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Before I begin, I want to make it clear that I’m kidding about all of this.

Mostly.

Let me set the scene as to why I feel the Cubs ought to do a grand ceremony if Pete Crow-Armstrong happens to steal his 40th base of the season in the next two days, while the Atlanta Braves are in town. PCA stole his 37th Monday night, so he needs three more. And the Braves are the second-worst team in throwing out baserunners this year, nabbing just 15 percent (19 of 128 attempts; by comparison, the Cubs catchers are at 27 percent, 30 caught of 113 attempts).

For the reason I feel this way, let’s go back three years to September 2023. The Cubs are in Atlanta, desperately trying to hold on to a wild card spot that they ultimately missed by one game. They had lost the first game of the series 7-6 in excruciating fashion, in part because Seiya Suzuki dropped an easy fly ball that would have ended the eighth inning with the Cubs leading.

In the second game of the series, the Cubs led 3-1 going to the bottom of the seventh, but single runs by the Braves in that inning and the eighth tied the game. The Cubs took a 4-3 lead in the ninth on an RBI single by Yan Gomes, but Marcell Ozuna homered off Mark Leiter Jr. with one out in the bottom of the ninth to tie it 4-4.

The Cubs scored a run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th and led 5-4.

Daniel Palencia, then a 23-year-old rookie, pitched the bottom of the 10th. Ronald Acuña Jr. singled in the placed runner to tie the game at 5-5.

Then Acuña stole second, his 70th steal of the 2023 season [VIDEO].

That clip, obviously, is from the Atlanta broadcast, and they made it sound like the most unbelievable, best thing in baseball history.

So let’s be honest here. Yes, 40/70 is an achievement, but it’s not really a “thing” in the way 30/30, 40/40 or even the 50/50 season Shohei Ohtani had in 2024. It’s a made-up milestone that… right at that moment, in a tense tie game in extra innings, the Braves decided to hold the game up for a ceremony, playing a scoreboard montage, giving Acuña the base, and…

On the Marquee Sports Network broadcast, Jon Sciambi and Jim Deshaies were less than thrilled:

The Cubs broadcast wasn’t happy about the game being paused after Acuña’s 70th steal pic.twitter.com/8fqpJLCFax

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 28, 2023

And, know what? They were absolutely, positively correct. This was not the time for that sort of thing! Tie game, one team desperately trying to hold on to a postseason spot, AND a rookie pitcher on the mound. I mean… come on, Braves. Have your ceremony before the next day’s game! Go all out! Just don’t do what you did, don’t do THAT.

But they did THAT. And, sure enough, Palencia might have been a bit rattled as two pitches later, Ozzie Albies singled in Acuña and the Braves won 6-5.

Now, would the Cubs have won that game if not for the little Acuña ceremony? Probably not; after the steal Acuña thus represented the winning run in scoring position with nobody out and the Braves had Austin Riley and Matt Olson (in Olson’s 54-homer season) coming up after Albies. The game’s likely lost anyway.

But again, I think the Cubs broadcasters had it right. Don’t stop a game like this in that way. Period.

And so the Cubs have a chance for payback if PCA can steal three bases in the next two games. They ought to do it.

Petty? Oh heck yes, it would be incredibly petty.

But it would also be fun, wouldn’t it? Like I said, I’m kidding about all of this.

Mostly.

It’s clear what the Phillies’ strength is: The starting rotation. They get a good outing from their starter about 80% of the time. They also have a good closer in Jhoan Duran, provided that the game is not tied when he enters. It’s those innings in between that have proven difficult for the Phillies to maneuver through. I’m not overwhelmed by manager Don Mattingly’s ability to adeptly deploy his relievers, but I also have to admit that the relievers on hand haven’t given him many easy answers.

Orion Kerkering and Brooks Raley have likely pitched themselves out of consideration, and at the moment, it appears that Mattingly has the most trust in Jonathan Bowlan, Jose Alvarado, and Alex McFarlane. However, Bowlan has shown signs of wearing down, Alvarado – while overall better lately – is still allergic to clean innings, and McFarlane is an untested rookie. It’s hard to feel too confident in any of them.

In the playoffs, the Phillies will likely have Andrew Painter available to pitch out of the bullpen, but counting on a rookie starter to come in and get key outs in relief is no sure thing either. Over the next two weeks, they really need at least a couple of players to assert themselves as a real late-inning option.

