Fall League names Top Prospects Team

PHOENIX -- The Arizona Fall League announced its 2013 Top Prospects Team on Monday. Selected by Fall League managers and coaches, the Top Prospects Team recognizes players who distinguished themselves throughout the league's six-week 2013 schedule against other top prospects from every organization in Major League Baseball. Voters were asked to consider Fall League performance and Major League projectability.

Outfielders

Stephen Piscotty, Salt River Rafters (St. Louis Cardinals)

AFL's No. 4 hitter at .371 … also ranked first in triples (3, tie), second in hits (33, tie), third in runs scored (20) and fourth in games played (23, tie) and at-bats (89) … MVP nominee … .430 on-base percentage, .560 slugging percentage and .936 OPS … finished the AFL season on an 11-game hitting streak … two four-hit games … week two player of the week … starting designated hitter for the East Division in the Nov. 2 Fall Stars Game.

Tyler Naquin, Surprise Saguaros (Cleveland Indians)

Member of 2013 AFL champion Surprise Saguaros … MVP nominee … the league's No. 8 hitter (.339) … league leader in three categories -- games played (27), at-bats (115) and hits (39) … also ranked second in runs scored (22) and fourth in total bases (48) … .400 on-base percentage, .417 slugging percentage and .817 OPS … named to West Division squad for Nov. 2 Fall Stars game … week three player of the week.

Mitch Haniger, Surprise Saguaros (Milwaukee Brewers)

Member of 2013 AFL champion Surprise Saguaros … MVP nominee … among league leaders in multiple offensive categories -- first in RBIs (24), second in games played (24) at-bats (100) and doubles (8, tie), third in extra-base hits (12, tie) and fourth in hits (28), runs scored (19) and total bases (48, tie) … hit .280 with a .354 on-base percentage, .480 slugging percentage and .835 OPS … four-hit game Oct. 11 vs. Mesa … authored two grand slams … week one co-player of the week.

Jared Mitchell, Glendale Desert Dogs (Chicago White Sox)

MVP nominee … tied for second in the league with five home runs … ranked third in homer/at-bat ratio (1:13.80) and fourth in slugging percentage (.580) and OPS (1.005) … hit .304 with two doubles, one triple, 11 RBIs and six stolen bases … also recorded a .425 on-base percentage and 1.005 OPS … reached base in 16 consecutive games from Oct. 9-Nov. 7.

Byron Buxton, Glendale Desert Dogs (Minnesota Twins)

Starting center fielder and lead-off hitter for the West Division in the Nov. 2 Fall Stars Game … hit .212 in 12 games with one double, three home runs, eight RBIs and two stolen bases … .404 slugging percentage.

Brian Goodwin, Mesa Solar Sox (Washington Nationals)

Started in center field for the East Division in the Nov. 2 Fall Stars Game … hit .296 in 19 games with four doubles, one triple, two home runs, 12 RBIs and three stolen bases … .333 on-base percentage, .444 slugging percentage and .778 OPS.

Third Basemen

Kris Bryant, Mesa Solar Sox (Chicago Cubs)

Winner of Joe Black MVP Award … led league with six home runs, hit .364 to rank fifth and notched a 20-game on-base streak that equaled the league lead … also led the AFL in slugging percentage (.727), extra-base hits (15, tie), runs scored (22, tie), total bases (56, tie) and OPS (1.184) … ranked second in doubles (8, tie) and homer/at-bat ratio (1:12.83) and fourth in on-base percentage (.457) and hits (28, tie) … two-homer game Oct. 18 vs. Surprise … started at third base for the East Division in the Nov. 2 Fall Stars Game … week one co-player of the week.

Jake Lamb, Salt River Rafters (Arizona Diamondbacks)

Hit .299 in 21 games with six doubles, one homer, seven RBIs  … .386 on-base percentage, .416 slugging percentage and .802 OPS.

Shortstops

Addison Russell, Mesa Solar Sox (Oakland Athletics)

Starting shortstop for the East Division in the Nov. 2 Fall Stars Game … singled in losing effort in title game vs. Surprise … ranked second in the league in doubles (8, tie) … hit .282 in 21 games with one triple, one home run and five RBIs … .361 on-base percentage, .435 slugging percentage and .796 OPS.

Cristhian Adames, Salt River Rafters (Colorado Rockies)

Hit .293 in 16 games with three doubles, two triples, one home run and 16 RBIs  … .333 on-base percentage, .466 slugging percentage and .799 OPS … four-hit game Oct. 19 vs. Scottsdale … another big day Oct. 26 at Peoria with four hits, including a homer, four runs scored and four RBI.

Second Basemen

Tommy LaStella, Scottsdale Scorpions (Atlanta Braves)

AFL's toughest strikeout, fanning only once every 19.75 plate appearances … tied for third in the league with 16 walks … hit .290 in 18 games with six doubles, one triple, one homer and 10 RBIs  … .436 on-base percentage, .468 slugging percentage and .904 OPS.

