaur crashed this MiLB ballpark visit
This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. The following ballpark road trip recap is presented by Wyndham, proud sponsor of Minor League
Giants' Eldridge flexes for 4th club in 6 months, displays nifty glove to boot
PEORIA, Ariz. – While the summer of Bryce Eldridge is in the rearview mirror, that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the Giants’ top prospect continuing to slug home runs during the fall. At just 19 years old, San Francisco’s 2023 first-round pick mashed his first Arizona Fall League home run
Cubs prospect Long carving out his place on the depth chart
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – The Cubs didn’t give Jonathon Long specific instructions after taking him in the ninth round of last year’s Draft. That was by design. The Long Beach State first baseman/third baseman was coming off his best collegiate season yet, hitting .312/.404/.600 with 15 homers in 55 games, but
Asheville Tourists create online auction to aid hurricane relief efforts
Where can you find a collection of talent like Paul Skenes, Myles Garrett and Giannis Antetokounmpo in one place? The Asheville Tourists’ online auction for Hurricane Helene relief. The Astros’ High-A affiliate is bringing the sports world together in an effort to help its local community. Proceeds will go to
Padres teen prospects Salas and De Vries coming of age this fall
MESA, Ariz. – Ethan Salas and Leodalis De Vries have been inextricably linked to begin their pro careers, having been the respective No. 1 overall international prospects in 2023 and ‘24, both choosing to sign with the Padres. Top prospects of rebuilding clubs who come with extreme promise and impact
DeLauter working hard this fall to be 'next guy up' for Guardians
GLENDALE, Ariz. – On March 18, Chase DeLauter strode into the batter’s box at a sun-splashed Camelback Ranch for his first at-bat of the game in the top of the first inning. He promptly demolished a home run to right-center field off then-Top 100 prospect Drew Thorpe, who went on
Young slugger Ballesteros leads Cubs' AFL contingent
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Moises Ballesteros is getting accustomed to playing on loaded teams. The Cubs catcher began 2024 at Double-A Tennessee, the lone club in the Minors with four Top 100 Prospects on its Opening Day roster: right-hander Cade Horton, infielder Matt Shaw, outfielder Kevin Alcántara and second baseman James
Hammerheads' jerseys promote Hope At Bat initiative
This season, the Hammerheads debuted an alternate jersey that harnessed the powers of nostalgia and community to bring a personalized touch to a cause that affects just about everybody. The look of the alternate jersey for the Marlins’ Single-A affiliate pays homage to its parent club’s origins while also raising
A night visiting the Whitecaps is a classic Minor League experience
This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. The following ballpark road trip recap is presented by Wyndham, proud sponsor of Minor League
2023 first-rounder leads Brewers' Arizona Fall League contingent
Brock Wilken might already have won the award for Understatement of the Arizona Fall League. On the topic of the plunking that resulted in facial fractures on April 11 with Double-A Biloxi, just the fifth game of his first full season, he said: “The hit-by-pitch didn’t feel great.”
Eldridge among Giants prospects on AFL stage
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Bryce Eldridge has plenty of ingredients to become a frontline starter. He's a 6-foot-7 left-hander with a 92-94 mph fastball that reaches 96 and a low-80s slider that misses bats, and he dominated as a reliever while helping Team USA win the 2022 World Cup at the
Rays prospect Morgan's grand success owes a lot to his LSU origins
MESA, Ariz. – Tre' Morgan wanted the heater. His Mesa Solar Sox had faced the Scottsdale Scorpions already on Oct. 9, the date of Morgan’s first four-hit game of the Arizona Fall League. Their pitchers had thrown the Rays’ No. 10 prospect early fastballs then, so Morgan knew what to
Undrafted, Philly's Kemp making name for himself in Fall League
PEORIA, Ariz. – Just beyond the outfield walls of Carroll B. Land Baseball Field, the home of Point Loma Nazarene University, sits the Pacific Ocean in all its cerulean splendor. While Otto Kemp's first two Arizona Fall League homers may not have splashed down into the water, they gave a
'I'm just getting back to me': Salas finding footing in Fall League
PEORIA, Ariz. -- The season is meant to be measured in growth. In many ways, Ethan Salas has been just trying to get back to equilibrium. He appears to be getting there. Need proof? Look at one statistic in particular. “I’ve been like that my whole life ever since I
AFL Week 1: Emerson, Alderman, Phillips earn honors
The opening week of the Arizona Fall League saw a host of strong performances both at the plate and on the mound. These three stood out from the pack of worthy candidates. A pair of Peoria teammates -- Colt Emerson (SEA No. 1/MLB No. 27) and Kemp Alderman (MIA No.
Arizona Fall League Week 1 top performers
The 32nd season of the Arizona Fall League is a week old, and already, there are top prospects standing out amid the field of, well, top prospects. Here are the top performers from the first week of AFL action:
Ballesteros' work behind plate translating into even more productive fall at-bats
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Moises Ballesteros can be found at the following address this autumn: Home Plate Valley of the Sun, Arizona MLB No. 44 overall prospect is making a residence at and behind the dish during his time in the Arizona Fall League, and as Ballesteros proved Sunday for Mesa
Road to The Show™: Nats’ Susana
Each week, MiLB.com profiles an elite prospect by chronicling the steps he's taken toward achieving his Major League dream. Here's a look at fourth-ranked Nationals prospect Jarlin Susana. For more stories about players on The Road to The Show, click here. There are signs that hang in the bullpen at
Phils' Painter takes big step in TJ recovery, K's 2 in Fall League
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Sound the alarm, Andrew Painter is back on the hill. As Philadelphia’s top-ranked pitching prospect took a deep breath and threw his warmup tosses ahead of his first game action since March 2023, an ambulance siren blared outside of Scottsdale Stadium -- a moment of levity amid
Tigers prospect Briceño muscles up with 3-homer game in Fall League
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Jeff McNeil and Andrew Painter were the star attractions for Saturday's Arizona Fall League game between the Glendale Desert Dogs and Scottsdale Scorpions. Yet Josue Briceño stole the show. Rehabbing a wrist injury in hopes of rejoining the Mets for the National League Championship Series, the two-time
Padres' De Vries excited for Fall League experience after first pro season
MESA, Ariz. -- The Padres aren't afraid to challenge elite young prospects. They sent Ethan Salas , the top player in the 2023 international class, to Double-A at age 17 last summer. They had Leodalis De Vries, the best player in this year's international crop, spend all of this season