Opposition research: Jack Sinclair

The Phillies’ bullpen has been bad, but we can at least say it hasn’t been as bad as the Nationals’. Remember the last time the Phillies visited Washington, and they kept making those late-inning comebacks? That was pretty representative of how the season has gone for the Nationals’ relief corps.

Grand Slam for Derek Hill!!

The Nationals bullpen continues to find ways to blow leads.#Natitude#RingTheBellpic.twitter.com/z3nyCn9nN8

— Paul McCoy (@PaulMcCoy97) August 4, 2026

The Nationals have almost completely turned over their bullpen throughout the season and lately have tried out rookie Jack Sinclair in a late-inning role.

Sinclair was a 2021 draft pick who slowly made his way through the Nats’ minor league system. He’s never put up great numbers in the minor leagues, mostly due to a high walk total. But considering that everyone else they’ve used in relief has failed, the Nationals figured why not give him a shot.

florida man gets the call 📞 pic.twitter.com/9XDRCAnnBZ

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 4, 2026

Early returns have been strong as he had scoreless outings his first four appearances, and then against the Angels, he was givn his first save opportunity which he converted despite allowing a run.

Will Sinclair allow the Nationals to avoid the late-inning meltdowns against the Phillies this time around? It’s worth remembering that he’s a 27 year old rookie with a mid-90s fastball who had problems with walks in the minors.

In other words, if the Phillies are trailing late, I wouldn’t necessarily turn the game off.

Hating on the Nationals

Are the Nationals going to be an actual threat in the National League East in the coming seasons? It looks like they have a couple of good building blocks in James Wood and C.J. Abrams, but would it shock anyone if those two found their names in trade rumors once again this offseason?

I don’t get why the nationals would do this, they have a good foundation of young talent with James Wood and CJ Abram’s so why would they trade them and not let them continue to develop especially with them having 3+ years before they hit the FA market https://t.co/llbIfGHXaE

— Ozzie’s Helmet (@AIbiesHOF) July 29, 2026

Wood has had a strong season but has spent a large chunk of the second half on the IL, so there are worries about him holding up for a full season after his performance trailed after the break in 2025. And the team has already gotten fed up with Abrams’ defense and is trying to move him to second base.

Considering they already traded emerging players in their mid-20’s in Luis Garcia, Jr. (who has been great for the Yankees) and Curtis Mead (who has been injured), you wonder how attached the Nationals are to any of their players.

If the Nationals want to carry out a perpetual rebuild, it’s fine by me.

Remembering a guy who played for both the Phillies and Nationals

Matt Stairs certainly got around in his career. He began his major league career in 1992 with the Montreal Expos, and by the time he was done, played for 12 (or 13 if you want to consider the Expos and Nationals as separate entities) teams.

Happy 58th birthday Matt Stairs. He has the most pinch-hit HRs in MLB history with 23. He has also played for more MLB teams (13) than any other position player (actually 12 franchises as he played for both the Expos & Nationals. Here is a complete run of his Topps base cards. pic.twitter.com/vTRevq8IWc

— All About the Base Cards (@BaseCardsRule) February 27, 2026

It isn’t clear why he couldn’t find a long-term home. Maybe teams were disappointed because it seemed like he should have hit for more power, since he only topped 30 home runs once in his career. He might have started his career a little too early before on-base percentage became more valued, which is especially ironic since he spent five seasons on the A’s.

In August 2008, the Phillies traded for him, hoping to bolster their bench for the stretch run and playoffs. He hit two home runs in the regular season and then hit another in the playoffs which you might remember.

Matt Stairs has the MLB record for pinch-hit home runs.

His lone #postseason pinch-hit homer came OTD in 2008, a huge go-ahead blast for the @Phillies in Game 4 of the #NLCS. pic.twitter.com/0JVtO6yEYR

— MLB Vault (@MLBVault) October 13, 2020

After 2009, the Phillies chose to move on from the 42-year-old Stairs. He moved to San Diego for a season, and then to Washington for 2011. Unfortunately, at 44 years old, Stairs couldn’t hit anymore. After 74 plate appaearances in which he batted .174, the Nationals released him, and his career was done.

Additional thought about the series

There’s a debate whether you’d rather face a team that’s out of contention, or a team that’s already clinched a playoff spot. For the stretch run, the Phillies are going to get a taste of both. Their next six are against the Mets and Nationals, while they have to finish up against the Brewers or Rays.

