Orioles, Rangers prospects among top performers in first week of Arizona Fall League

By Mark Carlisle
Mail | X: @mwcarlisle

The Arizona Fall League is a week into its 2026 season. He is a look at some of the top performers so far in a league known to be a steppingstone into MLB stardom.

Top hitters

Orioles prospect Vance Honeycutt, on Peoria, leads the league with a 1.740 OPS. He and fellow Orioles prospect Ike Irish are tied for the league lead with two home runs. Guardians prospect Welbyn Francisca, on Surprise, leads the league with a .538 batting average and trails only Honeycutt with a 1.548 OPS. Athletics’ catching prospect Davis Diaz, on Mesa, is third in OPS with a 1.300 mark.

Texas Rangers prospect Paxton Kling walks off the field after being mobbed by his Surprise Saguaros teammates in celebration of his walk-off RBI single against the Glendale Desert Dogs on Monday, Oct. 5 at Surprise Stadium.

(Courtesy Arizona Fall League)

Rangers’ prospect Paxton Kling, on Surprise, leads the league with eight RBIs, including five in one game, and is fourth with a 1.247 OPS. On the basepaths, Blue Jays prospect Jake Casey, on Mesa, leads the league with five steals.

Top pitchers

It’s harder to parse top pitchers this early in the season. Plenty have a 0.00 ERA with just a few innings under their belt. Astros prospect Jank Pichardo, on Scottsdale, has thrown the most innings — four — without allowing an earned run. Rangers prospect Alejandro Chiquillo, on Surprise, leads the league with three innings pitched without allowing a baserunner.

Reid and Wright are tied for the league lead with seven strikeouts. That’s Cubs prospect Dominick Reid, on Mesa, and White Sox prospect Garrett Wright, on Glendale.

Diamondbacks prospect Yassel Soler, right, and Yankees prospect Dax Kilby (11) teammates on the Salt River Rafters, congratulate each other after defeating the Peoria Javelinas on Monday, Oct. 5 at Salt Rivers Fields at Talking Stick.

(Courtesy Arizona Fall League)

Here is a check in on how the Diamondbacks prospects and the top-ranked prospects in the league are doing one week in.

D-backs prospects

• Demetrio Crisantes, 2B
  • .333 BA, .968 OPS, 2 RBIs, 2 SB
• Nathan Hall, OF
  • .333 BA, 1.015 OPS, 2 SB
• Yassel Soler, 3B
  • .273 BA, .606 OPS, 1 RBI, 1 SB

• Joe Ariola, LHP
  • 2 IP, 1 W, 0.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 1 K
• Luke Craig, LHP
  • 2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP
• Connor Foley, RHP
  • 1 IP, 1 SV, 0.00 ERA, 2 BBs, 6.00 WHIP
• Patrick Forbes, RHP
  • Has not yet pitched.
• John West, RHP
  • Has not yet pitched.

Orioles prospect Ike Irish (10) is congratulated by his Peoria Javelina teammates after hitting a two-run home run during the Arizona Fall League season opener game on Saturday, Oct. 3 against the Mesa Solar Sox at the Peoria Sports Complex.

(Courtesy Arizona Fall League)

Fifteen Top 100 prospects

• 8. Sebastian Walcott, SS/3B, Rangers (Surprise)
  • .286 BA, .619 OPS, 2 RBIs
• 15. Eduardo Quintero, OF, Dodgers (Glendale)
  • .231 BA, .675 OPS, 1 RBI, 1 SB
• 26. Zyhir Hope, OF, Tigers (Scottsdale)
  • .222 BA, .722 OPS
• 27. Caleb Bonemer, OF, White Sox (Glendale)
  • .389 BA, .977 OPS, 5 RBI, 2 doubles (tied for league lead)
• 34. Arjun Nimmala, SS, Angels (Mesa)
  • .235 BA, .762 OPS, 1 HR, 4 RBI
• 44. Bryce Rainer, SS, Tigers (Scottsdale)
  • .200 BA, .550 OPS, 2 RBI
• 59. Tate Southisene, SS, Braves (Glendale)
  • Has yet to play.
• 59. Aidan Miller, SS, Phillies (Surprise)
  • .444 BA, 1.244 OPS, 1SB, 6 BBs (leads league)
• 63. Nathan Flewelling, C, Rays (Scottsdale)
  • .412 BA, .883 OPS,1 RBI
• 66. Jarlin Susana, RHP, Nationals (Salt River)
  • 3.1 IP, 1 W, 0.00 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 4 Ks
• 76. Angeibel Gomez, OF, Royals (Surprise)
  • .143 BA, .393 OPS, 1 SB
• 78. Dax Kilby, SS, Yankees (Salt River)
  • .313 BA, 1.004 OPS, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 3 doubles (tied for league lead)
• 79. Charles Davalan, OF/INF, Dodgers (Glendale)
  • .091 BA, .515 OPS, 1 RBI, 1 SB
• 84. Demetrio Crisantes, 2B, D-backs (Salt River)
  • .333 BA, .968 OPS, 2 RBIs, 2 SB
• 95. Ike Irish, OF/1B, Orioles (Peoria)
  • .333 BA, 1.000 OPS, 2 HR (tied for league lead), 3 RBI, 2 SB

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Mark Carlisle
Associate Editor | Phoenix

mcarlisle@iniusa.org

Meet Mark

Mark Carlisle joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2017, covering Glendale. He has since moved to the Daily Independent team, primarily covering the city of Phoenix along with other topics affecting the Valley at-large.

Community: Mark enjoys taking his two young sons to parks, the Phoenix Zoo, the Phoenix Public Library  and other fun events around the Valley. He also participates in a local book club.

Education: Chapman University with a BA in English Journalism and one in Screenwriting.

Random Fact: Mark worked at a tuxedo shop in college. Just don’t ask him to tie a bowtie.

 Hobbies: Spending time with his wife, sons and dog, watching sports and TV shows, listening to audiobooks and occasionally writing fiction or designing a board game.