Fix No. 1: Increase Financial Motivation

One possible solution that came up consistently was the idea that, while teams cannot be forced to send their best arms, they can potentially be induced to do so. Multiple people surveyed suggested financial incentives—both for players and teams—might go a long way toward cajoling clubs into sending higher quality players to the desert. 

Currently, the AFL pays players the Double-A rate of $1,020 per week. So, for the six-week season, each player can make $6,120.

“If you want an outside the box idea, the NBA does an in-season tournament … and the team that wins gets money,” one scout said. “I think if you can make it that sort of vibe, where the season is shorter, there’s more of a round-robin playoff format, there’s money in the pot and these guys get ‘a playoff share’ if they win it, I think you might light a fire under some guys.”

In this particular example, the scout is referring to the NBA Cup, which began in 2023 and guarantees $500,000 to every member of the winning team. College basketball has a similar tournament—the Players Era Festival—which guarantees each participating team $1 million toward its Name Image and Likeness (NIL) pool. The winning team gets an extra $500,000 added to its coffers. 

While nobody is suggesting the stakes should be six or seven figures, basketball has provided a blueprint the AFL might consider replicating.

Fix No. 2: Follow The PPI Path

While such a system would motivate the players to extend their season by six weeks, it doesn’t provide the organization itself with the same incentive.

For that, a farm director suggested something resembling MLB’s Prospect Promotion Incentive, which uses draft capital to encourage teams to get their best prospects to the big leagues sooner instead of holding them back to extend team control by another season.

“What if there was an incentive if your player won (AFL) MVP,” the farm director said. “What about a third-round pick or a fifth-round pick?”

The PPI has already proved to be a boon in the big leagues. Julio Rodriguez winning Rookie of the Year netted the Mariners an extra pick in 2023, which they used to select outfielder Jonny Farmelo. As it happens, both Rodriguez and Farmelo have spent time in the AFL. 

Fix No. 3: Reinstate Past AFL Roster Rules

Financial bonuses for players and draft capital for teams might help get higher-quality prospects to the Arizona Fall League, but they’re not the only way to improve the on-field product. Another avenue might be reverting to the AFL’s old rules and putting stricter qualifications on the players who could play in the league. 

In previous years, spots in the AFL had stricter rules on which players were allowed to participate. Each team was required to send seven players who fit the following requirements, which were listed in the 2017 AFL media guide:

• All Triple-A and Double-A players are eligible provided they are on Double-A or
  Triple-A rosters no later than Aug 15.
• Each organization is permitted to send two Class A Advanced-level players in addition to the current allowance of two “A-exempt” players who are under contract as of Aug. 15. Foreign players are allowed as long as the player is not on his native country’s primary protected player list.
• No players with more than one year active or two years total of credited major-league service as of Aug. 31 (including major league disabled list time) are eligible.
• Each team is allotted 20 pitchers, but only 15 are designated “eligible” each game day.

Those rules have since been removed, and in recent years, the league has been littered with players who have yet to advance past Low-A. Rays outfielder Brailer Guerrero and Marlins infielder PJ Morlando each took part in the 2025 AFL. Understandably, both players struggled mightily. Guerrero, who has just 50 games above Rookie ball, hit .077/.172/.077 with 16 strikeouts in 26 at-bats. Morlando, who played 52 games at Low-A this year, hit .136/.261/.136 with 23 strikeouts in 59 at-bats. Neither recorded an extra-base hit. 

“There are players (in the AFL) who played in the Rookie ball, and there are players who played in Triple-A for a couple years and everything in between, which has affected the quality of play a little bit, especially on the pitching side,” the farm director said. “I think there’s something to be said about there maybe needs to be some type of guide, some type of parameter around who qualifies for the Fall League and who doesn’t.” 

Although going solely to upper-level players might not be feasible, a shift to prospects who had at least reached High-A might be a fair compromise. Another way to split the difference might be to reintroduce the AFL taxi squad, which limited a few players on each roster to games only on certain days. Those spots, in theory, could be reserved for lower-level prospects.

Fix No. 4: Expand The Player Pool

If neither of those roster avenues is palatable, then perhaps the league could look into widening the player pool beyond the farm systems of the 30 affiliated clubs. 

One league executive suggested that opening the AFL to the top unsigned talents from MLB Partner Leagues might ease pressure on MLB teams to send their own arms while also giving partner league players a chance to audition for all 30 clubs in real game action instead of in controlled environments at training facilities. 