Obviously the Brewers and Rays are far better teams, but they might be coasting along or trying to conserve some innings for their top players by the team the Phillies face them. On the other hand, I’m sure the Mets and Nationals would love to salvage some pride by hurting their division rival’s playoff chances.

Regardless of how much the Nationals want to play spoiler; when it comes down to it, the Phillies have Cristopher Sanchez and Zack Wheeler scheduled to start against a team that’s eleven games under .500. They need to win these games.

In our last Lone Star Ball Reacts survey, we asked y’all which of the Rangers’ pending free agents you would most like to see the Rangers bring back.

Cal Quantrill, who has exceeded expectations, first in a long relief role, then while filling in in the rotation, was the clear pick, getting a majority of the vote.

I will note that bringing Quantrill back could be a challenge, as the Rangers currently have six starting pitchers — Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, MacKenzie Gore, Jack Leiter, Kumar Rocker and Cody Bradford — under team control for next season. That makes it hard for the Rangers to offer Quantrill a viable path to a rotation spot for 2027, barring injuries or trades.

On the national questions, the Tampa Bay Rays got a plurality — and almost a majority — of the vote in regards to what team will advance from the American League to the World Series.

In the National League, the Brewers narrowly edged out the Dodgers as the team that will advance.

This has been brought to you by FanDuel.

I know it isn’t an off-day, but I have stuff going on today, so I thought I’d put up an open thread.

As always, use it to talk about what you’d like. I’m going to do a couple of hours of pitcher fielding practice. Actually, I’m pretty sure I don’t have the ability to beat out a runner to first, while trying to catch a ball and hit the bag (inside of the bag) all at the same time. But if anyone wants to come to Calgary to try it with me. I guess we need three people. Maybe a fourth to do first aid.

After a 17 and 11 August the Jays are 7-6 in September. The really hot streak seems to be over. Thankfully the Guardians aren’t tearing things up either.

11 games left. I was going to say that I want every one of them to mean something, but I’d be ok if the Jays clinch with a couple of games left.

Alberts Šmits will have a chance to make the New York Rangers’ opening-night roster out of training camp, but it certainly won’t be easy.

One left-handed defenseman role is up for grabs going into training camp this week, with Matthew Robertson holding the edge over Šmits and Urho Vaakanainen.

During rookie camp, Šmits was asked about what he thinks his chances are of making the opening-night roster. 

“I’m just going one day at a time,” Šmits said in response. 

Given the shortened training camp, it will likely be hard for Šmits to work his way up the depth chart and surpass Robertson, who earned a full-time role with the Rangers last season. 

Chris Drury already made clear that the Rangers are going to be patient regarding Šmits’ development, which likely means they aren’t in a rush to bring him up to the NHL if he isn’t prepared for it. 

“We're gonna do right by him and the long-term health and well-being of him as a Ranger,” Drury said of Šmits. “This is not a sprint for him. We hope he's a rock-solid defenseman for the Rangers for the next 15 years. We're not going to put him in positions or situations that he can't handle. So excited to add him, but again, not going to do anything that's not in the best interest long-term for him.”

The 18-year-old defenseman was highly touted as one of the more pro-ready players in the 2026 draft class, leading him to be selected with the fifth overall pick by the Rangers. 

Even if Šmits doesn't make the Rangers’ roster out of training camp, he’ll begin the 2026-27 season playing in the American Hockey league for the Hartford Wolf Pack.

The Rays acquired Joe Boyle, the towering, hard-throwing reliever, from the Athletics as part of the trade for Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez. Since then he’s pitched just over 70 innings for the Rays, spending most of his time in Durham.

This year Joe Boyle has made meaningful strides in his command while retaining the stuff that made him an intriguing pitching prospect. In limited major-league opportunities, his topline numbers haven’t been great but there’s no question has major league stuff and the upside that goes with it. Boyle has developed enough command to support an increasingly sophisticated arsenal, and his ability to adjust that arsenal on the fly is what makes his starter projection particularly interesting.

Before joining the Rays, Boyle posted a 15.7% walk rate in the majors and an 18.9% walk rate in the minors. Since joining the organization, those numbers have fallen to 12.1% and 14.4%, respectively. This is meaningful growth driven by some mechanical adjustments, usage rates, and shape changes.

