Call it the mid-autumn classic.
The Arizona Fall League’s Fall Stars Game arrives Saturday at Mesa’s Sloan Park at 8 p.m. ET/6 p.m. local, placing some of the game’s best prospects and the circuit’s best performers on the same field. The game will be broadcast on MLB Network and streamed on MLB.com and the MLB app. Former Pirates pitcher Steven Brault, former Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. and MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo will be on the call.
The game will be divided into American and National League sides as has been the case in the two most recent Fall Stars matchups. Below are this year’s Fall Stars participants, grouped by parent club:
AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
BLUE JAYS
Lazaro Estrada, RHP: The 25-year-old righty pitched his way through three levels in 2024, finishing with a 3.29 ERA and 113 strikeouts in 98 1/3 innings and ending the year at Double-A New Hampshire. He’s tied for eighth in the Fall League with 19 K’s over 11 2/3 innings for Scottsdale and has shown a 90-93 mph fastball, 82-85 mph slider and mid-70s curveball — the latter of which can be a high-spin hammer.
Adrian Pinto, 2B/OF: The Dominican Summer League MVP in 2021, Pinto missed much of this season with a rib injury but has been an on-base machine for Scottsdale this autumn. Standing at 5-foot-6, he also has impressive speed that helps him at both second and in center ahead of his Rule 5 eligibility this offseason.
Peyton Williams, 1B: After delivered an OPS over 1.000 in back-to-back years at Iowa, Williams went in the seventh round of the 2022 Draft and was a Northwest League All-Star this past season before the fans put him on the AL AFL team in the Final 2 Vote. The big first baseman has some serious power from the left side and has hit .294/.351/.515 over 16 games this fall.
ORIOLES
Creed Willems, C/1B (No. 22): The Orioles went over slot to sign Willems for $1 million in the eighth round of the 2021 Draft to keep him from heading to Texas Christian. He’s started to tap into his considerable raw power from the left side of the plate, with 17 homers in each of his last two Minor League seasons and he sports a .902 AFL OPS heading into the Fall Stars Game.
RAYS
Tre’ Morgan, 1B/OF (No. 10): Morgan — a plus-plus defender at the cold corner — has gotten looks on the grass, focusing exclusively on left field with the Solar Sox. The former LSU star continues to show high-contact, high-average potential at the dish too, using a wide base and choked-up bat to protect the plate with two strikes.
RED SOX
Brooks Brannon, C (No. 27): A ninth-round pick as a North Carolina high schooler in 2022, when he led national prepsters with 20 homers (tying his father Paul’s state record) and 91 RBIs, Brannon generates some of the best raw power and highest exit velocities among Red Sox farmhands and also shows a plus arm behind the plate. He’s batting .333/.375/.500 with two homers in 14 games.
Max Ferguson, 2B: Part of the Eric Hosmer trade with the Padres in August 2022, Ferguson stands out most with his plus speed (he stole 61 bases that season) and patient approach at the plate. He’s hitting .246/.368/.361 with 13 walks through 17 games.
Danny Kirwin, RHP: Kirwin signed in April after the independent Oakland Ballers posted a video on social media that showed his fastball clocked at 98 mph, and the Rider product usually operates at 92-96 mph while mixing in a mid-80s slider and a harder cutter. He has logged a 3.38 ERA with a 14/1 K/BB ratio in 10 2/3 innings.
YANKEES
Carlos Lagrange, RHP (No. 20): Signed for just $10,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2022, Lagrange can reach triple digits with his fastball and flash some plus sliders in the mid-80s when at his best. He has yet to surrender an earned run in 6 2/3 innings over four starts, though he has walked 12 vs. eight strikeouts.
Caleb Durbin, 3B: Acquired in a December 2022 deal that shipped Lucas Luetge to the Braves, Durbin is a versatile contact hitter who makes the most of his solid speed. Last year, he became the first AFL player to steal 20 bases in 15 years with 21 swipes (three short of the record) and he already has exceeded that total with 22 in 23 attempts and 20 games this year. He’s batting .296/.416/.519 with four homers.
