Salt River, Surprise to play for Fall League Championship

MESA, Ariz. -- The Surprise Saguaros will aim for their third straight Arizona Fall League championship on Saturday when they take on the Salt River Rafters in a battle of the developmental circuit’s best offenses.

Salt River (16-14) and Surprise (18-10) each averaged 6.6 runs per game during the regular season. The Saguaros clinched an automatic berth in the finals by posting the AFL’s top record, while the Rafters defeated the Scottsdale Scorpions, 13-4, in the Play-in Semifinal on Friday.

If Surprise prevails, it will become the second team in the Fall League’s 30 seasons to win three or more consecutive titles. The Phoenix Desert Dogs won five straight from 2004-08. Salt River seeks its first championship since 2019.

MLB Network will broadcast the championship game live and MLB.com will stream it as well, starting at 8 p.m. ET. Gregg Caserta, Dan O’Dowd and Jim Callis will call the action from Salt River Fields.

Here’s one prospect to watch from each organization that contributes players to the Rafters and Saguaros:

SALT RIVER RAFTERS

Caleb Durbin, 3B, Yankees: The most prolific basestealer in league history, Durbin owns AFL records for swipes in a game (four), season (29 in 24 games) and career (50 in 47 contests). Acquired in a December 2022 trade with the Braves for Lucas Luetge, Durbin is a contact hitter with solid speed and defensive versatility. He slashed .312/.427/.548 with five homers.

Robert Hassell, OF, Nationals No. 13: Back for his third stint in the Fall League, Hassell slashed .281/.360/.517 with four homers and five steals in 19 games. Part of the blockbuster Juan Soto trade with the Padres in August 2022, Hassell is a line-drive hitter who provides solid speed, arm strength and defense.

Ryan Ritter, SS, Rockies No. 12: Ritter produced an unusual batting line of .150/.477/.350 thanks to four of his six hits going for extra bases and his 18 walks over 14 games. The 2022 fourth-rounder from Kentucky is best known for his quality defense and strong arm.

Kala’i Rosario, OF, Twins No. 19: After winning the AFL’s 2023 Home Run Derby, he placed third in this year’s event and slashed .291/.383/.430 with three homers in 21 games. A fifth-round pick in 2020 from a Hawaii high school, he fits the right-field profile with his power and arm strength.

Tommy Troy, 2B, D-backs No. 19: Drafted 12th overall out of Stanford in 2023, Troy struggled in his first full pro season while battling a hamstring injury before recapturing his sweet-swinging ways in the Fall League. He recovered from a 1-for-25 start to hit .290/.380/.484 with three homers in 22 games.

SURPRISE SAGUAROS

Jac Caglianone, 1B, Royals No. 1: The sixth overall pick in the 2024 Draft out of Florida and the highest-ranked prospect in the AFL (MLB No. 17), Caglianone features arguably the best raw power in the Minors. He homered five times in 21 games while batting .236/.300/.449.

Chase DeLauter, OF, Guardians No. 2: The only first-round pick (16th overall in 2022) in James Madison history, DeLauter offers a tantalizing combination of size (6-foot-4, 235 pounds), athleticism, performance and plate discipline. After missing much of the Minor League season with foot and hamstring injuries, he has played twice a week in the AFL (slashing .340/.475/.511) while spending much of his time working with the Guardians’ training staff at their base in Goodyear.

Alejandro Osuna, OF, Rangers No. 16: Osuna idolizes Alex Verdugo and has a similar offensive profile as a polished lefty hitter with 20-homer potential. He led the Fall League with 22 walks in 25 games while hitting .306/.438/.449. He’s the younger brother of former All-Star closer Roberto Osuna and the nephew of ex-big leaguer Antonio Osuna.

Collin Price, C, Astros: Bigger than most catchers at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, Price offers solid raw power but his defense behind the plate is still a work in progress. A sixth-rounder out of Mercer in 2022, he batted .219/.337/.342 with two homers in 18 games.

Creed Willems, C, Orioles No. 22: Signed for a well over-slot $1 million as an eighth-rounder from a Texas high school in 2021, Willems has some of the best raw power and arm strength in the league. He slashed .338/.391/.500 with two homers in 19 games.