Boyle has gone from a high three-quarter slot delivery through 2024 to a low three-quarter slot delivery in 2025 and 2026. The lower slot seems to suit him better, giving him a more repeatable delivery and helping him find the zone more consistently.

The adjustment appears to have given Boyle a more consistent foundation from which to repeat his delivery and attack the strike zone. His zone rate has gone from 44.2% in AAA in 2024 to 46.9% in AAA so far in 2026 – despite shifting toward a more secondary-heavy mix, with his non-fastballs historically less likely to land in the zone. And because he has the quality stuff to stick in a rotation, the next step was to revamp his arsenal to attack both sides of the plate.

Here are Boyle’s Triple-A usage rates to righties and lefties in each of the last three seasons:

Boyle is now throwing a wider variety of shapes – most of them relatively new given his change in slot – and he’s still filling up the zone at a higher rate than ever before. He has more advanced feel and pitchability than he gets credit for. Boyle’s command gains coupled with an expanded arsenal are more exciting than either development would be on its own.

Some interesting things have happened with Boyle’s usage and cut-slider shape during the 2026 season so far that give even more reason to be excited. The changes become even more interesting when we look at how he’s using each pitch against right- and left-handed hitters.

	Apr-Jul vs RHB	Aug-Sep vs RHB	Apr-Jul vs LHB	Aug-Sep vs LHB
Four-Seam	42.3%	30.3%	47.3%	34.3%
Cut-Slider	33.7%	33.1%	33.4%	38.2%
Offspeed	1.5%	2.0%	15.0%	13.7%
Two-Seam	12.4%	17.5%	0.5%	6.4%
Breaking Ball	10.1%	17.1%	3.7%	7.3%

The biggest thing that stands out to me is that Boyle’s fastball usage has fallen below 50% against both sides of the plate for the first time in his professional career. His cut-slider is now his highest usage pitch and for good reason: it’s the pitch he commands best. I wondered what it would look like if he pitched off of his cut-slider back in January because he has the best location consistency of that pitch.

Boyle’s cut-slider has gradually evolved since he joined the Rays. Before joining the organization, the pitch looked more like a traditional two-plane slider, with velocity in the mid-to-upper 80s. By April of 2025, it had developed a tighter, gyro shape. Since his August major-league call-up this season, Boyle has pushed the pitch even further toward a harder, cutter-like offering. It now sits in the low 90s and, for the first time, is more vertically oriented. The pitch’s zone rate has increased from 52.5% to 60.6% with the new shape, while maintaining a whiff rate in the 35-40% range. That suggests Boyle has improved his ability to locate the pitch without sacrificing its bat-missing ability.

Since returning to Durham with this new cut-slider shape, Boyle has cut his walk rate to 7.3% across 19.1 innings in four appearances. His strike rate has also climbed from 57.7% to 64.1%, moving from below average to roughly league average. While the sample is small, the trends are encouraging – Boyle is throwing more strikes.

The growth we’ve seen from Boyle makes me more confident he can stick as a major-league starter, and potentially more than just a back-end option. The stuff has always been there; now his command is becoming good enough to let that arsenal play consistently. The most exciting developments this season have been his ability to improve his zone rate while increasing his secondary usage and his ability to manipulate his cut-slider shape in-season.

The Rays could always simplify Boyle’s arsenal in relief, where his fastball and cut-slider combination would give him a relatively straightforward path to success. But the organization’s continued investment in his expanded arsenal suggests they see more than a relief role in him. His improved command and ability to manipulate pitch shapes are precisely what give him a chance to remain in a rotation. Whether that opportunity comes down the stretch in 2026 or beyond, Boyle has developed into a legitimate candidate for a major-league rotation spot.

The 2026 Major League Baseball season has less than two weeks to go, and most of league's major awards have runaway favorites – with new faces expected to win the MVP and Cy Young honors in each league.

The Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong will certainly dethrone Shohei Ohtani for the NL MVP award, snapping Ohtani's three-year reign that dates back to his final season with the Los Angeles Angels. In the AL, the Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez is in the running for the Triple Crown and should win the award over the Tampa Ray Rays' Junior Caminero, with back-to-back winner Aaron Judge hampered by an injury this season.

Both expected Cy Young winners are in their second MLB seasons: Cam Schlittler of the New York Yankees and Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers. Each right-hander sports an ERA below 2.00 entering Tuesday and have fans amped about the next generation of aces in MLB.