The league executive proposed supplementing the AFL with top independent pitchers selected with the help of both new-age data and old-school recommendations.

“You give some of those players a chance to be signed out of there, with the agreement being that if you sign (a partner league player) out of the AFL, they have to complete the season out there,” the league executive said. “You can’t sign them and shut them down.”

As an example, the executive pointed to Reds righthander Trevor Kuncl, a George Washington alum who pitched for four seasons in the Frontier and Atlantic leagues before signing with Cincinnati prior to the 2025 season. Kuncl, 26, pitched this past season at Double-A Chattanooga and then got more innings under his belt with Peoria in the AFL. 

“There’s no reason why you couldn’t have had him pitch at this time last year—before Cincinnati signed him—to basically audition, so to speak, for 30 clubs,” the executive said. “Maybe the player gets a little bit more out of it in terms of a signing bonus.”

Fix No. 5: Send More Draft Arms To The Desert

The league executive also threw out the idea of teams sending more of their pitchers from that summer’s MLB Draft to the Arizona Fall League. The later draft and the earlier complex league season finales have meant pitchers drafted in July now often have to wait until the following season to make their official professional debuts. Increasingly, teams are also opting not to play games during the bridge and instructional league seasons. 

Instead, those clubs hold camps designed to get their newest players in front of coaches in a more controlled environment. In this way, they can work on weaknesses in specified training sessions instead of by playing games with other teams in the area. 

Teams are already allowed to send that year’s draftees to the AFL—the Nationals sent 2025 second-rounder Ethan Petry to the desert this fall—but sending recently-selected pitchers, even for a little while, might add a little bit more prospect power to the AFL. It could also be a way to get more casual fans interested in the AFL. 

With better pitching, the Arizona Fall League has a chance to return to its former glory. It won’t be easy, but with a little creativity and increased resources from MLB and its teams, it can be done. 

Now, all that’s left to do is try. 

Esmerlyn Valdez, OF, Pirates

Valdez has spent the last two seasons establishing himself as one of Pittsburgh’s premier power brokers. The outfielder led the Florida State League in long balls in 2024 and then added 26 more home runs to his ledger in a 2025 season split between High-A and Double-A. He then homered eight more times with Salt River and earned the AFL’s Offensive Player of the Year nod. There are clear holes in his profile both offensively and defensively, but his ability to lose a baseball over the fence might gain him a 40-man spot.

Nick Morabito, OF, Mets

Morabito was a key piece of Double-A Binghamton’s run to the 2025 Eastern League crown, and he upped his profile another notch with a strong turn in the AFL. Drafted out of Gonzaga College High School (Wash.) in 2022, he has solid contact skills and hits the ball plenty hard but needs to produce more line drives and fly balls to get the most out of his skills. He’s a solid center fielder, as well, and could fill a role at the top of a lineup one day. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Mets add Morabito to their 40-man to keep another club from securing his services.

Jake Bennett, LHP, Nationals

After missing the 2024 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Bennett spent 2025 reestablishing himself as one of the better prospects in Washington’s system. The bulk of his innings in the regular season were spent at Double-A Harrisburg, and he added 20 more in the AFL. At each stop, he used his signature changeup to garner silly swings. That was especially true against righthanders, who hit just .197 against Bennett in the regular season.

Trenton Denholm, RHP, Guardians

Denholm was also one of the better-performing pitchers in the AFL this season. The righthander, whom the Guardians selected out of California-Irvine in the 14th round back in 2021, also posted a solid regular season, mostly at Double-A Akron. The righthander’s Fall League stint was a bit of a tightrope act—he allowed 19 hits but just three earned runs in 12.2 innings—but he was one of the circuit’s most reliable arms. Earlier this year, Denholm added a knuckleball to his pitch mix that already featured a four-seamer, two-seamer, cutter, changeup and curveball. His blend of solid stuff and upper-level results could lead to 40-man roster protection.

Hendry Mendez, OF, Twins

Mendez played just five games in the AFL before getting nicked up and shut down, but he’s clearly shown a profile that’s intrigued clubs. Originally a Brewers prospect, Mendez has been dealt twice—first to the Phillies for infielder Oliver Dunn and then again to the Twins for Harrison Bader. Each time, the acquiring club saw the same thing: a strong knowledge of the strike zone and loud exit velocity numbers but a tendency to hit way too many grounders. Mendez’s defense has improved, too, and he saw success at Double-A with both of his organizations in 2025. That might be enough for Minnesota to shield him from the Rule 5 draft.

