In the blink of an eye, the 2025 Arizona Fall League has concluded. As in previous seasons, common themes prevailed: inflated hitting due to poor pitching and favorable conditions, the rise and fall of specific prospects, and an underlying belief that Major League Baseball doesn’t do enough to make the AFL stand out. Although the hitting numbers are always skewed, there were still many outstanding performances this Fall, including the headliner delivering a dazzling season. Here is a recap of the top hitters in the 2025 Arizona Fall League.
The premier prospect in the AFL this season was Kevin McGonigle, a consensus Top 5 prospect and the name that AFL leadership hoped would carry the brand in 2025. That wish came to fruition as the Tigers’ top prospect was named the 2025 AFL MVP. McGonigle delivered a stellar performance, slashing .362/.500/.710 with five doubles and homers, while adding three steals. As per usual, the 21-year-old walked more than he struck out and reached base at a near-.500 clip. McGonigle showed an all-fields approach, consistently driving the ball where it was pitched and showing plus power in the process. The most impressive part of his 20-game sample was that, even with lofty expectations, he dominated. The thing to remember about the AFL is that it’s an additional 20+ games with little to no meaning, and one of the top prospects in the game still put forth his best effort and made every at-bat count. With uncertainties at both shortstop and second base, I’m unsure how the Tigers could open 2026 without McGonigle in their Opening Day lineup.
Off to the races!
MLB’s No. 2 prospect Kevin McGonigle puts the Scorpions on the board with an RBI triple. pic.twitter.com/y5QFfpwCNt
— MLB's Arizona Fall League (@MLBazFallLeague) November 14, 2025
While most eyes were on McGonigle, you couldn’t help but monitor the performance of former first-rounder Charlie Condon. Condon has been under a microscope after a very slow start following his selection with the third pick in 2024. The 6’6″ slugger posted reasonable numbers in the AFL, batting .337 with a double, two triples, and a homer. His 83 at-bats ranked third in the league, and Condon maintained a respectable 20.5 % strikeout rate. Improvements in his K-rate were encouraging, but Condon didn’t flash as much in-game power as I expected in a very favorable hitting environment. In any event, Condon is on the path to rebuilding some of the value he lost in 2024.
The AFL home run and RBI leader was fast-rising outfield prospect Esmerlyn Valdez, who was also named Offensive Player of the Year. Valdez added a league-leading eight home runs to the 26 he hit in the regular season while tallying 27 RBI. It wasn’t all about the power, though, as Valdez showed impressive bat-to-ball skills, above-average plate discipline, and the persona of a future star. In addition to the power output, Valdez hit .368 with three doubles and a 1.355 OPS. Also, the duo of Valdez and organizational mate Tony Blanco Jr. won the team portion of the 2025 AFL Home Run Derby. After he split his time in the Minors this season between High-A and Double-A, Valdez should open 2026 back with Double-A Altoona before making the jump to Triple-A.
Sick swing from Pirates prospect Esmerlyn Valdez for his third homer already of the AFL. Front door cutter in a full count that he somehow keeps fair.
108 MPH at 49 degrees. Kept carrying until it hit the foul pole. pic.twitter.com/3gPpUuwCQg
— Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) October 14, 2025
The batting average (.447) and OPS (1.418) champion was another Tigers prospect, infielder Max Anderson. The talented infielder added four homers and five doubles as well. I’ve been watching Anderson this season as he’s quietly become one of the more underrated prospects in the game. After 99 games at Double-A Erie, Anderson made 32 starts for Toledo in the International League. In 131 games, he slashed .296/.350/.478, adding 19 homers, 78 runs, 88 RBI, and three steals. His .828 OPS was the highest of his career while also posting an impressive strikeout rate of 17.3%. The 2023 second-round pick should also be in consideration for the Tigers this season. Although unlikely, the Motor City Kitties could realistically open 2026 with a McGonigle-Anderson duo up the middle, giving them an exciting infusion of young talent to pair with an already strong, young core.
The Giants added Parks Harber earlier this season in the Camilo Doval trade, and the 24-year-old made a strong impression in 25 games in High-A and now in the AFL. The Scottsdale third baseman posted a 1.196 OPS with 12 XBH, including three HR. Parks was one of the oldest players in High-A but didn’t become a pro until 2024, after a four-year collegiate career. He spent three years at Georgia and his senior season at North Carolina before going undrafted. Following his trade to the Giants, Harber slashed .333/.454/.644 with 13 XBH (7 HR) and 44 combined runs and RBI in 25 games. There’s nothing significant in his profile; instead, it’s a collection of tools and a strong work ethic that make him an interesting real-life prospect.
After missing the early part of the Fall following a fracture in his foot, White Sox top prospect Braden Montgomery joined Glendale and had a very strong showing in a small sample. Montgomery, a first-round pick in 2024, hit .366 with a homer, six doubles, a triple, three steals, and 11 RBI in just 41 at-bats. Although the foot fracture was minor in nature, Montgomery is no stranger to injuries. He sustained a fractured leg in the College World Series in 2024, which kept him from debuting following the draft. Still, his physicality and athleticism were on full display in the AFL, and the toolsy outfielder is definitely a name to watch in 2026. The White Sox are a team desperate for a middle-of-the-order calibre bat to complement their core of young stars, and a healthy Montgomery fits the bill.
