Tigers C Josue Briceño won the triple crown, a first for the AFL, slashing .433/.509/.867 with ten home runs and 27 RBI in 25 games. He looked good during his 40 games in Low-A this season, posting a .381 on base percentage and 14.8 percent strikeout rate, but he only hit two home runs. If he’d been healthy all season, he would probably open 2025 in Double-A, and I expect this Arizona explosion accelerated his timeline at least a little. He’ll get a look with the big boys in spring training, and if he plays well there, he’ll be on the escalator with his bat racing his behind-the-plate game to the show. He’s a big dude at 6’4” 200 lbs, so he might not be donning the tools of ignorance for much longer.
Phillies RHP Andrew Painter made the most of his desert stay, firing his high-90’s heat for 15.2 innings across six outings and recording a 0.89 WHIP and 2.30 ERA along with 18 strikeouts and four walks. The control is particularly impressive considering the long layoff and the troubles a lot of TJ returners have with placing their pitches. He hadn’t pitched since 2022, when he was cruising through High-A and Double-A looking like the best pitching prospect of his class, and now he’ll enter 2025 with a full head of steam and a chance to break camp with the major league club.
Yankees 2B Caleb Durbin earned praise from New York Manager Aaron Boone, who said Durbin would be part of the second base picture in 2025 after slashing .312/.427/.548 with five home runs and 29 steals in 24 games. He was caught stealing just one time and set the league record for steals after swiping 29 games in 32 attempts across 82 Triple-A games. He also hit 10 home runs with a .396 OBP and more walks (47) than strikeouts (37) at the highest minor league level. He’s been an Itch-fave for a few years now, so I expect to have him on most of my teams in 2025.
Tigers C Thayron Liranzo was almost as good as teammate Briceño, slashing .375/.492/.667 with two home runs in 15 games alongside 11 walks and just nine strikeouts. He was great with Detroit’s High-A club after coming over from the Dodgers in the Jack Flaherty as well, slashing .315/.470/.562 with five home runs in 26 games. He’s a lot like Briceño in the box, a powerful left-handed hitter with a great idea of the strike zone and impressive contact skills. Might have a couple 60 hit, 60 power bats for the middle of that lineup here. Now they just have to sort out who will wind up playing where.
If I have to pick a non-Briceño who improved his outlook the most this fall, my money’s on Angels LHP Samy Natera. At 6’4” 225 lbs with a three-quarters delivery, Natera features a mid-90’s fastball that tops out around 97 and a sweeper/changeup combination that tunnels well together. The whole arsenal works well in concert, and if Natera can throw strikes like he did in the fall, he’s just scratching the surface of his potential despite being 25 years old. He didn’t pitch much at New Mexico State and didn’t start pitching until he was 17, but he looked more than ready for a new challenge in the fall league, recording 17 strikeouts in 12 innings with a 0.75 ERA and 0.75 WHIP. Rare bit of good news for Los Angeles of Anaheim, who have Mike Trout under contract through 2030.
Reds 2B Matt McLain hit four home runs in 13 games and looked healthy enough to open next year as the keystone after a shoulder injury cost him 2024. He hit 16 homers and stole 14 bases in 89 MLB games as a rookie and can be had at a nice price this draft season.
Royals C Carter Jensen was incredible for 12 AFL games, blasting four home runs with a .582 on base percentage. The 21-year-old enjoyed a breakout season in 2024, graduating High-A in 84 games and then hitting eight home runs in 41 Double-A games. He’s pretty blocked by Sal Perez and Freddy Fermin but could open this season in Triple-A and be just an injury away.
At 6’4” 220 lbs with easy speed and power, Athletics OF Denzel Clarke is what they look like, but he’s much more than an off-the-bus all star. He swiped 36 bases in 116 Double-A games this year and slashed .382/.495/.566 with three home runs and nine steals in 19 AFL games. The A’s are looking stronger than usual in the outfield these days, but Clarke could push through Seth Brown, Miguel Andujar and Esteury Ruiz if he’s playing well early in 2025.
Thanks for reading!