Cory Spangenberg, Peoria Javelinas (San Diego Padres)

Hit .308 in 19 games with four doubles, one triple, two home runs and seven RBIs  … also seven stolen bases … .357 on-base percentage, .492 slugging percentage and .849 OPS … four-hit game Oct. 19 vs. Scottsdale.

First Basemen

C.J. Cron, Mesa Solar Sox (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim)

Winner of inaugural EyePromise Visual Edge Pro Award as the league batting champion (.413) … Fall League's only .400 hitter … started at first base and batted clean-up for the East Division in the Nov. 2 Fall Stars Game … also hit clean-up for Mesa in the league championship game … ranked first in the league in total bases (56, tie), second in home runs (5, tie), RBIs (20), hits (33, tie), and OPS (1.187) and third in on-base perecentage (.467), slugging percentage (.700), extra-base hits (12, tie) and OPS (1.157) … four-hit outing Nov. 8 vs. Surprise.

Travis Shaw, Surprise Saguaros (Boston Red Sox)

Member of 2013 AFL champion Surprise Saguaros … named to West Division squad for Nov. 2 Fall Stars Game … week five player of the week … the league's No. 6 hitter (.361) also posted the top home run/at-bat ratio (1:12.20) … second in home runs (5, tie), third in RBIs (19) and fifth in on-base percentage (.452) … six doubles and 43 total bases … .705 slugging percentage and 1.157 OPS … four-hit game at Peoria on Nov. 7 … grand slam among three hits vs. Salt River on October 30.

Catchers

Jorge Alfaro, Surprise Saguaros (Texas Rangers)

Member of 2013 AFL champion Surprise Saguaros … drove home the Saguaros' first run with an RBIs single, threw out two baserunners attempting to steal second base and nursed six Surprise pitchers through the first championship-game shutout in league history, a 2-0 victory vs. Mesa … named to West Division squad for the Nov. 2 Fall Stars Game … runner-up for the league batting title at .386 … in 19 games, recorded six doubles, one triple, 11 RBIs and 35 total bases … also two stolen bases … .438 on-base percentage, .500 slugging percentage and .938 OPS.

Austin Hedges, Peoria Javelinas (San Diego Padres)

Threw out two base stealers as the starting catcher for the West Division in the Nov. 2 Fall Stars Game … hit .273 in 15 games with five doubles, one triple, six RBIs, 22 total bases … .333 on-base percentage, .400 slugging percentage and .733 OPS … reached base in 15 straight games beginning Oct. 15 … also enjoyed a nine-game hitting streak from Oct. 15-31.

Designated Hitters

Henry Urrutia, Surprise Saguaros (Baltimore Orioles)

Member of 2013 AFL champion Surprise Saguaros … single, double and run scored in 2-0 championship game victory vs. Mesa … ranked third in the league in batting (.377) and fifth in slugging percentage (.551) … three hits including a grand slam at Salt River on Oct. 24.

Japhet Amador, Peoria Javelinas (Houston Astros)

Hit .284 in 18 games with 3 doubles, 4 homers, 12 RBIs and 34 total bases … .507 slugging percentage and .793 OPS.

Starting Pitchers

Aaron Sanchez, Salt River Rafters (Toronto Blue Jays)

Starting pitcher for the East Division in the Nov. 2 Fall Stars Game … 2-1 with 1.16 ERA in six starts over 23 1/3 innings … 21 strikeouts … 0.94 WHIP (seventh in league) … limited opposition to .151 batting average to rank first among league starters and third overall … allowed 9.26 baserunners per nine innings to rank second among starters.

Alex Meyer, Glendale Desert Dogs (Minnesota Twins)

Starting and winning pitcher for the West Division in the Nov. 2 Fall Stars Game, throwing three scoreless innings with three strikeouts … 2-1 with 3.12 ERA in seven starts covering 26 innings … ranked second in the league in strikeouts (28), third in strikeout ratio per nine innings (9.69) and fourth among starters in opponent batting average (.213).

Relief Pitchers

Nick Wittgren, Glendale Desert Dogs (Miami Marlins)

The AFL's top closer led the league in opponent batting average (.130), WHIP (0.59), appearances (13, tie) and fewest baserunners per nine innings pitched ratio (5.93) … also ranked second in games finished (10, tie) and fourth in walks per nine innings ratio (1.32) … 0-0, 0.66 ERA and three saves in 13 relief appearances covering 13 2/3 innings … 19 strikeouts against only two walks.

Derek Law, Scottsdale Scorpions (San Francisco Giants)

Ranked fourth in the league in games finished (8, tie) … 1-0 with 0.00 ERA in 11 relief appearances … 16 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings pitched.