Daniel Espino, RHP, Guardians

In any other scenario, mentioning a player who only tossed 4.2 innings this fall would certainly raise eyebrows. However, that small sample size is a result of Espino’s resilience in the wake of missing the past three years with injuries that kept him off the mound.

During an appearance on Baseball America’s Hot Sheet Show, the 24-year-old righthander even joked about how the Guardians’ complex in Goodyear, Arizona, should be named after him given how much time he’s spent rehabbing there.

In total, Espino threw 84 pitches (50 for strikes) with seven strikeouts to three walks. His longest outing lasted 1.2 innings (39 pitches)—the most he’s thrown in a single outing since April 2022. The Guardians’ 2019 first-rounder sat 94-98 mph with his fastball, and he showed a plus slider that impressed scouts.

With all the time he’s missed, there is a strong belief that Espino’s destiny is trending toward a role in the bullpen rather than as a starter, like he was once projected.

Nick Morabito, OF, Mets

Potential Rule 5 eligibility has loomed over Morabito all fall, and with his strong AFL showing, he’s forcing the Mets into a tough decision.

The 22-year-old is best known for his 70-grade speed—he swiped 59 bases this past season—but he’s also proven he can handle the bat. The Mets’ 2022 second-round pick slashed .362/.450/.464 with a homer in the desert and went 16-for-19 in stolen-base attempts, showcasing a well-rounded offensive profile. Morabito’s approach at the plate is disciplined, highlighted by an 18% in-zone whiff rate and a 90th percentile exit velocity of 103.3 mph in Double-A this past season. He did, however, record a career-high 115 strikeouts, a reminder that there’s still some refinement ahead.

Still, his performance this fall positions him as one of the more intriguing players who could be Rule 5 eligible if the Mets don’t add him to the 40-man roster. His production likely warrants a spot on the 40-man roster, but if the Mets roll the dice and leave him unprotected, there should be no shortage of teams willing to take a chance on his upside.

Esmerlyn Valdez, OF, Pirates

It was hard to ignore Valdez’s dominance through the first two weeks of AFL play. The 21-year-old smashed eight home runs—five of them in one week—and it seemed like he was destined to be the new AFL home run king. Valdez didn’t quite get there, but he did have an impressive showing as the runner-up to teammate Tony Blanco Jr. in the AFL Home Run Derby.

Still, Valdez has proved he can still hit while showing some improved plate discipline. The Pirates slugger finished the season as the league leader in home runs (eight), RBIs (27) and slugging (.842), while finishing second in OPS (1.355). He also walked (19) more than he struck out (12). The most notable accomplishment for Valdez was having an 8.5% chase rate, which, despite the small sample size, is encouraging when you consider his regular season chase rate was 21.3%.

After Valdez’s strong showing, it would be wise for the Pirates to add Dominican Republic native to their 40-man roster.

James Hicks, RHP, Astros

Hicks’ 2025 campaign began brutally when a scorching line drive struck his right forearm while in Double-A Corpus Christi, sidelining him for three long months. He spent the summer rehabbing at the Astros’ complex in West Palm Beach, gradually rebuilding his strength and command. When he finally returned on Aug. 10, few could have predicted the turnaround that awaited him.

By season’s end, the righthander had emerged as a frontrunner for the Arizona Fall League’s Pitcher of the Year award, capping his comeback with a dominant stretch: 14 scoreless innings, 19 strikeouts, just two walks and a 66% strike rate.

Armed with a deep repertoire that already includes a fastball, curveball, slider, changeup and cutter, Hicks used the fall to experiment even further, introducing both a sweeper and a sinker and throwing them 54 and 40 times, respectively. His growing arsenal, paired with improved command, has strengthened his case to project as a reliable back-end starter at the next level.

Welinton Herrera, LHP, Rockies

The Paul DePodesta era is officially underway in Colorado, and with a new front office in place, every player in the organization is under the microscope.

