Ranking The 10 Hottest Arizona Fall League Prospects | Hot Sheet (10/13/25)
[lots of rain in Arizona, so not many games were played]
4. Wuilfredo Antuñez, OF, Guardians
Team: Surprise Saguaros
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .500/.571/1.500 (3-for-6), 3 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1-for-1 SB
The Scoop: Antuñez was a low-dollar signee for Cleveland who broke out in 2022 and has been a steady producer throughout the course of his minor league career. His AFL campaign has gotten off to a scorching start, including long balls for two of his three hits in the season’s opening week. His second home run left the bat at 103.6 mph, and his single from the same game produced an exit velocity of 107 mph. (JN)
Re: Minor Matters
13892from BA
Guardians’ Petey Halpin Showcases Speed And Defense. [which is great but we need some OFs who can hit]
Petey Halpin made his MLB debut on Sept. 20 and appeared in six games, serving mostly as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement. He went 2-for-6 at the plate.
In 126 games for Triple-A Columbus this season, he batted .249/.321/.414 with a 14 home runs, a career high, and 15 stolen bases.
“Petey had a great developmental year, ultimately helping us win a division and compete in the postseason,” Guardians GM Mike Chernoff said. “He is a dynamic player who combines excellent speed with outstanding defense in both center field and the corners.”
Drafted in the third round in 2020 out of a NorCal high school, Halpin spent a year at Low-A, a year at High-A and two years at Double-A Akron.
At 6 feet, 200 pounds, Halpin is a lefthanded batter who can hold his own at the plate and in the field.
“As this year went on, he took on an even more aggressive mindset with both his baserunning and his defense,” Chernoff said. “That helped him translate his tools into on-field success in both areas.”
Halpin has always been young for his level, but Chernoff said: “He has matured a lot as a hitter and started to refine his approach at the plate to allow him to tap into both his contact and impact skills.” Where Halpin ultimately lands as a hitter and defender remain to be seen. What is not up for debate, however, is his competitive nature.
“He has a strong motivation to keep improving, and we are excited about what his future can hold, especially after getting his first taste of the major leagues,” Chernoff said.
Guardians’ Petey Halpin Showcases Speed And Defense. [which is great but we need some OFs who can hit]
Petey Halpin made his MLB debut on Sept. 20 and appeared in six games, serving mostly as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement. He went 2-for-6 at the plate.
In 126 games for Triple-A Columbus this season, he batted .249/.321/.414 with a 14 home runs, a career high, and 15 stolen bases.
“Petey had a great developmental year, ultimately helping us win a division and compete in the postseason,” Guardians GM Mike Chernoff said. “He is a dynamic player who combines excellent speed with outstanding defense in both center field and the corners.”
Drafted in the third round in 2020 out of a NorCal high school, Halpin spent a year at Low-A, a year at High-A and two years at Double-A Akron.
At 6 feet, 200 pounds, Halpin is a lefthanded batter who can hold his own at the plate and in the field.
“As this year went on, he took on an even more aggressive mindset with both his baserunning and his defense,” Chernoff said. “That helped him translate his tools into on-field success in both areas.”
Halpin has always been young for his level, but Chernoff said: “He has matured a lot as a hitter and started to refine his approach at the plate to allow him to tap into both his contact and impact skills.” Where Halpin ultimately lands as a hitter and defender remain to be seen. What is not up for debate, however, is his competitive nature.
“He has a strong motivation to keep improving, and we are excited about what his future can hold, especially after getting his first taste of the major leagues,” Chernoff said.
Re: Minor Matters
13893This is from the guy who posts prospect updates daily. Noting the absence of many of the pre-season top 10 prospects due to injuries [Genao, Brito] or poor performance [Chourio] the list is not overly impressive.
The several top 10 guys who excelled were Velazquez and Kayfus and Doughty
The one name he left out is Joey Oakie, who granted had some really awful stats to start but terrific ones for his final weeks in Lynchburg.
The Cleveland Guardians 2025 farm system went through a series of injuries to top prospects, but still showed exciting development in several areas. For once, the position player side isn’t dominated by up-the-middle contact bats, but more corner bats, and the bats are more exciting right now than the arms. But some interesting arms emerged this year as well.