Here's our predictions for the 2026 MLB awards:

AL MVP: Yordan Alvarez, Astros

Triple Crown incoming? The 29-year-old has proven himself as one of the greatest sluggers of the era and should win this award easily, having already set a career-high with 38 home runs. He's the runaway favorite, but Houston getting back into the postseason would even further ice this for Alvarez.

Also in the running: Junior Caminero (Rays), Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals)

NL MVP: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs

With Shohei Ohtani injured this summer, PCA has locked this up as he closes in on the seventh 40-40 season in MLB history. The 24-year-old is putting together one of the greatest years ever, with a 9.3 fWAR while leading the National League in slugging and OPS.

Also in the running: Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers)

AL Cy Young: Cam Schlittler, Yankees

We knew Cam Schlittler was good after his impact as a rookie in 2025, but nobody could have fathomed the 25-year-old would be this good in his sophomore season. The right-hander is having one of the greatest pitching seasons could be the first Yankees pitcher with a sub-2 ERA since Ron Guidry in 1978. Even more impressive is his leading the AL in innings (184.2) and starts (31).

Also in the running: Dylan Cease (Blue Jays)

NL Cy Young: Jacob Misiorowski, Brewers

A controversial All-Star selection as a rookie last season, The Miz has been by far the NL's best pitcher at age 24, leading the league in ERA (1.95), strikeouts (236) and WHIP (0.80).

Also in the running: Chris Sale (Braves)

AL Rookie of the Year: Kevin McGonigle, Tigers

Things didn't go as planned for Tarik Skubal's final season in Detroit, but McGonigle's breakthrough is the major positive to take away from this year. The Tigers signed McGonigle to an eight-year, $150 million extension and the infielder who was 21 on opening day is currently approaching 7 WAR on the season.

Also in the running: Parker Messick (Guardians), Munetaka Murakami (White Sox)

NL Rookie of the Year: Sal Stewart, Reds

Stewart has been invaluable for the Reds, primarily playing the corner infield positions while also seeing time at second base, racking up 31 home runs with 107 RBIs and 15 steals.

Also in the running: JJ Wetherholt (Cardinals), Nolan McLean (Mets)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB award predictions 2026: MVPs Ohtani and Judge will be dethroned

It’s that time of year again, folks. Sure, the Postseason is right around the corner and that’s exciting all but it’s also a fun time for keeping track of prospects as well. The Arizona Fall League will get underway on October 3 and there will be plenty of representation of the Atlanta Braves’ farm system on the Glendale Desert Dogs, as the Braves will have eight representatives on the squad.

The 2026 Arizona Fall League rosters have been unveiled and they feature a dozen of MLB's Top 100 prospects!

Check 'em out: https://t.co/fRI7Ethe6npic.twitter.com/EcccDZupau

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 15, 2026

We already knew that Tate Southisene would be participating but ow we know who’ll be joining him in wearing Braves uniforms out in Arizona this fall. Tanner Bauman, Owen Carey, Isaiah Drake, Owen Hackman, Tyler LaPorte, Briggs McKenzie and Logan Samuels will all be heading out to the desert to take part in the AFL this Fall. Carey, Drake, McKenzie, and Southisene are the consensus Top 30 Braves prospects who will be going there, with Southesine being able to claim that he’s a Top 100 prospect while he’s out there.

For more information on how things have gone for these prospects (and more) so far this season, Matt Powers has been doing season recaps for all of the minor league teams, so I highly suggest that y’all check those out. Here’s Augusta,Rome, and Columbus and you can be on the look out for Gwinett’s season recap next week.

MLB announced the rosters for the 2026 Arizona Fall League on Tuesday, featuring 12 players in MLB.com's top 100 prospects, ahead of the minor league showcase's opening day on Saturday, Oct. 3.

The AFL has six teams – with each representing five MLB organizations – that play 30 games during the course of a month in Arizona. Every MLB team has at least seven players participating in this year's AFL, according to the league.

The championship game is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14 in Peoria at the spring training home of the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners. All six teams reach the "postseason" with the top two getting a bye to the semifinals. The AFL Fall Stars Game will take place on Nov. 8 with the league's Home Run Derby that day.

Past MVPs of the Arizona Fall League include Ronald Acuña Jr. (2017), Kris Bryant (2013) and Nolan Arenado (2011). Last year's winner, Kevin McGonigle of the Detroit Tigers, is expected to win the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2026.