Even after a strong regular season, Herrera needed to reinforce his standing in the desert and show that he’s one of the premier arms in the Rockies’ system. Nicknamed “Beef” by teammates and fans, the hard-throwing lefty posted a 2.64 ERA with 99 strikeouts against just 25 walks across High-A and Double-A, a performance that earned him a spot in the 2025 Futures Game in Atlanta during All-Star weekend. Herrera has positioned himself as one of Colorado’s more intriguing bullpen prospects and someone worthy of being added to the 40-man roster.

Exclusively a reliever, Herrera attacks hitters with a three-pitch mix: a lively fastball that sits 96–97 mph and can reach 98, a sharp, sweeping slider and an occasional changeup. Scouts see legitimate setup—and possibly closer—potential in his profile, which is a welcome sign for a Rockies system that’s been hungry for late-inning talent.

Raudi Rodriguez, OF, Angels

Rodriguez’s path to professional baseball has been anything but ordinary. Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, he moved to Boston in 2020 before relocating to Georgia two years later, where he attended Georgia Premier Academy—the same program that produced 2019 draft pick Daniel Espino.

After a challenging 2024 season, the 22-year-old rebounded spectacularly in 2025, earning Baseball America’s Angels Minor League Player of the Year honors. Rodriguez tore up the Arizona Fall League, batting .433—second-best in the league—and posting a 1.164 OPS, which ranked fifth overall. He whiffed at only a 15.4% rate in the zone, which was something he struggled with during the regular season.

While not currently in the Angels Top 30 Prospects rankings, Rodriguez has certainly forced his way into consideration. This fall, the outfielder consistently registered high exit velocities, including two hits with exit velocities of 111 and 111.6 mph in the Fall Stars game, for which he was named the MVP.

Seaver King, SS, Nationals

When you look at the nine players selected ahead of King in the 2024 draft—headlined by talents like Nick Kurtz, Chase Burns and Baseball America’s No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin—it’s easy to understand why there was such a high demand for a strong showing from the Nationals’ 10th-overall pick.

After a solid performance in High-A, King hit .233 with a .600 OPS with 74 strikeouts in his promotion to Double-A midway through the season. But a new version of King may have been unlocked down in the desert—one who has relied on Baseball America’s No. 2 prospect, Kevin McGonigle, to help refine his swing.

The results are evident, as the 22-year-old slashed .359/.468/.563 with a 1.031 OPS. His 24 RBIs finished second in the circuit. The Wake Forest product played all around the diamond during his college career but is now a full-time shortstop. He exhibits fluid motion and looks natural in the position.

1. Kevin McGonigle, SS, Tigers

• Team: Scottsdale
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .462/.533/1.308 (6-for-13), 6 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 7 RBIs, 2 BB, 0 SO

The Scoop: The league’s best player had the league’s best week. McGonigle, who ranks behind only Pittsburgh’s Konnor Griffin in the hierarchy of the sport’s best prospects, has been outstanding all fall in the desert, but this week he took the cake. In just three games, he hit a triple and three home runs, moving his extra-base hit total from eight to 12 in the process. McGonigle didn’t strike out, either, leaving him with just 10 punch outs in 81 AFL plate appearances. (JN)

2. Carson Roccaforte, OF, Royals

• Team: Surprise Saguaros
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .417/.429/1.000 (5-for-12), 2 R, 1 2B,  2 HR, 4 RBIs, 1 BB, 4 SO

The Scoop: It took until early November for Roccaforte to finally leave the yard for the first time this fall. But when the Royals prospect found his power stroke, he didn’t stop at one. The 23-year-old went deep in back-to-back games, flashing the pop that produced 18 homers during the regular season. However, lingering swing-and-miss concerns have kept him from fully translating his power into consistent in-game production. Roccaforte is hitting .292/.407/.508 with a .915 OPS. (JC)

3. Sam Antonacci, 2B, White Sox 

• Team: Glendale Desert Dogs  
• Age:  22
• Why He’s Here: .545/.688/.818 (6-for-11), 7 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 2 BB, 2 SO, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: With just a few games left in the AFL season, Antonacci is putting a bow on an outstanding 2025 campaign. This past week, he logged a pair of three-hit games, scoring an impressive seven runs over 13 plate appearances. He homered on Friday in his final game of the week, smacking a trio of hard-hit balls, including a single at 107.1 mph. Antonacci isn’t known for his power, as his plus bat-to-ball skills and speed are his carrying tools. He does, however, show average underlying exit velocity data, hinting at untapped power. Antonacci reached Double-A in 2025, spending 49 games there and producing a line 52% better than the average Southern League hitter. (GP) 

