Arizona Fall League: Top 20 Bats - Prospects Worldwide

Written By: Drake Mann
Follow him on X: @DrakeMann4
Follow Prospects Worldwide on X: @ProspectsWorldW

**Down below is the list simplified but scroll further for video and analysis on each player ranked! **

**Every prospect ranked had at least 40 at-bats during the Arizona Fall League and haven’t made their Major League debut yet**

Name	Position	Team
Josue Briceno	C/1B	Detroit Tigers
Colt Emerson	SS	Seattle Mariners
Bryce Eldridge	1B	San Francisco Giants
Zyhir Hope	OF	Los Angeles Dodgers
Ethan Salas	C	San Diego Padres
Tre’ Morgan	OF/1B	Tampa Bay Rays
Alejandro Osuna	OF	Texas Rangers
Luis Lara	OF	Milwaukee Brewers
Thayron Liranzo	C	Detroit Tigers
Tommy Troy	SS	Arizona Diamondbacks
Juan Baez	SS	Milwaukee Brewers
Xavier Isaac	1B	Tampa Bay Rays
Moises Ballesteros	C	Chicago Cubs
Leodalis De Vries	SS	San Diego Padres
Caleb Durbin	UTIL	Milwaukee Brewers
Chase DeLauter	OF	Cleveland Guardians
Jac Caglianone	1B	Kansas City Royals
Drake Baldwin	C	Atlanta Braves
Nick Kurtz	1B	Athletics
Jonathon Long	3B	Chicago Cubs
	Watchers
Denzel Clarke	OF	Athletics
Robert Hassell	OF	Washington Nationals
Garrett Martin	OF	New York Yankees
Leonardo Bernal	C	St. Louis Cardinals

1. Josue Briceno 1B | Detroit Tigers
20-Years-Old | 6’4″ | 200 lbs. | Bats: L | Throws: R
Arguably the top bat from this year’s Arizona Fall League season, Briceno has a mix of raw power and an ability to hit to all fields. For a power hitting prospect, Briceno doesn’t sell out for power like most and at times understand the strike zone well. However, on the other end, breaking balls down exposes his swing-and-miss. As stated prior, While he is still raw with his tools, his barreling abilities are what’ll make him a solid hitting prospect for the Tigers and someone to watch as a massive breakout candidate for the 2025 season.

One of my favorite bats from the 2024 Arizona Fall League season and it wasn’t close. Emerson’s ability to work the count and foul off difficult pitches to grind out at-bat after at-bat were some of the most impressive parts of his game. His eye at the plate is solid, and he keeps a consistent approach of the opposite field/up the middle. He has borderline elite barrel control and looks so smooth in the box. Perhaps his biggest flaw is looking like a completely different hitter against lefties as he flails at pitches away and looks uncomfortable. However, he’s still young enough and with advanced bat-to-ball skills that the issue with facing lefties shouldn’t affect him long term.

The only prospect that I didn’t physically see during the Arizona Fall league but I saw clips and have seen him live when he was in Rookie Ball last year. Before fatigue hit Eldridge, he was showing some pop and a special hit tool. The swing still looked powerful and had some loft, making his power look that much better. He was a big riser in 2024 and could make the Giants out of Spring Training, but that is a big IF he can have a solid spring camp. Otherwise, Eldridge’s bat should thrive with another year of development in the minors. Overall, for a little while he looked like the best prospect out here until Josue Briceno took the league by storm.

This was my first time seeing Hope and while I did see him in small sample sizes his power potential is off the charts. His best plate appearance that I observed was later in a game where he took a backdoor slider over the left field wall for an opposite-field home run. The high EV’s mixed with the launch and somewhat lofty swing contribute to the impressive power potential in his bat. The Dodgers have been coming out well in trades recently, but netting Hope and Justin Ferris from the Cubs for Michael Busch and Yency Almonte could turn out to be a massive steal. Look for Hope to be a massive rising prospect for the Dodgers and someone that will deal with some swing and miss but overall could be a star-studded top prospect very soon.

