The Arizona Fall League is a lot enjoyable and simply two video games stay. The Salt River Rafters and Scottsdale Scorpions meet in a play-in contest Friday that can stream dwell on MLB.com at 8:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. native. The winner meets the two-time defending champion Shock Saguaros for the title Saturday at 8 p.m. ET/6 p.m. native, with that sport broadcast dwell on MLB Community and streaming on MLB.com.
In the event you’re rating them at the moment, the place would Ethan Holliday and/or Jace LaViollette land on the [Top 100 Draft Prospects list for 2025]? — @FanOfAllTeams on X
There’s expertise in each Draft, however so far nobody within the 2025 class has asserted himself like Travis Bazzana, Charlie Condon and Jac Caglianone did final 12 months. Or like Paul Skenes, Dylan Crews, Wyatt Langford, Walker Jenkins or Max Clark did in 2023.
MLB Pipeline will launch a 2025 Draft High 100 in December, with Texas A&M outfielder LaViolette doubtless rating atop the faculty crop and Stillwater (Okla.) HS shortstop Holliday headlining the excessive schoolers. LaViolette suits the basic right-field profile together with his prodigious energy and powerful arm. Holliday has way more physicality and the next ceiling than his older brother Jackson had on the similar stage — and Jackson went No. 1 total in 2022.
But each include issues. LaViolette struck out at a 24 p.c clip final spring, whereas Holliday struggled greater than anticipated on the summer time showcase circuit (as did Jackson).
In search of comparable profiles on our skilled High 100 Prospects listing, LaViolette resembles former Texas A&M teammate Braden Montgomery, who went twelfth total within the 2024 Draft to the Crimson Sox and doubtless would have gone larger if he hadn’t damaged his proper ankle on a foul slide within the NCAA tremendous regionals. Montgomery slots in at No. 54 and LaViolette would slot in barely behind him.
Holliday has some similarities to White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery, who ranks No. 37. I’d put him about 10 spots behind Montgomery for now.
Does that imply Holliday will take the highest spot on that upcoming Draft High 100? We’ll discover out in a number of weeks.
Looks like Kevin McGonigle’s bat could also be a lock to get him to the bigs … however what’s the probability he sticks at SS? — @7JayP
Drafted thirty seventh total by the Tigers in 2023 and at present the group’s No. 3 prospect and MLB’s No. 31, McGonigle is without doubt one of the greatest younger hitting prospects within the sport. As a 19-year-old in his first full professional season, he slashed .309/.401/.452 in 74 video games between two Class A stops earlier than breaking the hamate bone in his proper hand. He has a candy left-handed stroke and superior management of the strike zone, and he ought to develop into 20-homer energy.
Whereas he’s a greater shortstop than Detroit incumbent Trey Sweeney, McGonigle isn’t a lock to remain on the place. His quickness and arm power are extra common than plus, although his wonderful instincts assist him play above his instruments. Whereas he’s a succesful defender at brief and will spend a number of years there within the huge leagues, he’s in all probability extra of a second baseman in the long term.
Who has the higher long-term outlook: Josue DePaula or Zyhir Hope? — @Bleedinblue1
The Dodgers are loaded with intriguing outfield prospects who have been youngsters through the 2024 season: De Paula, Hope, Eduardo Quintero, Kendall George, Ching-Hsien Ko, Arnaldo Lantigua, Jared Elkins, Brendan Tunink. De Paula and Hope have very completely different profiles.
Signed for $397,500 out of the Dominican Republic in 2022, De Paula (at present LAD No. 2 and MLB No. 48) batted .268/.404/.405 with 30 extra-base hits, 27 steals and 84 walks in 107 video games between Single-A and Excessive-A. He’s such a gifted hitter. He contains a easy left-handed swing, acknowledges pitches and makes higher swing selections higher than most gamers his age. He’s a possible batting champion with at the very least 25-homer energy, although the remainder of his instruments are fringy to common and he tasks as a left fielder or DH.
Acquired from the Cubs in January’s Michael Busch commerce and at present ranked No. 11 within the LAD system, Hope hit .287/.415/.490 with 9 homers and eight steals in 54 Single-A video games whereas lacking three months with a stress fracture in his rib. He’s much less superior on the plate than De Paula however extra toolsy with plus uncooked energy, double-plus pace and effectively above-average arm power. He might develop right into a 30-30 middle fielder and has been as electrifying as any participant within the Arizona Fall League, the place he hit the longest measured house run (470 toes) of the season and stood out together with his center-field protection.
Who will probably be higher? De Paula has the upper flooring whereas Hope has the upper ceiling. De Paula has loads of upside, too, and I’d wager on his bat.
For the prospects off their group’s High 30 Prospects Checklist, and being a part of the AFL, which prospects do you consider will probably be on these lists by Spring Coaching subsequent 12 months, and the place would you fairly rank them? — @StevieDAles97
We mentioned this subject on the newest Pipeline Podcast and the obvious alternative is Yankees infielder Caleb Durbin, who has run wild within the Arizona Fall League the final two seasons. A stable baserunner with super instincts on the bases, he has set league data for steals in a season (29 in 24 video games) and profession (50 in 47 contests) and twice tied the mark for swipes in a sport (4).
Durbin controls the strike zone whereas making common line-drive contact and delivered a career-high 10 homers whereas slashing .287/.388/.451 in 82 Triple-A video games this season. He’s additionally a flexible defender who has began video games at second base, third base, shortstop, left subject and middle subject in each Triple-A and the AFL in 2024. Earlier this week, Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned he anticipated Durbin to play a major position within the huge leagues in 2025.
On the podcast, Jonathan Mayo urged three different candidates. Reds reliever Luis Mey has thrown the 34 hardest recorded pitches within the Fall League this season, topping out at 102 mph. Pirates outfielder Sammy Siani’s instruments obtained him drafted within the supplemental first spherical in 2019 and he’s making encouraging progress with the bat, whereas Samy Natera (Angels) has been one of the crucial spectacular southpaws within the AFL.
Durbin and Siani look extra like complementary gamers than regulars on a contender, Mey is strictly a bullpen choice with little historical past of throwing strikes and Natera is extra center reliever than starter. All of them ought to make High 30s however issue within the backside third of these lists after we replace them early subsequent 12 months.
