2023 Arizona Fall League Thread

[Joseph Zarr]

The Hulkster that is Wes Clarke is 2-for-2 with his 2nd AFL long ball. He has all 4 Saguaros RBI's. Surprise leads 4-0 in the bottom of the 5th. The man has been on a sizzle for quite some time and I will not tone down my excitement for his game.

Hendry Mendez's ongoing futility at the dish has continued through two AB's (0-for-2).l as a woeful 2023 stays gloomy.

LHP Adam Seminaris has put on a masterclass through his 4 IP (second pitcher on the hill for the Saguaros). so far: 1 H, 0 BB, 0 R and 7 K. Wow.

[Joseph Zarr]

 

[Ro Mueller]

1B Wes Clarke singled home the game's first run with 2 outs in the 1st inning, then his 3-run blast with 2 outs in the 4th inning extended Surprise's lead to 4-0. For the game, he went 2-for-4 with 4 RBIs and a walk.

24-year old LHP Adam Seminaris (acquired in the Hunter Renfroe trade, but injured for about 2/3rds of 2023) had one of his best outings ever, facing the minimum number of batters (12) over 4 innings (2nd through 5th frames), while striking out 7. He did concede one single, who was eliminated via a ground ball double play. His domination earned him the Win.

Like Seminaris, 23-year old RHP Joseph Hernandez (acquired for Justin Topa, but also injured for about 2/3rs of 2023) also made his first appearance of the Arizona Fall League, but struggled with control: 2 1/3 IP, 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 4 BB, 2 Ks).

RF Hendry Mendez had a late double in a 1-for-4 performance with one K. Surprise won 7-2. Box score.

 

[Joseph Zarr]

[markedman5]

MLB pipeline took notice

Brewers: Adam Seminaris, LHP (Unranked), Surprise Saguaros
Wes Clarke, 1B (Unranked), Surprise Saguaros
Originally scheduled to start, Seminaris instead entered the game in the second inning and put together arguably the most dominant performance by a pitcher in the Fall League's first week. The 24-year-old allowed one hit and struck out seven over four scoreless frames in his first appearance for the Saguaros.

Clarke opened his big game with an RBI single and helped break open the contest with a three-run homer, his second this fall. The 23-year-old is 6-for-16 with nine RBIs through his first four games for Surprise. His strong start in Arizona has followed a strong campaign with Double-A Biloxi where Clarke established career highs with 26 homers and 80 RBIs in 118 games. More »

[Joseph Zarr]

Seminaris 30 Second Vid Clip for Those that don't Read Above Article

 

[wiguy94]

 

[markedman5]

Seminaris didn’t have good numbers in his 53 innings at Biloxi….other than the k numbers……..any insight as to what kind of a prospect he is? 

[sveumrules]

38 minutes ago, markedman5 said:

Seminaris didn’t have good numbers in his 53 innings at Biloxi….other than the k numbers……..any insight as to what kind of a prospect he is? 

This was his pre-season report from FanGraphs, where they gave him a 35+ FV…

The soft-tossing Seminaris, acquired from the Angels as part of the Hunter Renfroe trade, had a 2022 spike in walks after he was promoted to Double-A, which is totally uncharacteristic of what has historically been a command-first profile. The underlying pitch data suggests he’s still throwing plenty of strikes, so expect him to rebound in this area going forward. None of his repertoire is plus, but he mixes a ton of different pitches: 58% fastballs (a mix of four- and two-seamers), then 14% each slider, changeup, and curveball. The changeup has been evaluated as plus here in the past but it played more like an average pitch in 2022. He’s trending more like a sixth-to-eighth starter or bulk reliever, and will act as viable upper-level depth without occupying a 40-man spot in 2023.

[Joseph Zarr]

Surprise loses (3-4) to the undefeated Javelinas (6-0 - what is this the Dodgers DSL?!?) to a 5-3 score. 

Clarke ended up 1-for-4 with the HR (his 3rd). EBJ went 0-for-3 with a BB and a K while being picked off 1B. RHP Shane Smith tossed yet another scoreless inning of work - 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K (this is almost to be expected at this point). It's only a 7 game sample size but the Saguaros can''t be all too thrilled with the production they are getting from the Rangers' Cameron Cauley and EBJ at SS and 2B.

[Ro Mueller]

Here’s yesterday’s Wes Clarke bomb, though the team lost 5-3. Box score. 

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Clarke appears to be getting the evening off 🥲. EBJ and Mendez will try to wake up their bats. EBJ is back at SS while Mendez will man the RF grass as the Saguaros (3-4) take on the Scottsdale Scorpions (3-3).

[nate82]

I haven’t paid much attention to Clarke’s defense at 1B.  Is it good enough?  

[Joseph Zarr]

1 hour ago, nate82 said:

I haven’t paid much attention to Clarke’s defense at 1B.  Is it good enough?  

Yes. It's just fine. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Surprise leads 13-1 in the 6th 😮

EBJ is 2-for-3 with 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, and 1 K. Mendez Is 1-for-4 with 1 R, 2 RBI, and 1 K. He also has a fielding error in RF. 