Here's a look at every team's roster for the 2026 AFL:

Glendale Desert Dogs

(Braves, Dodgers, Marlins, Pirates, White Sox)

Pitchers

• Nick Altermatt (CWS)
• Brooks Auger (LAD)
• Tanner Bauman (ATL)
• Brandon Cain (PIT)
• Samuel Carpio (MIA)
• Jonathan Clark (CWS)
• Luke Fox (LAD)
• Pierce George (CWS)
• Owen Hackman (ATL)
• Sam Horn (LAD)
• Cameron Keshock (PIT)
• Mathias LaCombe (CWS)
• Tyler LaPorte (ATL)
• Briggs McKenzie (ATL)
• Brayan Mendoza (MIA)
• Cody Morse (LAD)
• Zander Mueth (PIT)
• Marlon Nieves (LAD)
• Emmett Olson (MIA)
• Logan Samuels (ATL)
• Tristan Stevens (MIA)
• Cristhian Tortosa (PIT)
• Michael Walsh (PIT)
• Alex Williams (MIA)
• Garrett Wright (CWS)

Catchers

• Anson Aroz (LAD)
• Easton Carmichael (PIT)
• Grant Magill (CWS)

Infielders

• Anthony DePino (CWS)
• Chase Harlan (LAD)
• Carter Johnson (MIA)
• Wyatt Sanford (PIT)
• Jhonny Severino (PIT)
• Colby Shelton (CWS)
• Tate Southisene (ATL)

Outfielders

• Caleb Bonemer (CWS)
• Owen Carey (ATL)
• Charles Davalan (LAD)
• Isaiah Drake (ATL)
• Dillon Lewis (MIA)
• Eduardo Quintero (LAD)
• Max Williams (MIA)

Mesa Solar Sox

(Angels, Athletics, Blue Jays, Cubs, Red Sox)

Pitchers

• Brandon Barriera (TOR)
• Gilberto Batista (TOR)
• Jake Bloss (TOR)
• Harry Blum (BOS)
• Jhon Cabral (CHC)
• Jay Dill (ATH)
• Madison Frias (BOS)
• Anhuar Garcia (CHC)
• Yoendris Gonzalez (CHC)
• Kenya Huggins (ATH)
• Jared Johnson (ATH)
• Nicholas Judice (BOS)
• Tucker Novotny (ATH)
• Trennor O'Donnell (BOS)
• Peyton Olejnik (LAA)
• Fernando Perez (TOR)
• Dominick Reid (CHC)
• Grant Richardson (ATH)
• Kyle Robinson (LAA)
• Yondrei Rojas (TOR)
• Luis Rujano (CHC)
• Sam Tookoian (LAA)
• Yeferson Vargas (LAA)
• Najer Victor (LAA)
• Caden Vire (BOS)

Catchers

• Cole Conn (ATH)
• Davis Diaz (ATH)
• Aaron Parker (TOR)

Infielders

• Antonio Anderson (BOS)
• Myles Bailey (CHC)
• Juan Cabada (CHC)
• Jake Munroe (LAA)
• Arjun Nimmala (LAA)
• Mason White (BOS)
• Ryland Zaborowski (LAA)
• Nazzan Zanetello (BOS)

Outfielders

• Jake Casey (TOR)
• Jake Cook (TOR)
• Breyson Guedez (ATH)
• Kade Snell (CHC)

Peoria Javelinas

(Cardinals, Mariners, Orioles, Padres, Reds)

Pitchers

• Cody Adcock (CIN)
• Braxton Bragg (BAL)
• Winyer Chourio (SD)
• Brandon Clarke (STL)
• Ty Cummings (SEA)
• Victor Diaz (CIN)
• Nate Dohm (STL)
• Reid Easterly (SEA)
• Frank Elissalt (STL)
• Jose Geraldo (SEA)
• Igor Gil (SD)
• Kailen Hamson (BAL)
• Trent Hodgdon (CIN)
• Luke Holman (CIN)
• Kannon Kemp (SD)
• Kiefer Lord (BAL)
• Jose Montero (CIN)
• Francis Peña (SD)
• Patrick Reilly (BAL)
• Tekoah Roby (STL)
• Calvin Schapira (SEA)
• Teddy Sharkey (BAL)
• Adam Smith (SEA)
• Jordan Valenzuela (SD)
• Michael Watson (STL)