Garrett Martin, OF: Signed as a nondrafted free agent out of Austin Peay State in 2023, Martin is a corner outfielder who stands out most with his right-handed power. He’s slashing .222/.329/.476 with four homers in 17 games.
AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
GUARDIANS
Allan Hernandez, RHP: A 12th-round pick as a Miami high schooler in 2019, Hernandez has developed into one of the hardest throwers in the system, parking at 96 mph and peaking at 99 mph with his fastball while also dealing mid-80s sliders. He sports a 3.86 ERA with nine strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings.
ROYALS
Jac Caglianone, 1B (KC No. 1/MLB No. 17): The 2024 sixth overall pick would be forgiven for looking tired in the AFL after a long spring at Florida and additional pro time with High-A Quad Cities, but he’s actually been catching fire as the fall season has wore on. His trademark plus-plus power has led to multiple 110+ mph home runs, and he should be considered one of the favorites in Friday’s Home Run Derby.
Carter Jensen, C (No. 5): Jensen headed to Surprise after a breakout season in which he slashed .259/.359/.450 with 18 homers and 17 steals in 125 games between High-A and Double-A, and despite the heavy workload for a catcher, he’s kept right on trucking with the Saguaros. The 21-year-old backstop has worked on getting less passive in the box to enable his power to play better, and his above-average arm strength helps limit opposing running games.
Luinder Avila, RHP (No. 26): Avila posted a 4.14 ERA with 85 strikeouts in 87 innings (mostly with Double-A Northwest Arkansas) and started for Omaha in the Triple-A National Championship Game in Las Vegas, so pitching on a larger stage isn’t foreign to him. The 23-year-old has touched 98.4 mph in the AFL and spun breaking balls in the 2,800-3,000 rpm range.
TIGERS
Thayron Liranzo, C/1B (No. 6): Acquired from the Dodgers at this year’s Trade Deadline for Jack Flaherty, the 21-year-old switch-hitter made a strong first impression with a .315/.470/.562 line, five homers and a 20/26 K/BB ratio in 26 High-A games after the trade. Liranzo continues to be an offensive force in the AFL — one with good pop and a strong eye — and his throwing ability from behind the dish has earned strong grades from scouts.
Josue Briceño, 1B (No. 9): Briceño caught the attention of Detroit’s Major League side in the spring with his size at 6-foot-4 and young strength as a 19-year-old at the time, but a PCL sprain in his right knee kept him from truly popping off in the summer. That breakout has been fully realized in the AFL where Briceño tops the circuit in hits (29), homers (eight), total bases (59). He’s also tied for the slugging lead (.797) with Niko Kavadas (Angels).
TWINS
Jack Noble, RHP: Noble joined the Twins as a nondrafted free agent in 2022, and after working as a starter in 2023, spent the 2024 season in the Single-A Fort Myers bullpen, making stops with High-A Cedar Rapids and Double-A Wichita. He struck out 10.7 per nine for the year and has used as many as six pitches to get outs as a pro.
WHITE SOX
Grant Taylor, RHP (No. 6): Taylor, who missed Louisiana State’s 2023 national championship season following Tommy John surgery and much of this year with a lat strain, features a lively mid-90s fastball, sharp low-90s cutter and a tight mid-80s slider. His stuff has looked good but his command has been rusty, as evidenced by his 9.39 ERA and 13/7 K/BB ratio in 7 2/3 innings.
AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
ANGELS
Niko Kavadas, 1B (No. 29): Originally a member of the Red Sox organization, Kavadas came to the Angels at this year’s Trade Deadline in the Luis García deal, and he made his big league debut in mid-August. He’s established his power-hitting bona fides by hitting 71 combined homers over his three full seasons of pro ball and he’s kept it going this fall with six more long balls. He tops the AFL with a 1.297 OPS, and is tied for the SLG lead (.797) with Josue Briceño.
