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 Arizona Fall League

AZ Fall Lge Announces 2017 Top Prospects Team

December 14, 2017 - Arizona Fall League (AzFL) News Release


Scottsdale, Arizona - The Arizona Fall League announces its 2017 Top Prospects Team. Selected by Fall League managers and coaches, it recognizes players who distinguished themselves against other top prospects from every organization in Major League Baseball throughout the AFL's recently-completed six-week schedule.

Voters were asked to consider Fall League performance and major-league projectability.

The 2017 champion Peoria Javelinas dominated this season's voting by landing seven players on the Top Prospects Team.

Outfielders Ronald Acuna, Peoria Javelinas (Braves) The 2017 Fall League MVP ... the 19-year-old led the AFL in runs (22), home runs (7), extra-base hits (12), total bases (53) and slugging percentage (.639) ...

the league's No. 4 hitter (.325) ... ranked third in on-base percentage (.414) ...

nine-game hitting streak from October 14-28 ... two-homer games on October 27 and November 11 ... starting center fielder for West Division in Fall Stars Game ... two-for-four with four RBI in the championship game win vs. Mesa ... week two Player of the Week.

MLB.com rank: MLB #6, outfielders #3, Braves #1 Victor Robles, Mesa Solar Sox (Nationals) Named MVP of the annual mid-season Fall Stars Game for his one-for-three performance that included 1 walk, 1 RBI, 1 stolen base and 2 runs scored in the East Division's 4-2 win over the West Division ... batted .244 with 1 double, 3 homers, 7 RBI, 20 total bases and 7 stolen bases.

MLB.com rank: MLB #3, outfielders #1, Nationals #1 Braxton Lee, Salt River Rafters (Marlins) East Division Fall Stars Game participant ... ranked fourth in the AFL with eight stolen bases ... batted .347 to rank seventh in the league ... 2 doubles, 1 triple, 7 RBI.

Estevan Florial, Scottsdale Scorpions (Yankees) The second youngest AFL player at 19 years of age batted .286 with 5 doubles, 2 triples, 4 RBI and 2 stolen bases.

MLB.com rank: MLB #79, Yankees #3 Yanio Perez, Surprise Saguaros (Rangers) Hit .301 in 21 appearances with 5 doubles, 2 homers and 9 RBI.

MLB.com rank: Rangers #11 Steven Duggar, Scottsdale Scorpions (Giants) Ranked third in the league in stolen bases (9) ... batted .263 in 20 games with 3 doubles, 1 triple and 7 RBI ... four-hit game on October 18.

MLB.com rank: Giants #7 - more - Scottsdale Stadium Media Contact: Paul Jensen (paul.jensen@mlb.com, 480-710-8201) Third Basemen Austin Riley, Peoria Javelinas (Braves) Key cog for league champion Peoria ... tied for the AFL lead in extra-base hits (12) ... homered three times in his final nine games to finish with six round-trippers and share second place in the league ... also ranked third in RBI (18) and OPS (1.021) ... West Division Fall Stars Game participant ... hit for the cycle on October 26 with four RBI and three runs scored ... only Fall Leaguer to post two four-RBI games.

MLB.com rank: Third basemen #10, Braves #9 Sheldon Neuse, Mesa Solar Sox (Athletics) One of the AFL's most productive offensive players led East Division winner Mesa to the league title game ... hit .314 ... led AFL in RBI (23) and tied for the lead in doubles (7) and extra-base hits (12) ... second in runs scored (20) and total bases (49) ... third in slugging percentage (.570) and homers (5-tie) ... grand slam on October 11 ... excellent defensive play ... RBI single in the first inning of Mesa's championship-game loss vs. Peoria ... go-ahead RBI single for the East Division in its Fall Stars Game victory.

MLB.com rank: Athletics #14 Shortstops Nicky Lopez, Surprise Saguaros (Royals) One of the league's most consistent performers ... runner-up for league batting title (.383) ... tied for AFL lead in hits (31) ... fourth in slugging percentage (.568) ... grand slam on October 11 ... displayed excellent defensive play ... West Division Fall Stars Game participant ... week five Player of the Week.

MLB.com rank: Royals #11 Thairo Estrada, Scottsdale Scorpions (Yankees) Starting shortstop for East Division in Fall Stars Game ... the league's No. 8 hitter (.342) ... 2 doubles, 1 triple, 1 homer, 10 RBI and 3 stolen bases.

MLB.com: Yankees #17 Second Basemen David Bote, Mesa Solar Sox (Cubs) Enjoyed red-hot start to his AFL season with six multiple-hit games in his first seven outings that included four homers and eight RBI ... rewarded for his start with the league's week one Player of the Week award ...

