The Arizona Fall League concluded with the Salt River Rafters claiming an unlikely title with their win over Shock in Nov. 16’s AFL championship recreation, bringing a dramatic near Week 6, and this yr, of AFL play. The gamers honored for his or her performances within the season’s last week have been guys who’d impressed all fall.
Shortly after being named the circuit’s MVP, Scottsdale slugger Josue Briceño (DET No. 9) added his second AFL Hitter of the Week honor for the way in which he capped his sensational fall. Glendale left-hander Jerming Rosario (Dodgers) missed so many bats he hardly wanted his fielders in an outing that fueled his Pitcher of the Week honors.
Briceño completed the best fall of any participant in Arizona on an absolute tear, hitting an otherworldly .579 (11-for-19) with eight runs, 4 doubles, two homers, seven RBIs and 21 complete bases over his last 5 video games of play. That completed off probably the most historic seasons ever produced within the AFL, as Briceño claimed the primary Triple Crown within the circuit’s 32-year historical past by hitting .430 with 10 homers and 27 RBIs (1.374 OPS) over 25 video games.
“It’s an unimaginable feeling,” Briceño advised MLB Pipeline through interpreter Analis Castro this weekend. “One thing I wasn’t anticipating to win. However because the season progressed, I believed I’d have an opportunity and right here we’re.”
A 20-year-old backstop who performed largely first base this fall, Briceño has appeared like a breakout candidate for a while since signing for $800,000 out of Venezuela in 2022. However accidents restricted him over his first two full skilled seasons, together with a knee problem that price him all however 40 video games this season. He homered solely twice in these 40 contests for Single-A Lakeland, then erupted for 10 homers in nearly half that complete for the Scorpions in Arizona. He additionally paced all AFL hitters in hits, slugging and OPS, and in addition earned Participant of the Week honors for Week 2.
Rosario earned Pitcher of the Week honors on the energy of a dominant three-inning outing for Glendale in its 2-1 loss to Mesa on Nov. 13. Recording strikeouts for seven of his 9 outs, Rosario held the Photo voltaic Sox to at least one baserunner on one hit and didn’t stroll a batter. He led AFL pitchers in strikeouts over the ultimate week of play.
A 22-year-old righty who spent most of 2024 with Double-A Tulsa, Rosario was among the many top-performing pitchers within the AFL this season, putting out 24 in 16 innings and pitching to a 4.50 ERA throughout six outings. He began two video games, saved one other, and tied for third within the AFL in complete strikeouts.