Samy Natera Jr., LHP: A 17th-round pick in 2022 out of New Mexico State, Natera is a bit of a late bloomer who missed most of the 2024 season with an elbow sprain. The 6-foot-4 lefty can get his fastball up to the mid-90s and has used that and a solid breaking ball to pitch effectively this fall, with a 0.90 ERA (second in the AFL) and 13 K’s over 10 innings.
ASTROS
Alex Santos II, RHP: Houston’s top choice (supplemental second round) in the 2020 Draft as a New York City high schooler, Santos is inconsistent but can touch 96 mph with his fastball and flash a plus curveball at his best. He’s tied for the Fall League strikeout lead with 20 in 14 2/3 innings while sporting a 3.68 ERA.
ATHLETICS
Denzel Clarke, OF (No. 10): A Fall Leaguer in 2022, Clarke is having more success this time around, hitting .371/.500/.532 with seven steals over 16 games. He has an interesting power-speed combination and is continuing to work on refining his approach to cut down on his swing-and-miss and chase.
MARINERS
No participants.
RANGERS
Alejandro Osuna, OF (No. 16): The younger brother of former All-Star closer Roberto Osuna and the nephew of ex-big leaguer Antonio Osuna, Alejandro idolizes Alex Verdugo and has a similar offensive profile as a polished lefty hitter with solid raw power. Signed for $125,000 out of Mexico in 2020, he tops the AFL in walks (20), is tied with Caleb Durbin (NYY) for the lead in runs (22) and has batted .333/.471/.506 through 21 games.
Max Acosta, SS: Signed for $1.65 million out of Venezuela in 2019, Acosta is a solid hitter with gap power and the arm strength for shortstop, though he fits better at second base. He’s hitting .305/.388/.492 with seven steals in 16 games.
Marc Church, RHP: Church’s athleticism and arm speed enable him to generate mid-90s fastballs with tremendous carry and mid-80s sliders with two-plane depth when he’s on. Signed for an over-slot $300,000 as an 18th-rounder from an Atlanta high school in 2019, he has compiled a 4.76 ERA with nine strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
Cody Freeman, 3B: The younger brother of Guardians outfielder Tyler Freeman, Cody is a hit-over-power guy with strong makeup and the versatility to play all four infield spots as well as catcher. He’s slashing .308/.416/.508 with two homers in 18 games.
National League East
BRAVES
Isaac Gallegos, RHP: If you like sliders, Gallegos is your guy. He threw well enough starting at New Mexico in 2023 to get signed as a nondrafted free agent. While he amassed only 27 innings this year, he did reach High-A, using that slider heavily to strike out 13.3 per nine. He’s continued to miss bats this fall, with a 15.6 K/9 rate over six appearances.
MARLINS
Andrew Pintar, OF (No. 18): Part of the A.J. Puk deal with the Diamondbacks in July, Pintar is a center fielder with plus speed and average raw power. He’s batting .258/.349/.354 with two homers in 23 games..
METS
Jett Williams, SS/OF (NYM No. 2/MLB No. 52): Right wrist surgery kept Williams from playing for much of the summer, though he did get a quick look at Triple-A Syracuse before the season was out. The 5-foot-6 right-handed slugger can work a walk with the best of the Fall League, exhibit above-average wheels (useful for his time in center field) and play a capable shortstop when he’s on the dirt.
NATIONALS
Robert Hassell III, OF (No. 13): Third time is the charm for Hassell, who didn’t crack the Fall Stars Game in his first two attempts in the league. The 23-year-old outfielder continued to deal with hand/wrist issues this summer but has looked smoother with Salt River after a reset, hitting .286/.360/.545 with 11 extra-base hits in 17 games.
Chase Solesky, RHP: A former White Sox prospect, Solesky signed with the Nationals out of the independent Atlantic League this summer and has managed a 20/1 K/BB ratio through 13 innings for Salt River. He has a deep repertoire with a fastball, cutter, slider, curveball and changeup.