4. Christopher Suero, C, Mets 

• Team: Scottsdale
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .500/.571/.750 (6-for-12), 4 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 2 BB, 1 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Suero slugged his fifth home run on Nov. 5 and finds himself tied with Kevin McGonigle for second in the league heading into the final week of the AFL season. During the minor league season, Suero produced impressive exit velocities and consistently hit the ball at good angles. That has carried over to the AFL, as this latest home run was measured at 107.7 mph with a 42 degree launch angle. He also added his seventh stolen base this week, continuing to show an intriguing power/speed combination for a catcher. (IC)

5. Enmanuel Tejeda, 2B, Yankees

• Team: Mesa Solar Sox
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .667/.692/.750 (8-for-12), 3 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 4 RBIs, 1 BB, 1 SO, 5-for-5 SB

The Scoop: Tejeda made headlines on Nov. 4 by going 5-for-6 with three stolen bases in a game against Scottsdale. According to the league, Tejeda’s effort was a bit of box scorigami, as it marked the first time anyone in the AFL had paired five hits with three steals. Such a feat hadn’t happened in the minor leagues since Diamondbacks prospect Jakey Josepha turned the trick in the Arizona Complex League. Overall, Tejeda’s AFL has been a tale of two months. The infielder had just seven hits in 14 October games. In November, he’s up to 10 hits in four games. (JN)

6. Trenton Denholm, RHP, Guardians

• Team: Surprise Saguaros
• Age: 25
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Denholm entered the AFL with a focus on refining his knuckleball, hoping it could become a reliable part of his arsenal. While he generated two outs with the pitch this week, the righthander has continued to fool hitters all fall with his diverse mix. The 25-year-old struck out six in his latest outing, leaning on a deceptive changeup, heavy sinker, sharp curveball and a well-placed fastball-cutter combination to keep opponents off balance. (JC)

7. Patrick Clohisy, OF, Braves

• Team: Glendale Desert Dogs
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .429/.467/.500 (6-for-14), 4 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 4 RBIs, 1 BB, 1 SO, 4-for-4 SB

The Scoop: Clohisy had 79 stolen bases during the regular season, which was good for third in all of the minors. He entered the week tied with Enrique Bradfield for the AFL lead with 17, but regained it outright with a 4-for-4 stolen base performance. He also had a pair of multi-hit games, including a four-hit performance on Nov. 5. Clohisy continued to show solid contact skills, as well, striking out only once. His 13% strikeout rate is seventh-lowest of all qualified hitters in the AFL. (IC)

8. Chen-Wei Lin, RHP, Cardinals

• Team: Glendale Desert Dogs
• Age: 24
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 6.57, 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: A native of Taiwan, Lin made waves after signing with the Cardinals, impressing with solid command and a fastball that would regularly hit 100 mph. After an outstanding 2024, Lin struggled in 2025 as his command backed up. Things have been up and down for Lin in the Arizona Fall League, but his start on Thursday was likely his best. He went three scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out five. The 6-foot-7 Lin has above-average extension, sits mid 90s on a four-seam fastball that touches 101 mph and also blends in a slider and changeup. (GP)

9. Hagen Smith, LHP, White Sox

• Team: Glendale Desert Dogs
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: All fall, Smith has been splendid. This past week was no exception. As the league winds toward its conclusion, the White Sox lefty spun a pair of perfect innings against Peoria on Nov. 4. The outing was Smith’s first of the AFL without allowing a walk. He was a whiff machine against Javelinas, getting nine misses on 14 swings, including a 6-for-7 mark with his fastball. All told, Smith now has 21 strikeouts in 14 AFL innings, and he’s allowed just four runs (all earned) on seven hits and six walks. (JN)

10. Luis De Leon, LHP, Orioles

• Team: Peoria Javelinas 
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: De Leon has enjoyed a notable AFL season. The Orioles lefthander started the Fall Stars game for the American League and ranks third in the league in strikeouts. De Leon has navigated the tricky run environments of the Arizona Fall League well. He made one appearance last week, striking out four over two innings and not allowing a run. He sat 94-96 mph, mixing a four-seam and a two-seam variation on his fastball. De Leon’s sinker gets true sink with heavy armside run, while his changeup features true negative vertical break with up to 20 inches of armside run. De Leon’s primary breaking ball is a mid-80s slider with cut. (GP)