We go from one extremely young prospect to another and this one is 18-year-old Ethan Salas. He’s been challenged every year since he signed in 2023, and the 2024 season was his worst to date. However, everything looked better at the Arizona Fall League including the bat-to-ball skills. He also showed some power out here as well. While the bat still has some time to develop, the defensive part of his game was solid. His arm was strong and accurate and he looked athletic behind the plate. Overall, Salas has one of the highest ceilings on this list and once the bat develops, he’ll be a solid addition to the Padres lineup and should do wonders to the Padres pitching staff in the future.

Before the Arizona Fall League I knew that Tre’ Morgan was more known for his defensive abilities as my colleague Austin Farmer (@AustinF0421 on X) tabbed Morgan as a 80 defender and I see why. He mainly played left-field and showed great athleticism and range to cover serious ground. However, Morgan’s bat-to-ball skills are what stood out the most as he was hitting the ball to all fields well and with authority. He showed a prominent eye at the plate and a great two-strike change that allowed him to just put the ball in play. I don’t see much power promise but the ability to have a 80 fielder with solid bat to ball skills are what could make Tre’ Morgan a mainstay for the Rays for a long time.

The most underrated bat during the Arizona Fall League, Osuna showed multiple impressive performances with a quick and compact swing that allowed for a solid ability to hit to all fields. The swing mechanics were smooth and the ball flew off his bat. Defensively, I watched him in center field numerous times and he looked comfortable with his routes and showed some solid athleticism. He even robbed a home run on the first night that I saw him. Osuna is among the most underrated prospects in all of baseball, and I have to give props to Austin Farmer (@AustinF0421 on X..Again) for providing me with some hype before the Arizona Fall League.

Lara is another prospect I saw for the first time out here as well and his contact tool stood out. He controlled the zone well and had a solid eye at the plate. His swing is simple and he can hit to all fields with authority. However, he did have an issue with ground balls and posted massive rates, but I do believe that his hit tool will suffice and translate as he rises through a loaded Brewers system. He was all over the field defensively but he looked good in right field and displayed an accurate arm with a few assists from the outfield. Lara is among the top position player prospects in the Brewers system and was a joy to watch during his time at the Arizona Fall League.

9. Thayron Liranzo C | Detroit Tigers
21-Years-Old | 6’2″ | 195 lbs. | 6’2″ | 195 lbs.

Liranzo was one of the two prospects traded for Jack Flaherty at the 2024 trade deadline and with his ceiling, he could make this trade a win-win in the future. The first time I watched Liranzo, he put together a three-hit night with three barrels and displayed solid gap-to-gap power. Liranzo, is an offensive first catcher but his defense still profiles well as he’s quick behind the plate and mixes in good arm strength with a quick transfer. He will need to work on his blocking abilities to stay at catcher long term. The thing about Liranzo is he plays with so much confidence, and while he’s still raw with some of his tools, he’ll profile as an above-average starter for a long time and the Tigers might’ve gotten a steal in the Jack Flaherty trade. Once again, I need to give props to Austin (@AustinF0421 on X…yet again), he’s been on Liranzo since his time with the Dodgers and he’s been absolutely high on him since the beginning.

I’ve seen Tommy Troy multiple times during the 2024 season. I first saw him rehabbing at rookie ball and he had a multi-hit game. Then, in the games I saw of him at the Arizona Fall League, his games were either boom or bust. Overall, he found the barrel well and showed some power at the plate in the AFL. One major flaw I saw was his inability to lay off the slider/sweeper away. However, Tommy Troy is young enough to where his eye at the plate isn’t necessarily a problem and he oozes potential for the Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks have a plethora of good middle infield prospects that still need some development but Troy is among the better cream of the crop for the Diamondbacks.

I’ve been high on Baez since I saw his stateside debut during Rookie Ball in 2023, and if you want a dynamic and fun shortstop prospect to watch, Juan Baez checks all the boxes. While his bat does carry substantial risk, his bat-to-ball skills looked better at the Arizona Fall League and his power also took a step forward. While his eye looked good overall, he still was impatient and free swinging at times. He’s still only 19-years-old and isn’t as recognizable as other top prospects in the Brewers system, but he could turn heads during the 2025 season and beyond as he’s moved up quickly since his DSL Debut in 2022.

