For the primary time in its 33 seasons, the Arizona Fall League options Statcast expertise in any respect six of its ballparks, permitting for extra full information. The developmental circuit has reached the midpoint of its six-week schedule, making it a tremendous time to test in on the highest performers in quite a lot of classes.
Tigers third baseman Max Anderson leads the Fall League in each batting common (.520) and common exit velocity (97.9 mph). Pirates outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez, who paces the AFL with eight homers in 11 contests, is the one hitter to have cracked the highest 5 in each highest and common exit velo. Orioles outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr. has posted the quickest dash velocity (31.0 toes per second) and the best stolen-base complete (13 in 11 video games).
Blanco crushed the hardest-hit (119.8 mph) and longest (450 toes) house run within the Single-A Florida State League this season, and he hasn’t stopped pummeling balls within the Fall League. Not solely has he recorded the most effective exit velocity, however he additionally drilled the longest homer of the season at 464 toes. That one left his bat at a mere 112.2 mph. Blanco’s 120.4 mph exit velo was exceeded within the huge leagues simply as soon as this season, on a 122.9-mph homer by the Pirates’ Oneil Cruz.
Highest common exit velocitiesMin: 15 tracked batted balls
Anderson has put 18 balls in play this fall, with 14 of them exceeding 95 mph, translating right into a 77.8 p.c hard-hit price. That is a small pattern dimension and the Arizona Fall League may be very hitter pleasant, however to place that determine in context, the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber led the Majors this 12 months at 59.6 p.c. Anderson has hit 5 balls at 98 mph or tougher with optimum launch angles that meet MLB’s definition of “barrels,” giving him a barrel price of 27.8 p.c. The Yankees’ Aaron Decide topped huge leaguers with a 24.7 p.c barrel price this season.
As famous above, Blanco hits them laborious and hits them far. Solely 23 huge league homers traveled additional than 464 toes this 12 months, highlighted by a 493-foot Nick Kurtz monster. Brewers outfielder Josh Adamczewski could not fairly crack this checklist, however he has slammed three homers that traveled at the least 425 toes. No different Fall Leaguer has hit multiple.
Editor’s notice: The unique model of this story credited Tommy White (Athletics) with a 470-foot homer that since has been deemed to have been measured incorrectly.
Brewers No. 13 prospect Josh Adamczewski did not fairly crack this checklist, however he has launched three homers that traveled at the least 425 toes. No different Fall Leaguer has hit multiple.
Highest fastball velocities
1. 101.7 mph — JP Wheat, Cubs2. 101.4 mph — Jhancarlos Lara, ATL No. 213-T. 101.3 mph — Wheat3-T. 101.3 mph — Wheat5. 101.1 mph — Luis Perales, BOS No. 9
There have been 31 pitches clocked in triple digits, and Wheat has supplied 16 of them, together with 12 of the most popular 18. The issue has been that seven of these 16 100-mph+ heaters weren’t strikes, symptomatic of how he has battled the zone all through his professional profession. He has issued 9 walks and surrendered as many runs in three innings whereas notching simply two strikeouts within the desert. The toughest pitch within the Majors this common season belonged to the Padres’ Mason Miller, who fired a 104.2 mph fastball.
Highest common fastball velocitiesMin. 35 tracked 4-seamers/sinkers
1. 98.9 mph — Perales2-T. 98.4 mph — Emiliano Teodo, TEX No. 142-T. 98.4 mph — Wheat4. 98.1 mph — Najer Victor, LAA5. 98.0 mph — Lara
Following Tommy John surgical procedure in June 2024 that stored him out of recreation motion for 15 months, Perales shortly has confirmed that his velocity has returned. He hit 101.1 mph throughout his Fall League debut and has sat at 98.9 all through his first three begins. His fastball command hasn’t bounced all the best way again, so his heater has been hit laborious at instances, which is why he has fanned 11 in eight innings but in addition sports activities a 6.75 ERA. For level of comparability, Miller topped all huge leaguers (minimal: 50 innings) with a fastball common of 101.2 mph.
Highest common spin charges (breaking balls)Min. 15 tracked breaking balls
Sellinger is the unquestioned spin grasp of the Fall League, as his curveball has produced the seven finest particular person spin charges (as much as 3,521 rpm) and highest common (3,218 rpm). Hitters have gone 0-for-5 with 4 strikeouts towards his bender, although they’ve teed off on his low-90s sinker and roughed him up for 5 runs in three innings. Dustin Could (Crimson Sox) featured the best common breaking ball spin price within the Majors this 12 months at 3,182 rpm together with his sweeper, whereas Seth Lugo (Royals) reached the best peak with a curveball at 3,557 rpm.
Highest max dash speeds (particular person runs)
Bradfield’s top-of-the-line velocity made him a first-round choose in 2023 and has helped him steal 135 bases in 154 makes an attempt (88 p.c) in 209 professional video games whereas additionally establishing himself as among the best defensive middle fielders within the Minors. His quickness has been evident within the Fall League, the place he owns 4 of the highest six dash speeds in addition to the 5 finest home-to-first instances, highlighted by 3.73 seconds on a bunt single. At 32.8 toes per second, Jonny DeLuca (Rays) delivered the quickest MLB dash rating on a ball in play this season.
Quickest personal-best pop instances (to 2B)
Some scouts imagine Janek is the most effective defensive catcher within the Minors, partially due to his plus-plus arm power. He and Ayers have mixed for the 18 finest home-to-second pop instances, although oddly sufficient they have not carried out a lot to curtail Fall League basestealers. Janek has surrendered 26 steals in 31 makes an attempt (84 p.c) in 11 begins behind the plate, whereas Ayers has yielded 27 swipes in 37 tries (73 p.c) in 9 begins. Janek’s 1.71-second pop time matches the 2025 MLB finest (on balls that went during to second base) recorded by J.T. Realmuto (Phillies).
Highest max arm power (particular person throws)
Although he has performed in simply two video games in proper subject since arriving as an harm alternative for group mate Wuilfredo Antunez, Rosario already has unleashed two of the 5 hardest throws by a fielder at 97.5 and 96.3 mph. Minor League groups nearly by no means check his plus-plus arm power, so his AFL outfield help quantity almost matches his regular-season complete of two in 95 video games. Lasko owns three of the highest 4 and 4 of the six hardest throws and has reduce down two runners in 12 outfield begins. They each have an extended option to go to match the toughest throw in a giant league recreation this 12 months: 104.9 mph by each Oneil Cruz and Ronald Acuña Jr. (Braves).
Ayers has spent only one Fall League recreation within the outfield, however that was sufficient for him to sneak onto this checklist.