Here’s my 2025 Cleveland Guardians All-Prospect Team:
C: Cooper Ingle: .260/.389/.419, 10 HR, 16.7 K%/16.9 BB%, 138 wRC+
It was a tough start to 2025 for Cooper Ingle, hitting .224/.315/.368 in April, so he kept his on base skills strong to hold up his offense. But May-September, Ingle posted a .268/.405/.431 line through the end of the season with a 15.2 K% and a 17.8 BB%. He drove that to a 146 wRC+ (100 is league average). His strong spring and summer earned him his first taste of Triple-A, but he posted just a .207/.383/.329 line there in 107 plate appearances. Ingle won’t chase out of the zone, but we have to be careful about his offensive baseline and expectations. With a
36.4% swing-18.6% chase = 17.8%., which makes Ingle slightly passive as a hitter (20% of this equation is ideal). He doesn’t have strong exit velo numbers, but was in the 68th percentile in Triple-A for pulled fly balls, which is how he maximizes his offense and patience, waiting for that pitch. Still, no other catcher in the minors comes close to Ingle offensively right now. In fact, Ingle led the entire Guardians system in wRC+ this year (non-complex). He only threw out 19% of runners this year, however, something he’ll need to improve on more.
1B: Ralphy Velazquez : .265/.342/.497, 28 2B, 22 HR, 19 K%/9.6 BB%. 135 wRC+
Nobody had a more dramatic turnaround in 2025 than Ralphy Velazquez. The Guardians and Velazquez were confident in his process and work that led to him hitting .207/.282/.411 - 23.6 K%/8.8 BB%, 12 2B, 10 HR, 92 wRC+ through May 31 would turn around. That kind of confidence as a prospect of any age, let alone 20 and a first round pick that probably never struggled, was an impressive mindset. And the right one. He locked in, cut down on his chase rate, increased his power and walked even more, which is hard to do. He also didn’t miss a beat moving to Double-A. Velazquez hit 330/.408/.591 - 14.2 K%/10.4 BB%, 183 wRC+ 16 2B, 12 HR from July 1 on. That strong, sustained level of success this year has taken him to the next level and elevated him into one of the best three prospects in the organization, and could vault him to a top 50 prospect.
2B: Travis Bazzana: .245/.389/.424, 17 2B, 9 HR, 12/14 SB, 24.3 K%/17.6 BB%, 136 wRC+
On the surface, it may not look like Bazzana had the numbers of the top pick in the previous year’s draft. He did go through periods of struggle. He wasn’t pulling the ball as much and was passive as is his proclivity (38.8 swing %- 16.5 chase % = 22.3%), though was still on the good side of things overall. The stop and start nature of his oblique issue can attribute to some of his struggles, as he was starting to take off a little right before the injury. He found his footing a little in Triple-A before the flank injury. A fully healthy offseason and a little more aggressiveness at the plate will do him well in 2026 to see a callup.
'3B: Jose Devers': .240/.293/.415, 36 2B, 13 HR, 12/17 SB, 27.5 K%/6 BB%, 97 wRC+
The overall line here for Devers isn’t pretty. There’s a lot of swing and miss in his game and very little patience. But there is pop in the bat and he is a heck of a defender at third base. This has less to do about ranking and future as it does a limited amount of options in the system for Cleveland.
SS: Milan Tolentino: .216/.314/.437, 20 2B, 21 HR, 20/26 SB, 34.3 K%/12 BB%, 98 wRC+
Strikeouts were a big issue for Tolentino in Triple-A, as well as hitting on the road. Tolentino enjoyed the friendly confines of Huntington Park (14 homers at home, 7 on the road). He’s a gifted defender at shortstop. His 32% chase rate suggests he’d struggle to put together at bats at the major league level right now and is Rule 5 eligible.
OF: Alfonsin Rosario: .251/.345/.461, 22 2B, 21 HR, 14/16 SB, 27.5 K%/10.4 BB%, 129 wRC+
Rosario was impressive in his Guardians system debut in 2025 after coming over from the Cubs in the Eli Morgan trade. He cut his strikeout rate from Low-A to High-A by 8% and maintained a strong walk rate. He was an aggressive hitter that has great power to left field and good pop to right center field. He also showed better judgement on the bases as well. Contact rate is still an issue, as Rosario remains an aggressive hitter in approach but has 20/20 upside. He proved to have a good arm from the outfield but is lacking a bit in range and athleticism out there.
OF: CJ Kayfus: .300/.390/.539. 18 2B, 14 HR, 25.2 K%/11.9 BB%, 151 wRC+
Kayfus played almost as many games as an outfielder in the minors (34) as he did at first base (36). 2024 was a breakout for the Miami product, but 2025 was another level. His strikeout rate did jump 10% from Double-A to Triple-A but the pop and bat overall were hard to ignore. He had his moments in the majors and looks like a passable outfielder overall, and remains a good defender at first base. That makes him a legitimate outfield prospect in this system, though he graduated as a prospect in 2025.
OF: Juneiker Caceres: .270/.379/.410, 18 2B, 4 HR, 7/12 SB, 12.1 K%/12.4 BB%, 121 wRC+
Most of what Caceres in 2025 had to do with his complex league numbers (.289/.331/.469, 137 wRC+): and I’m usually leery of complex league data. Caceres has good contact skills and a fair amount of pop for his age. And it’s doing a lot of leaning on the level and age here but he’s deserving in this crop of outfielders in the system in 2025.