12. Xavier Isaac 1B | Tampa Bay Rays
21-Years-Old | 6’3″ 240 lbs. | Bats: L | Throws: L

The exit velocity darling from the 2024 Arizona Fall League season, all Isaac does is mash baseballs. On the opening night of Fall League, he hit a 110 EV single that hit the umpire. While I have no doubt about his power going into the 2025 season, I do worry about his hit tool not hitting its potential as has some substantial swing and miss risk in his bat. Everything is there for Isaac to become a massive power threat. He’s got the size, the swing, the exit velocities and the distance. Isaac does project to strike out at a high rate, but the attractive high EV’s are going to build some hype for 2025.

Another big time young prospect and the Cubs might have their catcher of the future with Ballesteros. While defensively he’s nothing special but solid arm strength, the real star of the show is the pop in his bat. The sound off Ballesteros’ bat is something different and the baseball flies off of it. There’s easy and effortless power in his bat and it’s easy to all fields. When the Arizona Fall League had a game at Grand Canyon University, Ballesteros hit an absolute bomb that he made look so easy and the ball traveled 400+ feet away over the netting in right-center field and probably hit the parking structure. His power is majestic and for his age, and the bat is the selling point as to why he’s as good as advertised. This is one name to watch for the 2025 season as he could break camp with the Cubs with a good spring.

You may be asking yourself why De Vries is on this list as the underlying stats aren’t that impressive. However, I watched De Vries multiple times and was impressed with the advancement of his hit tool and barreling abilities.The switch-hitting De Vries looked more natural from the left-side, but I believe there’s more power from the right. The adjustments he made as games went on were impressive. At one point, he missed a high fastball and popped up to the third baseman, but in the next plate appearance he got the exact same pitch and barreled it for a long home run deep into left. De Vries is a freak athlete and looked solid at shortstop with his range and internal clock. He looks to stick there long term and has the potential to be a generational talent. The Padres landed De Vries as the top international free agent from 2024, and he’s already showing signs of the impact player he’s projected to be. At the end of the day, De Vries showed his tools during Fall League but with him being the youngest prospect out there, there was a definite challenge and De Vries held his own against older competition.

One of the more consistent bats during the Arizona Fall League season, Durbin showed some promise with his hit tool but what really stood out was the speed and stolen base abilities to his game. He does lack power and is more of a gap-to-gap doubles bat, but will excel in getting on base at high-rates and steal some bases. While I believe he’s more of a utility prospect with some upside to start, the Brewers do love their undersized prospects that have promising hit tools. They’ve developed Sal Frelick, Brice Turang, Joey Ortiz and many others. Durbin is no different as his bat could play up in American Family Field as well.

DeLauter is a prospect that has tons of upside with the bat in both power and contact, but hasn’t stayed healthy enough to truly show off his potential. I saw DeLauter multiple times this year, first during rookie ball when he was on rehab and he hit a 400 ft+ home run to dead center at the Guardians backfields. At AFL, the time I saw him he barreled a ball into center field and showed a short, quick swing in the process. DeLauter has always interested me because his follow through is very stiff and cut-off, yet his swing path and plate coverage allow him to barrel up most pitches, no matter the location. Overall, if he stays healthy Delauter could make the Guardians 2025 roster out of Spring Training and his bat could be arriving in Cleveland sooner rather than later.

Many people were hyped to see Jac Caglianone out here for the Arizona Fall League including myself, and he did not disappoint in the power department. So, you might be asking why is he so far down on this list? Well, when I was watching him live I saw that the hit tool was showing massive risk. His swing decisions are questionable and his defense could use some work as well. He’s got one tool, but that tool comes with considerable upside and could end up being borderline elite. The Royals may challenge Caglianone a bit as he was one of the best college bats in the 2024 draft, and he still has a high ceiling of being an everyday 1st baseman with solid power potential. But the high risk that comes with his bat is something to watch for as he develops in the Royals system.

Arguably the Braves best prospect, Baldwin showed an advanced feel to hit to all fields regularly. He was respectable behind the plate with his athleticism and arm strength. I saw a good combination of contact and power during Arizona Fall League and his best game was a four-hit, four- barrel game and he showed some exceptional bat-to-ball skills with bat speed. His swing is simple and the swing path is what will allow him to tap into his power better going forward. This is another prospect who could break camp with the Braves with a good Spring Training in 2025 and overall his bat is one of the safest bets to hit its ceiling in the future.

