Fans of the Tigers, Nationals, Mets, Astros, and Giants (as well as the Pirates) will likely be trying to keep up with the Scottsdale Scorpions, the 2025 Arizona Fall League affiliate for those teams. Scottsdale’s roster is flush with talent, as it includes several former first-rounders. One of those first-rounders had a shortened, yet dominant 2025 campaign.
Pitchers
| Player | MLB Team | Highest Level |
|---|---|---|
| Pablo Aldonis | Nationals | A+ |
| Austin Amaral | Nationals | AA |
| Brett Banks | Mets | A+ |
| Jake Bennett | Nationals | AA |
| Anderson Brito | Astros | A+ |
| Ricardo Estrada | Giants | A |
| Dariel Fregio | Tigers | A+ |
| Brett Gillis | Astros | A+ |
| James Hicks | Astros | AA |
| Bryce Jenkins | Mets | A+ |
| Hudson Leach | Astros | AA |
| Carlos Lequerica | Tigers | A+ |
| Sean Paul Liñan | Nationals | AAA |
| Spencer Miles | Giants | A |
| Jake Miller | Tigers | AA |
| Ryan Murphy | Giants | AA |
| Jose T. Perez | Giants | A |
| Juan Sanchez | Giants | AAA |
| Kenny Serwa | Tigers | AA |
| Jared Simpson | Nationals | A+ |
| Austin Troesser | Mets | A+ |
| Derek True | Astros | A+ |
| Nate Wohlgemuth | Astros | A+ |
Houston pitching prospect Anderson Brito is arguably the most notable pitching prospect on Scottsdale’s roster.
Brito, who signed for $10K less two years ago, has quickly risen up the organization. He struck out 65 over 49.1 IP this season past season. Overall, the righty, armed with a fastball that plays up and a slider, has a career opponents’ batting average of .177.
Another Astro to watch is reliever Hudson Leach. Leach struck out 63 over 39 this season but had his fair share of walks (24).
The Giants are sending five pitchers, including left-handed sinkerballer Ricardo Estrada and Ryan Murphy. Estrada struck out 74 over 73 frames and didn’t allow many hits (52) or home runs (4). He spent four seasons in the DSL before moving to the States. Murphy, a fifth-rounder out of then-DII Le Moyne back in 2020, threw just 19.1 IP this season.
Additionally, San Francisco sent Spencer Miles, a fourth-round pick out of the University of Missouri in 2022. Miles has thrown just 14.2 professional innings and did not pitch at all this season in in-game action.
Four Tigers pitchers are going to the AFL. One of them is Dariel Fregio, a Florida boy who was signed in May 2025 after pitching with the Perth Heat last winter. Fregio, a sinkerballer who touched 93-94 MPH, struck out 43 over 39.2 IP across three levels.
Another is Jake Miller. Miller, an eighth-round pick who struck out 104 over 87.1 IP in 2024 and scooted through three levels, threw just 20 innings this season. A left-hander with a hard four-seamer and two-seamer, coupled with a slower changeup, is Rule 5-eligible.
There’s also Kenny Serwa, a 28-year-old who threw 118 innings between High-A and Double-A this season. It was Serwa’s first pro action in a career that saw him debut in the NCAA back in 2016, play six seasons collegiately, and go through independent ball before getting a shot.
Washington, meanwhile, is sending two impressive pitching prospects to Arizona, both of whom did very well despite injuries.
Jake Bennett has the chance to be the next member of the Norman to D.C. train, joining Cade Cavalli and Jake Irvin. Bennett, a second-rounder out of Oklahoma, creates deception with his delivery, particularly with left-handed hitters. He doesn’t throw hard; only in the low-90s. However, it plays with a slurve-ish breaking ball that sat in the mid-to-high-70s this season, and a good low-80s changeup.
Bennett is Rule 5-eligible.
Sean Paul Liñan, meanwhile, was acquired this past July from the Dodgers in the Alex Call trade. While the trade worked out well for the Dodgers thus far, the Nationals received a projectable 20-year-old (soon to be 21) hurler.
Liñan struck out 106 over 77.1 IP, a season that saw him jump around A-ball and Triple-A. The 20-year-old doesn’t throw exceptionally hard with his sinker, more of a carrying two-seamer that sat in the low-90s. However, he does create separation & sink with a low-80s changeup.
Catchers
| Player | MLB Team | Highest Level |
|---|---|---|
| Walker Janek | Astros | A+ |
| Axiel Plaz | Pirates | A+ |
| Chris Suero | Mets | AA |
The vast majority of the Pirates going to the AFL are with Salt River. However, one Bucco is with Scottsdale: Axiel Plaz.
Plaz is a straight-up power hitter. He missed two months on the IL but when healthy, he ranked among the best in the Florida State League in terms of power. The young catcher had 19 batted balls considered barrels between the start of the year and June 19 (when he went on the IL), most in the FSL.
The other two catchers going to Scottsdale are also notable prospects. Chris Suero flashed power with High-A Brooklyn this season, as he hit 13 across 74 games with the Cyclones. Suero also received work at first base and left field this season.
Walker Janek, meanwhile, was the Astros’ top pick in 2024. Janek slashed .263/.333/.433 (.766 OPS) with 12 home runs, 30 stolen bases, and 35 extra-base hits this season.
Infielders
| Player | MLB Team | Highest Level |
|---|---|---|
| Maui Ahuna | Giants | A+ |
| Max Anderson | Tigers | AAA |
| Parks Harber | Giants | A+ |
| Seaver King | Nationals | AA |
| Walker Martin | Giants | A |
| Kevin McGonigle | Tigers | AA |
| Jack Penney | Tigers | A+ |
| D’Andre Smith | Mets | AA |
| Jeron Williams | Astros | AA |
Even though Kevin McGonigle played just 88 games this season, the former first-rounder made the most of it. McGonigle slashed .305/.408/.583 (.991 OPS) with 19 home runs and 52 extra-base hits, showing the kind of power and contact prowess (11.6% K%) a team would like to see out of a prospective star.
McGonigle hit well in Double-A after tearing up West Michigan (A+) and could be an option next season.
But McGonigle isn’t the only notable Tigers infielder headed to the AFL. Max Anderson, a second-rounder from 2023, blitzed through Double-A with a .857 OPS before moving to Toledo.
The Giants are sending Maui Ahuna, a fourth-rounder out of Tennessee in 2024, who got on base a lot (.370 OBP) but only played 63 games this season. He’ll be joined by power-hitting corner infielder Parks Harber, acquired in the summer as part of the Camilo Doval trade.
Outfielders
| Player | MLB Team | Highest Level |
|---|---|---|
| Nick Morabito | Mets | AA |
| Sam Petersen | Nationals | A+ |
| Ethan Petry | Nationals | A |
| Joseph Sullivan | Astros | AA |
Ethan Petry started 2025 playing in the SEC with the South Carolina Gamecocks. He’ll end it in the AFL.
Petry was a three-year standout at college who possesses plus power. The question is how much he’ll make contact with the ball. He struck out 73 times over 61 games in 2024.
Sam Petersen, a toolsy outfielder with pop, will join Petry and a good contact hitter in Nick Morabito.
Check out more of our Minors coverage, including a look at the Mesa and Peoria rosters.