Early Standouts for D-backs Prospects in Arizona Fall League Week 1
I covered three of Salt River's four games in the first week and got a good look at most of their prospects.
The first week of the Arizona Fall League is complete. While the Salt River Rafters' final two games of the week were cancelled due to Hurricane Priscilla, there were still four games to evaluate.
I covered three of Salt River's four games in the first week and got a good look at most of their prospects. The only ones I didn't get to see play were Jacob Steinmetz and Lorenzo Encarnacion. Encarnacion was a late addition to the Rafters' roster, but he's been nowhere near a mound in the first week.
Here are my takeaways from what I've watched so far.
David Hagaman Looks Advanced for AFL
The typical competition level for the Arizona Fall League, I'd estimate to be around the Double-A level. That's a small step up from the competition David Hagaman faced in Hillsboro to end the regular season.
Hagaman proved that his strong finish to the season was no fluke. In his first fall league start, he allowed just one baserunner in three dominant innings and struck out five. That baserunner was a two-out double by Cubs' prospect Owen Ayers. It was the only ball hit 100 MPH or harder against Hagaman.
In the third inning, Hagaman and catcher Kenny Castillo adjusted their pitch calling. Instead of trying to establish the fastball, they used the fastball to set up the curveball and slider. It resulted in eight called or swinging strikes out of 15 pitches. Hagaman finished the day with four consecutive strikeouts.
"I have a good connection with him," Castillo said about Hagaman after the game. "I worked with him 3-4 times in the season. I feel so good when he's pitching, we have good communication, and we have a good feeling when he comes to the mound."
Depending on how his next five starts look, the club may assign him to the more challenging level of Double-A to start 2026.
Michael McDermott
Jansel Luis Hits the Ball Hard, But Not in the Air
Jansel Luis was the top hitter prospect for the D-backs' AFL contingent. In the first week, he's shown why. He's 4-for-16 in his first four games with two walks and two strikeouts. The .250 batting average doesn't quite tell the story. Of his 14 balls put into play, 10 have registered an exit velocity of at least 95 MPH.
At face value, the high volume of hard-hit balls is great. However, seven of the 10 hard-hit balls have a negative launch angle. Only one of his 14 batted balls is a pull-side line drive or fly ball, a 95.4 MPH single in Thursday's rain-soaked affair.
Luis discussed working on his approach and making better swing decisions. According to FanGraphs, he had a 34% chase rate in the regular season and a 47% rate with two strikes. He's done a decent job of swinging at mostly strikes and using the whole field in his first week. It's a situation where the process is looking good, just a matter of making the right kind of contact.
Defensively, it seems like the D-backs are going to try to get him more experience at third base and shortstop. If not for a season-ending injury to Demetrio Crisantes in May, Luis probably would have spent most of the season at third. He'll need to improve his consistency, but the hands and actions are good enough to stick there.
Michael McDermott
Kenny Castillo Has Impressed
Castillo entered the fall league as a non-prospect for me, but he's put together some solid games. He's 5-for-10 at the plate with a home run.
Three of those hits came on Thursday. That day, he smoked three balls of at least 100 MPH while calling a gem for Hagaman. All three of his 100 MPH batted balls were to his pull field, signifying that's where most of his power comes from.
The D-backs are relatively thin in catcher depth in the organization. Christian Cerda, Carlos Virahonda, and Ivan Luciano are the only three catchers in discussion for Top 30 lists. So there are still opportunities for Castillo to establish himself in the next couple of years.
Kyle Amendt Struggles in First Outing
Kyle Amendt appeared in Wednesday's loss to Scottsdale. Entering a 5-3 game, Amendt struggled to throw the ball over the plate. He surrendered four runs (three earned) on three singles and a walk.
Much of that damage could have been avoided. Amendt induced a potential inning-ending double play that went right through Luis' glove. Another potential double play attempt led to a throwing error that allowed another run to score.
Amendt wasn't hit particularly hard in terms of quality of contact, with only one of five batted balls recording an exit velocity of at least 95 MPH. However, the command problems that affected him at times in 2025 still seem to be at the forefront. But he'll also need a better defensive effort behind him moving forward.