Catchers

• Matthew Ellis (SEA)
• Ty Harvey (SD)
• Boston Smith (SEA)

Infielders

• Brandon Butterworth (BAL)
• Justin DeCriscio (SD)
• Brandon Eike (SEA)
• Carter Graham (CIN)
• Sammy Hernandez (STL)
• Cade McGee (STL)
• Carlos Sanchez (CIN)

Outfielders

• Jay Allen II (CIN)
• Vance Honeycutt (BAL)
• Ike Irish (BAL)
• Alex McCoy (SD)
• Tai Peete (STL)

Salt River Rafters

(D-backs, Nationals, Rockies, Twins, Yankees)

Pitchers

• Joseph Ariola (ARI)
• Luke Craig (ARI)
• Noah Dean (WSH)
• Ross Dunn (MIN)
• Konner Eaton (COL)
• Mack Estrada (NYY)
• J.T. Etheridge (NYY)
• Stu Flesland III (COL)
• Connor Foley (ARI)
• Patrick Forbes (ARI)
• Nolan Hughes (WSH)
• Cesar Lares (MIN)
• Cleiber Maldonado (MIN)
• Hunter Mann (COL)
• Jake Murray (MIN)
• R.J. Sales (WSH)
• Sean Sullivan (COL)
• Jarlin Susana (WSH)
• Fidel Ulloa (COL)
• Chris Veach (NYY)
• John West (ARI)
• Brian Zeldin (MIN)

Catchers

• Jack O'Dowd (COL)
• Miguel Useche (CHC)

Infielders

• Demetrio Crisantes (ARI)
• Kyle DeBarge (MIN)
• Core Jackson (NYY)
• Dax Kilby (NYY)
• Andy Perez (COL)
• Yassel Soler (ARI)
• Kyle West (NYY)

Outfielders

• Teo Banks (WSH)
• Nathan Hall (ARI)
• Jacob McCombs (MIN)
• Yasser Mercedes (MIN)
• Jorgelys Mota (WSH)
• Jared Thomas (COL)

Scottsdale Scorpions

(Astros, Brewers, Giants, Rays, Tigers)

Pitchers

• Juan Bello (HOU)
• Logan Berrier (DET)
• Ryan Birchard (MIL)
• Cesar DeJesus (TB)
• Joey Dixon (HOU)
• Jalen Evans (DET)
• Francisco Frias (HOU)
• Alexander Fuentes (SF)
• Drake George (SF)
• Preston Howey (DET)
• Marcus Johnson (TB)
• Maddox Long (DET)
• Miguel Mendez (SF)
• José Meneses (MIL)
• Miqueas Mercedes (MIL)
• Mason Nichols (TB)
• Railin Perez (HOU)
• Jank Pichardo (HOU)
• Joshua Quezada (MIL)
• Andy Rodriguez (TB)
• Randy Rodriguez (SF)
• Win Scott (DET)
• Darien Smith (SF)
• Yereny Teus (TB)

Catchers

• Luke Davis (PHI)
• Nathan Flewelling (TB)
• Matt Wood (MIL)

Infielders

• Eric Bitonti (MIL)
• Kaeden Kent (SF)
• Waner Luciano (HOU)
• Nick Monistere (HOU)
• Narciso Polanco (TB)
• Bryce Rainer (DET)
• Dalton Wentz (SF)

Outfielders

• Zyhir Hope (DET)
• Dakota Jordan (SF)
• Nehomar Ochoa, Jr (HOU)
• Braylon Payne (MIL)
• Brendan Summerhill (TB)

Surprise Saguaros

(Guardians, Mets, Phillies, Rangers, Royals)

Pitchers

• Keegan Batka (PHI)
• Alejandro Chiquillo (TEX)
• Irving Cota (NYM)
• Aaron Davenport (CLE)
• Ryan Dromboski (PHI)
• J'Briell Easley (TEX)
• Magnus Ellerts (CLE)
• Jesus Gamez (TEX)
• Brendan Girton (NYM)
• Josh Hansell (KC)
• Estibenzon Jimenez (PHI)
• Jacob Johnson (TEX)
• Ryan Lambert (NYM)
• Justin Lamkin (KC)
• Aidan Major (CLE)
• Mason McConnaughey (TEX)
• Frank Mozzicato (KC)
• Jose Pena (PHI)
• Peyton Prescott (NYM)
• Cam Schuelke (CLE)
• Kyle Scott (CLE)
• Kevin Warunek (PHI)
• Hiro Wyatt (KC)
• Calvin Ziegler (NYM)
• Steven Zobac (KC)