PHILLIES
Griff McGarry, RHP (No. 21): Since coming out of Virginia as a fifth-rounder in 2021, McGarry has shown off premium raw stuff with questionable command. He moved to the bullpen during the 2024 season and struck out 11.9 per nine, but walked 10.2. He still has every bit of a plus fastball and cutter/slider, whiffing 11 in 8 2/3 AFL innings and posting a 3.12 ERA, though he’s also issued nine walks.
National League Central
BREWERS
Juan Baez, 2B (No. 27): The fourth-youngest player in the Fall League at 19, Baez was limited by a right shoulder injury during the regular season and couldn’t get back to the player who batted .351 in his first stateside campaign in 2023. He’s been much closer to that form in the AFL by reaching base in all 19 of his games for Peoria, during which he has a .324 average and .933 OPS thanks to solid hand-eye coordination at the dish.
Ryan Birchard, RHP: A Milwaukee junior-college find, Birchard endured an oblique injury that limited him to only 21 1/3 innings in his first full season. He’s battled control issues in the Fall League (16 walks in 12 innings) but has shown a 93-95 mph fastball, upper-80s cutter, low-80s slider and upper-70s curveball.
CARDINALS
Thomas Saggese, 2B (No. 4): Saggese headed to the Fall League hoping to cut down on his chase-heavy ways after a season-ending stint in the Majors, and he’s succeeding as the AFL leader in OBP (.524) while standing third in average (.391). The 22-year-old has been playing only second base for Glendale in an attempt to win St. Louis’ job at the keystone in 2025.
CUBS
Moises Ballesteros, C (No. 4/MLB No. 44): Signed for $1.2 million out of Venezuela in 2021, Ballesteros has blossomed into one of the best young hitting prospects in baseball with outstanding bat-to-ball skills, developing power and advanced control of the strike zone, though his defense is still a work in progress. He’s hitting .309/.375/.574 with five homers through 16 games.
Jonathon Long, 3B (No. 30): A 2023 ninth-round pick from Long Beach State, Long has a quick right-handed swing and solid raw power. That pop has played in Arizona, where he’s slashing .348/.443/.667 with six homers in 16 games.
PIRATES
Derek Diamond, RHP: Diamond has thrown a ton of strikes since the Pirates took him out of Mississippi in the sixth round of the 2022 Draft, walking just 2.1 per nine since signing. It’s been more of the same this fall (1.6 BB/9), though he’s missed more bats (9.8/9 vs. 7.6/9 in the Minors) while posting a 2.45 ERA working out of the bullpen.
Geovanny Planchart, C: Signed for just $41,000 near the end of the 2018-19 international signing period, Planchart is known as a solid defensive backstop who hasn’t hit a ton as a pro. The AFL has treated him well, as he carries a .345/.457/.586 line over 29 at-bats heading into the Fall Stars Game.
Sammy Siani, OF: The No. 37 pick in the 2019 Draft, Siani had his first extended success in High-A Greensboro to earn a promotion to Double-A this season. His new swing path that led to more contact has continued working for him in the AFL, he’s currently leading the circuit with a .406 average and sixth in OPS (1.066).
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REDS
Edwin Arroyo, SS (CIN No. 3/MLB No. 65): Arroyo missed all of the 2024 regular season after needing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder. Still just 21, he’s shaking the rust off this fall and holding his own at the plate while providing his usual outstanding defense at shortstop.
Jose Acuna, RHP: Acquired from the Mets at the Trade Deadline in 2022, Acuna topped 100 innings with High-A Dayton at age 20 in 2023. A flexor strain this year limited him to just 39 IP, though he did throw well with Double-A Chattanooga and made four starts for Triple-A Louisville before his 22nd birthday. He’s limited damage this fall with a 2.77 ERA and 11.1 K/9 rate over 13 IP. He’s also walked 7.6/9, but he’s been a reliable strike-thrower in the past with a four-pitch mix.