One of the biggest surprises this Fall was the play of Nationals’ prospect Seaver King. The 22-year-old was the 10th overall pick in 2024 after starring at Wake Forest. He had an up-and-down debut season as he hit .244 with six homers and 30 steals across two levels. King got hot in the Desert, slashing .359/.468/.563 with eight XBH and 24 RBI, which ranked second in the AFL. Although the competition isn’t the best, King’s results give him momentum entering the offseason. After 88 games at Double-A this year, the Nationals may be aggressive with one of their top prospects by assigning him to Triple-A to open 2026.
Former Nationals first rounder Seaver King lines one at 101 to the RCF gap and hustles into 3B for a triple. King has displayed an impressive combination of power and speed this fall. Chance to develop into an everyday player for WAS down the line. #PLiveAFL @ProspectsLive pic.twitter.com/RyXdfUgCJm
— Jacob_Maxwell (@Jacob_Maxwell14) October 31, 2025
Mariners prospect Jonny Farmelo had mixed results in Arizona. Farmelo returned from a torn ACL sustained early in 2024 but managed just 26 games in the Minors. His inclusion on the AFL roster was equal parts a sign that he was healthy and the at-bats he needed to continue his development. The 21-year-old recorded a .234 average with nine XBH, but struggled to make consistent contact. His 28 strikeouts were tied for the second most in the AFL, trailing only Leo Balcazar of the Reds. Despite the underwhelming surface stats, Farmelo flashed outstanding athleticism, speed, raw power, and most importantly, good health this Fall.
A hot name in the dynasty landscape early this season was Brewers infielder Josh Adamczewski. Despite a shoulder injury limiting him to 71 games, he entered the discussion as a Top 100 prospect. The second-year pro generated a .320/.420/.490 slash line with 18 doubles, five homers, and seven steals, playing mainly at Class A. He concluded his season with a nice showing in the AFL, batting .277 with four homers and a nearly identical equal number of walks and strikeouts (15:17). Still just 20, Adamczewski should open 2026 at High-A, where he logged just 56 at-bats in the regular season.
One of my favorite AFL prospects was Raudi Rodriguez, a highly productive outfielder in the Angels system, and a guy I had firmly inside my Top 150 prospects. Although he was a bit old for the level, the 22-year-old hit .281 with 14 homers, 90 runs, 83 RBI, 38 steals, and a 130 wRC+ for Class A Inland Empire. Rodriguez showed that his regular season wasn’t a fluke by batting .433 with an OPS of 1.164 in the AFL. In addition, Rodriguez was the MVP of the Fall Stars game with a two-hit performance for the American League.
Angels’ Raudi Rodriguez this fall: 26-for-60 (.433), HR, 9 RBI, 6 2B, 3B, 5 SB, 1.164 OPS. pic.twitter.com/gQtJaqCw2F
— Sam Fosberg (@discussbaseball) November 12, 2025
Not everyone was a star, however, as a pair of Reds prospects underwhelmed during the regular season. The duo of Cam Collier and Alfredo Duno combined for an OPS of under .700 and a strikeout rate of just over 32%. In fairness, Duno is among the youngest players in the AFL, plus he went off in the postseason, including a three-HR game in the semifinals. I am closely monitoring Collier, though. He suffered a torn UCL ligament in his thumb this Spring and missed a good chunk of the first half of 2025. Since his return, he’s managed just five homers in over 110 games (including one in the AFL). So much of Collier’s early rise was predicated on the power upside and his ability to outhomer some of his swing-and-miss woes. The power likely continues to tick up as he gets further removed from the injury, but it’s something to keep an eye on early in 2026.
Strikeouts continued to pile up this Fall for a pair of Rays prospects, Aidan Smith and Brayden Taylor. Each of them struggled with contact during the regular season, posting strikeout rates of 31.2 and 27.7 percent, respectively. In the AFL, they racked up 30 more strikeouts in just 98 at-bats, a combined rate of over 30%. There’s no doubting the tools that Smith has shown early in his career, but Taylor has yet to realize the potential that made him the 19th overall pick in 2023.
Other notable performances:
- Sam Antonacci (2B, CHW) had 28 hits this Fall, tying for the AFL lead with Charlie Condon. Antonacci is a scrappy middle-infielder with no standout tools, but he fits the moniker of a “ball player”. I’d anticipate the 22-year-old seeing time in Chicago by the end of 2026.
- Mets catching prospect Chris Suero was a standout in all aspects of the game and is continuing his late-season rise in the ranks. In 60 at-bats, Suero hit .283 with five homers, two doubles, and eight steals, leading all catchers in the AFL.
- The AFL Breakout Prospect of the Year was Cubs prospect Owen Ayers. The 24-year-old is a first-year pro following his selection in the 19th round of last year’s draft. This fall, he hit .379 with five doubles and three homers, while also posting 19 walks against just ten strikeouts. His .539 OBP finished second in the AFL (M Anderson), and Ayers ranked inside the Top 10 in BA, runs, hits, HR, SLG, and OPS. Not a bad AFL for a guy ranked outside the Top 600 in most prospect rankings.