East Division Fall Stars Game participant ... batted .333 with 2 doubles, 4 homers, 14 RBI and 1 stolen base.

Steve Wilkerson, Salt River Rafters (Orioles) League leader in triples (5) ... hit .317 with 3 doubles, 1 homer, 10 RBI and 2 stolen bases.

First Basemen Billy McKinney, Scottsdale Scorpions (Yankees) Starting first baseman and clean-up hitter for the East Division in the Fall Stars Game ... batted .279 with 5 doubles, 1 triple, 1 homer, 20 RBI and 1 stolen base ... four-RBI outing on October 28.

MLB.com rank: Yankees #23 Josh Naylor, Peoria Javelinas (Padres) Potent middle-of-the-order hitter for league champion Peoria ... also hit clean-up as starting first baseman for West Division in Fall Stars Game ... finished the season with a five-game hitting streak ... led the league's primary first basemen in batting average (.304), hits (24), home runs (3) and doubles (60) ... Canadian-born slugger posted a 4-for-5 effort with 1 homer, 1 double, 2 RBI and 1 run scored on October 17.

MLB.com rank: Padres #10 - more - Page 2 Catchers Will Smith, Glendale Desert Dogs (Dodgers) Glendale's leading hitter (.371) who ranked third in the AFL ... also second in the league in on-base percentage (.452), fourth in OPS (1.017) and sixth in slugging percentage (.565).

MLB.com rank: Dodgers #8 Alex Jackson, Peoria Javelinas (Braves) Ranked third in AFL in homers (5-tie) for league champion Peoria ... two-for-four with two RBI in championship game victory vs. Mesa ... grand slam on October 14.

MLB.com rank: Braves #15 Designated Hitters Eric Filia, Peoria Javelinas (Mariners) The 2017 Fall League batting titleist (.408) for the league champion Javelinas ... also led the AFL in on-base percentage (.483) and OPS (1.088) ... second in slugging percentage (.605) and triples (4) ... the former UCLA Bruin and College World Series champion also received the 2017 Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award.

MLB.com rank: Mariners #21 Francisco Mejia, Glendale Desert Dogs (Indians) The highly-ranked catcher tried his hand at third base and designated hitter in the Fall League ... the AFL's No. 4 hitter (.365) ... starting designated hitter for the West Division in the Fall Stars Game ... four-hit game on October 20.

MLB.com rank: MLB #14, catcher #1, Indians #1 Starting Pitchers Justus Sheffield, Scottsdale Scorpions (Yankees) Lefty led AFL starters in WHIP (0.84) to rank second overall ...starting pitcher for the East Division in the Fall Stars Game ... 2-2, 3.10 ERA in five starts ... 22 strikeouts in 20.1 innings pitched.

MLB.com rank: MLB #80, left-handed pitchers #7, Yankees #4 Max Fried, Peoria Javelinas (Braves) The lefty led the league in strikeouts (32) in addition to opponent batting average among starters (.163) in 26 innings over six starts ... ranked second in wins (3-tie) and fewest baserunners/nine innings pitched (7.96) ... third in innings pitched (26) ... 1.73 ERA ranked sixth among all hurlers ... fanned the first four batters he faced in the AFL ... allowed one run or less in five of six starts for league champion Peoria ... week three Pitcher of the Week.

MLB.com rank: Braves #8 Mitch Keller, Glendale Desert Dogs (Pirates) Hard-thrower led the AFL in wins (4) and ERA among starters (1.52) ... ranked fifth overall in ERA ... also ranked second in wins (3-tie) and opponent batting average, third in innings pitched (23.2) fourth in WHIP (1.01) and sixth in ERA (1.52) ... ninth in WHIP (1.01) ... allowed one or fewer earned runs in five of his six starts and a high of only three hits in any outing ... West Division starting pitcher in the Fall Stars Game ... week four Pitcher of the Week.

MLB.com rank: MLB #19, right-handed pitchers #7, Pirates #2 Relief Pitchers Andres Munoz, Peoria Javelinas (Padres) The AFL's youngest player (18) ... 0-0 with a 1.04 ERA in nine appearances covering 8.2 innings ... used his triple-digits fastball to strike out 11 batters while allowing just four hits.

J.D. Hammer, Glendale Desert Dogs (Phillies) West Division Fall Stars Game participant ... no decisions in 10 relief appearances (13.2 innings) ... 0.66 ERA ranked second in the league ... also posted four holds and finished five games ... 11 strikeouts.

MLB.com rank: Phillies #30 - afl -


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Arizona Fall League Stories from December 14, 2017


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