One of the late arrivals to the Arizona Fall League, Kurtz excelled in his short stint there showcasing a legit hit tool. I love how simple yet powerful his swing mechanics are as I was only able to catch Kurtz once, but in the game he barreled a ball and controlled the zone well. Kurtz is another bat who could be challenged as he matures and the Athletics have already nailed a few college bats with Jacob Wilson and Zack Gelof. Kurtz is on the same track as being an everyday player for the Athletics in the future.

The last prospect on this list is someone that many fans most likely have no clue who this player is, but the bat played well enough during Arizona Fall League to earn a spot. Long was a rising Cubs prospect and broke out in a big way and was invited to the AFL. What’s immediately apparent with Long is the bat speed and ability to go the opposite way. I think there’s some sneaky pop in his bat as his swing almost looks like he flicks his wrist making the ball fly off his bat. The Cubs best bat out here was easily Moises Ballesteros, but Long has a safer hit tool and could debut sooner than later for the Cubs. He’s definitely a prospect to watch during Spring Training.

Watchers

Clarke was an interesting watch during his time at the Arizona Fall League, not only did the bat show some promise, his athleticism and defense were on full display. Clarke finds the barrel well and hit to all fields consistently. This is his second go around at the Arizona Fall League and everything looked better with the bat. Defensively, he should stick in center with his range and already has the looks of being a quality defender for the present and the future. The Athletics have to like what they’ve seen from Clarke, and at this current moment they have Lawrence Butler, JJ Bleday and Seth Brown, so another year in Triple-A could do wonders for Clarke but overall the athleticism is solid and could help him reach his ceiling as an everyday player but he could end up as a fourth outfielder with solid defense if the bat takes a step back at some point in 2025.

Martin was among the best power bats I saw during the Arizona Fall League. When I say his power is effortless, I’m not exaggerating. His swing is violent and the sound off the bat is something else. Martin won’t hit for much average or get on-base at a high clip, but he has the potential to mash for the Yankees. He is on the older side for a prospect but the power is just too good not to love. Martin will struggle with strikeouts, but in Yankee Stadium the solid pull-side power should do wonders.

One of the most hyped up prospects since he was drafted 7th overall in the 2020 draft, Robert Hassell has dealt with injuries, was traded for Juan Soto, and dropped off many top prospect lists. This was his 2nd time at the Arizona Fall League and he looked so much better this year. His swing looked just as good as it did coming out of the draft and he finally looked healthy. In one of the last games I attended Hassell had a multi-hit game and not only did his bat show promise, but he showed solid speed as well turning a single into a double and displayed good range in centerfield with some arm strength. Overall, the hype on Hassell has died down a bit but the bat is finally coming around and his potential is starting to take shape as his ceiling is an everyday player but he does have risk as his floor is a fourth outfielder with solid defense and speed.

Bernal is a rising catching prospect for the Cardinals in a system that already has Ivan Herrera, Jimmy Crooks and Bernal arguably has the best hit tool of them all. He had a three hit day and hit to all fields well. As for his defense, he was quick behind the plate and framed well. He also showed solid blocking skills and a promising arm. Bernal is still very young and the defense already sticks out as plus. He does have very little power to his game, but overall Bernal looks to be a solid prospect for the future and beyond.

To end this article I want to give tribute to my grandpa Richard Hoffman. He was a massive Cubs and Padres fan and taught me everything I know about baseball. He’s one of the biggest reasons why I’m pursuing a career working in baseball. I don’t know anyone who was more excited for my scouting career more than my grandpa…well maybe my mom but that’s a whole different story. He was an amazing man who loved his family and was one of the funniest people that I knew. Richard Hoffman was in the Navy for 20 years and loved my grandma Karen Hoffman and would do anything to keep her happy. He passed away January 26th and it’s been a tough time for my family and I.

Grandpa, I love you and I hope you’re watching Tony Gwynn hit singles through the 5.5 hole and Ernie Banks hit rockets in heaven. I know you and mom are probably watching baseball together as I’m writing this.

Thank you for everything ❤️