The 2025 Arizona Fall League season is officially in the books. Playoffs concluded on November 14. as the Surprise Saguaros won the league’s crown. However, one of the players on the runners-up from 2025 stole the show during the final week.
Awards handed out
Before the season ended, Major League Baseball handed out 2025 awards for best performers throughout the AFL.
Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle won the Joe Black MVP Award after he hit .362 with five home runs, a 19:12 BB:K ratio, and 12 total extra-base hits across 19 games for Scottsdale. McGonigle also finished third in slugging percentage (.710), behind his teammate Max Anderson (.809) and Esmerlyn Valdez (.842).
Valdez won the circuit’s offensive player of the year award. Across 19 games, Valdez hit an AFL-high eight home runs for Salt River.
Cubs catcher Owen Ayers on the Breakout Player of the Year award. Ayers hit eight extra-base hits and posted a 1.130 OPS over 20 games.
As for the pitchers, Astros pitching prospect James Hicks won the AFL’s pitcher of the year nod. Not a shock here, as Hicks struck out 19 and didn’t give up a run over 14 innings. Opposing batters hit just .130 off Hicks.
Rockies pitcher Cade Denton won the AFL Reliever of the Year award. Denton struck out 18 over 13 innings.
Orioles speedster Enrique Bradfield Jr. won the AFL Defensive Player of the Year award.
A (Surprise) winner
The Surprise Saguaros won the 2025 Arizona Fall League title after a 9-4 victory in the AFL Championship, which was moved up a day earlier thanks to expected weather.
It was a come-from-behind victory, as Surprise scored seven runs on Peoria in the eighth inning to take charge after being down 4-2 heading into the inning. Surprise took the lead thanks to a two-run single from Juan Benjamin.
Duno ends 2025 with a bang
Reds catching prospect Alfredo Duno may have been on the losing end of the AFL title game. However, Duno was the big story out of the 2025 AFL playoffs.
Duno hit four home runs and drove in nine during the playoffs.
The big week gave Duno 22 total home runs this season, when combined with his 2025 regular-season numbers. It also gave the young catcher a chance to end the AFL on a positive note.
Duno walked 11 times during the month-long schedule. However, he struck out 16 times over 15 games and slashed .211/.356/.298 in the regular season.
Statistical standouts
Here are the best performers from the 2025 AFL playoffs, aside from Duno:
- INF Leo Balcazar (PEO/CIN): four hits, four walks over three games
- OF Brandon Winokur (PEO/MIN): four hits over three games
- C Blake Mitchell (SUR/KC): three hits, two walks over two games
- OF Miguel Ugueto (GDD/BOS): one home run, four RBI over one game
- P Carson Montgomery (PEJ/SD): four strikeouts, no earned runs over two innings
- P Miguelangel Boadas (PEJ/MIN): four strikeouts, no earned runs over three innings
We’ll have more recap coverage on the 2025 AFL season over the coming days.
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