[Jake McKibbin]

Greta night for EBJ.. I don't know who Hicks is, but a 6 hit night is always memorable

[Ro Mueller]

Brewers reps played key parts in enabling Surprise to grab a 5-0 lead in the 1st inning: SS Eric Brown Jr. singled in the second run, then RF Hendry Mendez reached on a fielders' choice which combined with an error to three runs to score.

The squad ultimately won 17-5 over Scottsdale, but the story of the game was Rangers' catcher Liam Hicks going 6-for-6 (all singles). Box score. 

Brown (3-for-5, double, walk, 4 RBIs) also singled in a run in the 5th inning, doubled in two more runs in the 8th inning and was part of three double plays on defense. Mendez (1-for-6, 2 RBIs) also singled in a run in the 6th inning and had an error in the field.

RHP Justin Yeager's apparently on a mission to throw lots of strikes as he builds back strength from an injury that wiped out most of his 2023 season: 21 pitches, 15 strikes. 1 IP, 0 ER, a single and a full-count walk. No Ks.

[Joseph Zarr]

10 minutes ago, damuelle said:

 

Brown (3-for-5, double, walk, 4 RBIs) also singled in a run in the 5th inning, doubled in two more runs in the 8th inning and was part of three triple plays on defense. Mendez (1-for-6, 2 RBIs) also singled in a run in the 6th inning and had an error in the field.

I believe you mean 'three double plays'. Has there ever been a game with 2 triple plays? That'd be something!

[Joseph Zarr]

They won 17-5 last night. They smacked Glendale 16-1 today. Yowza! The Saguaros move to a prickly 5-4 record overall. King saw the mound again and pitched a scoreless 1 K frame. Manning second base again, EBJ hit his 3rd dub of his AFL stint in a 2-for-6, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 K outing (moved up to 2nd in the batting order - a welcome sight). And, Clarke was back back at first base hitting in the clean-up spot with a 1-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K outing.

After these last two contests, just take a quick look at the heart of the Saguaros batting order:

(1-thru-6)

 

[Joseph Zarr]

A nice piece on RHP Shane Smith - synopsis on his season and what he's working on in the AFL (hint...it slides). 

Give it a read to see what's cooking for one of the Brewers top-tier relief prospects.

On the level of bats in the Arizona Fall League...

Quote

“The bat speed is there, but it’s probably approach: What pitches they look for in what counts. If you’re down 2-0 and have to throw a fastball, more than likely you pay for it,” Smith said. “So you have to know your pitches and sequence them correctly ... try to use the hitter’s approach against them, flip a curve over when they’re looking fastball.”

 

[Playing Catch]

On 10/11/2023 at 12:06 PM, Joseph Zarr said:

I believe you mean 'three double plays'. Has there ever been a game with 2 triple plays? That'd be something!

I remember a Twins game back in the day where Gary Gaetti started two bases-loaded 5-4-3 triple plays in the same game.

[wallus]

Is EBJ a SS or 2B in the majors?

[Ro Mueller]

A solid 7-6 come-from-behind win on Thursday for the Surprise Saguaros over Salt River improves their record to 6-4 and puts them in second place in the 6-team AFL. Box score.

Down 5-3, the Saguaros tied the game in the 6th inning, then took the lead for good on a 1B Wes Clarke (1-for-4 in this game; .321 AVG, 1.174 OPS overall) RBI double in the 7th inning.

Hendry Mendez also started in left field, going 0-for-1, walking twice and scoring the game-tying run in the 6th inning.

[sveumrules]

13 hours ago, wallus said:

Is EBJ a SS or 2B in the majors?

I don't think he's a surefire no doubt MLB shortstop at this point, but after what he showed this year (when healthy) I think the odds are better now that he sticks at SS than they were when he was originally drafted.

If not, he should be easily plus at 2B.

[Joseph Zarr]

11 hours ago, damuelle said:

A solid 7-6 come-from-behind win on Thursday for the Surprise Saguaros over Salt River improves their record to 6-4 and puts them in second place in the 6-team AFL. Box score.

Down 5-3, the Saguaros tied the game in the 6th inning, then took the lead for good on a 1B Wes Clarke (1-for-4 in this game; .321 AVG, 1.174 OPS overall) RBI double in the 7th inning.

Hendry Mendez also started in left field, going 0-for-1, walking twice and scoring the game-tying run in the 6th inning.

The Wes Clarke clutch breakout season continues. May this campaign simply never end. May he smash clutch line drive doubles and smash moon shot homers in an improbable 2025 Brewers post-season run to an eventual first World Series championship...where he shall lay the wood to the Yankees averaging three long balls per game in a crushing four game sweep. In addition to playing 1B, C, and crushing from the DH spot throughout this mythological series, 'The Incredible Clarke' will also pitch three shutout innings to close out game 4's 19-0 walloping of the Bronx Bombers. 

This is the way. It is written in stone.