Luis Mey, RHP: Mey has almost certainly earned a spot on the Reds’ 40-man roster with his AFL performance. He’s long opened eyes by lighting up the radar gun with a sinking fastball that routinely reaches triple digits and missing bats with a cutter-like slider. But the strike zone has been elusive (7.1 BB/9 rate in the Minors) until this fall, when Mey hasn’t allowed a hit and walked only two over 7 2/3 IP and has collected the most saves (six) since Carlos Estévez in 2015.
National League West
D-BACKS
Tommy Troy, 2B/SS (No. 5): The 2023 12th overall pick got off to an uneven start in his first full season with High-A Hillsboro and a left hamstring strain was a big reason why. After early struggles, he’s been more relaxed in the box as the AFL has gone along, spraying line drives all over the park while looking much more like his Stanford self.
Gino Groover, 3B/1B/2B (No. 9): The 2023 second-rounder suffered a broken left wrist on a play at first base back in April, resulting in three lost months of his first full season. He’s gotten back to his ways as a potential plus hitter, first at Double-A Amarillo and then in the Arizona Fall League, though power remains a question (only one extra-base hit in 15 games).
DODGERS
Zyhir Hope, OF (No. 11): One of the best all-around athletes in the AFL, Hope combines plus raw power, double-plus speed and well-above-average arm strength. Acquired from the Cubs in a trade for Michael Busch and Yency Almonte in January, he’s batting .260/.345/.452 with three homers in 19 games — including the longest measured blast (470 feet) of the AFL season.
Eriq Swan, RHP: A high-upside project, Swan is huge (6-foot-6, 240 pounds), can reach 101 mph with his fastball and flashes a tight mid-80s slider. The 2023 supplemental fourth-rounder from Middle Tennessee State has battled his control in the past but has posted a 14/1 K/BB ratio with a 5.19 ERA in 8 2/3 innings.
GIANTS
Cale Lansville, RHP: A 14th-rounder from San Jacinto (Texas) JC in 2023, Lansville features an upper-80s cutter as his best pitch and sets it up with a 92-95 mph fastball. He has recorded a 2.92 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings.
PADRES
Ethan Salas, C (SD No. 1/MLB No. 19): Many eyes were going to be on Salas after he hit just .206 with a .599 OPS in 111 games at High-A Fort Wayne in his second professional season. The AFL’s second-youngest player has lived up to his pre-2024 hype with Peoria, showing more consistent thump from the left side while still exhibiting advanced defensive work as a catcher.
Leodalis De Vries, SS (No. 2/MLB No. 28): He’s the youngest player in the Fall League, having just signed in January, and the youngest in the past decade. He more than held his own at age 17 in the Single-A California League and while his numbers for Peoria don’t stand out, he hasn’t looked lost as the Padres’ future shortstop.
Romeo Sanabria, 1B (No. 23): Owner of a .301 career average in the Minors, the 2022 18th-rounder has forced his way into the Padres’ Top 30 by hitting everywhere he’s gone, including three levels in 2024. That work has continued with Peoria, but considering Sanabria is locked into first base, he could stand to show more power entering his age-23 season in 2025.
ROCKIES
Evan Justice, LHP: Injuries have derailed Justice since being drafted in 2021, missing all of 2022 with a shoulder strain. He made his big league debut in August 2023, but spent a lot of this season on the injured list, tossing just 25 total innings. The lefty has been lights-out this fall, pitching 7 2/3 hitless relief innings, walking just one and striking out 10.
Skyler Messinger, 1B: After four years at Kansas, Messinger used his extra COVID eligibility to play at Texas, landing in Round 19 of the 2022 Draft. He hit 18 homers in 2023, but then needed Tommy John surgery so he played in just 53 games this year. He’s hit .293 with 11 RBIs in 17 games this fall.