Catchers

• Julian Brock (TEX)
• Kehden Hettiger (PHI)
• Brooks Bryan (KC)

Infielders

• Bruin Agbayani (NYM)
• Boston Baro (NYM)
• Austin Charles (KC)
• Casey Cook (TEX)
• Aroon Escobar (PHI)
• Welbyn Francisca (CLE)
• Luke Hill (CLE)
• Cole Mathis (NYM)
• Tyresse Turner (CLE)

Outfielders

• Paxton Kling (TEX)
• Dante Nori (PHI)
• Zion Rose (KC)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Arizona Fall League rosters 2026: Top MLB prospects set to shine in AFL

The Houston Astros player development department has named C Jason Schiavone the Astros 2026 Minor League Player of the Year, RHP Bryce Mayer the Astros 2026 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, OF Anthony Huezo the Astros 2026 Minor League Baserunner of the Year, IF Max Holy the Astros 2026 Minor League Defender of the Year and IF Yamal Encarnacion the Astros 2026 Standard Award recipient. All five players will be recognized in a pregame ceremony at Daikin Park on Sunday, September 20.

Schiavone, 23, has batted .246 (104×422) with 84 runs, 23 doubles, 31 HR, 87 RBI, 90 walks, 29 stolen bases and a .907 OPS in 118 games between High A Asheville (35 games), Double A Corpus Christi (79 games) and Triple A Sugar Land (four games). He leads the Astros minor league system in OPS, slugging percentage (.521), RBI and home runs, while also ranking second in runs,  fifth in OBP (.386), fifth in doubles, fifth in walks and eighth in stolen bases (min. 200 AB). Schiavone was also named the Astros Minor League Player of the Month in April and May. The Astros selected the catcher in the 11th round of the 2024 MLB Draft from James Madison. The 23-year-old is rated as the Astros number six overall prospect by MLB.com.

Mayer, 24, has gone 6-4 with a 3.21 ERA (35ER/98IP) in 23 appearances, including 20 starts between Double A Corpus Christi and Triple A Sugar Land. The right-handed pitcher also recorded 132 strikeouts, a 1.19 WHIP and a .202 opponent batting average. Mayer ranks first strikeouts per nine innings (12.12), first in ERA, first in opponent batting average, second in WHIP and seventh in walks per nine innings (4.32) in the Astros minor league system (min 90 IP). Mayer has now earned the Astros Minor League Pitcher of the Year in consecutive seasons. He was also the Astros Minor League Pitcher of the Month in July after he recorded a 0.47 ERA (1ER/19IP) with 29 strikeouts for the month. The 24-year-old was drafted by the Astros in the 16th round of the 2024 MLB Draft from the University of Missouri. He is rated as the Astros number eight overall prospect by MLB.com.

Huezo, 20, batted .242 (105×433) with 79 runs, 31 doubles, four triples, 22 HR, 73 RBI, 58 walks, 47 stolen bases and an .825 OPS in 112 games between Single A Fayetteville, High A Asheville and Double A Corpus Christi. The 20-year-old stole 47 bases and was caught only 12 times for a 79.7 percent success rate. He ranks third in the Astros minor league system in stolen bases this season. Huezo was drafted by the Astros in the 12th round of the 2023 MLB Draft from Etiwanda High School in California. The 20-year-old is rated as the Astros number 10 overall prospect by MLB.com.

Holy, 24, appeared in 110 games this season between High A Asheville and Double A Corpus Christi, making starts defensively at shortstop (100), second base (five) and third base (five). He committed just 10 errors in 391 total chances for a .974 fielding percentage, while turning 42 double plays. Holy was signed by the Astros as an undrafted free agent on July 20, 2024, from Central Missouri University. He is rated as the Astros number 29 overall prospect by MLB.com.

The Astros Standard award, which was established this season, highlights a player who represents the core values of the organization in a positive way both on and off the field. Encarnacion, 23, spent the entire season with Double A Corpus Christi, batting .266 (93×349) with 61 runs, 18 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 48 RBI, 37 walks, 48 stolen bases and a .720 OPS in 95 games. The 23-year-old was signed by the Astros as an undrafted free agent on January 15, 2021, from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.