DH/UT: Khalil Watson: .250/.346/.467,20 2B, 16 HR, 17/24 SB, 122 wRC+
The 22 year old former first round pick was promoted to Triple-A and actually picked his numbers up (.255/.358/.477) with as many homers. He was also 10/12 on the bases there. Overall, he was better at home than on the road, though he homered on the road more. He struggled mightily against left handed (.862 vs. RHP/.661 vs. LHP). He’s also Rule 5 eligible and the tools and some performance is there, but there are enough comments and transgressions to wonder how the organization sees him.
HM: Wuilfredo Antunez, Nick Mitchell, Tommy Hawke
Antunez showed pop at High-A and Double-A, finishing with 18 homers (fourth in the system) and also swiped 16 bases. He showed off an interesting skill set between pop and speed, as well as his throwing arm and is now a 40 man fringe candidate…Mitchell’s on-base skills and speed translated well in his first year in the Guardians system despite a spring training injury. There’s very limited pop in the bat and he’s really limited to left field, but he showed promise…65 steals in 70 chances earns Hawke a mention here though it comes with next to no pop and an empty batting average.
LHP: Parker Messick: 98.2 IP, 29.1 K%/10.3 BB%, 3.47 ERA/3.67 FIP
20 starts in Triple-A saw Messick went up and down a little with his control and efficiency. Both improved upon his major league promotion and as much as Velazquez’s stock rose as a prospect this year with the bat, Messick may have seen his rise just as much as a pitcher. When Messick locates, he’s able to avoid hard contact and walks, which makes him very effective. His fastball showed enough bat missing ability to be legitimate as well.
RHP: Braylon Doughty: 85.1 IP, 27.3 K%/6.4 BB%, 3.48 ERA/2.84 FIP
As a 19 year old in Single-A, Doughty showed poise and real pitchability. There were times that he lost his release point at times, but overall had good control of a strong three pitch mix with solid velocity. He ended the year with a shoulder issue that the Guardians believe is minor. If that’s true, he had one of the best seasons in the minors by a Cleveland teenage pitching prospect since Fausto Carmona (Roberto Hernandez) and CC Sabathia.
RP: Steven Perez: 69 IP, 26.3 K%/7.5 BB%, 1.83 ERA/3.15 FIP
The 24 year old left handed reliever has flown under the radar for a little bit now. But his improved control and command this year are what helped get more eyes on him. Pairing his 94 MPH fastball that can reach 97 with his slider is tough on left handed hitters (.417 OPS vs. .601 OPS vs. right handed hitters). He’s on the fringe of the 40 man roster as well as warrants serious consideration of being selected.
HM: Josh Hartle, Yorman Gomez, Jake Miller
Josh Hartle had a huge turnaround from college to the pros, looking exactly like the pitcher he did in his junior year that was considered a first round pick, and it earned him Midwest League Player of the Year…Yorman Gomez is another 40 man candidate this offseason with improved velocity this year (92-94 now up to 94-96) with a good curveball and changeup…Things went well for Jake Miller in Double-A showing improved control with a strong cutter/changeup combination. He struggled with the transition to Triple-A, but the stuff is there and he’s also on the fringes of the 40 man, but
The several top 10 guys who excelled were Velazquez and Kayfus and Doughty
The one name he left out is Joey Oakie, who granted had some really awful stats to start but terrific ones for his final weeks in Lynchburg.
The Cleveland Guardians 2025 farm system went through a series of injuries to top prospects, but still showed exciting development in several areas. For once, the position player side isn’t dominated by up-the-middle contact bats, but more corner bats, and the bats are more exciting right now than the arms. But some interesting arms emerged this year as well.
Here’s my 2025 Cleveland Guardians All-Prospect Team:
C: Cooper Ingle: .260/.389/.419, 10 HR, 16.7 K%/16.9 BB%, 138 wRC+
It was a tough start to 2025 for Cooper Ingle, hitting .224/.315/.368 in April, so he kept his on base skills strong to hold up his offense. But May-September, Ingle posted a .268/.405/.431 line through the end of the season with a 15.2 K% and a 17.8 BB%. He drove that to a 146 wRC+ (100 is league average). His strong spring and summer earned him his first taste of Triple-A, but he posted just a .207/.383/.329 line there in 107 plate appearances. Ingle won’t chase out of the zone, but we have to be careful about his offensive baseline and expectations. With a
36.4% swing-18.6% chase = 17.8%., which makes Ingle slightly passive as a hitter (20% of this equation is ideal). He doesn’t have strong exit velo numbers, but was in the 68th percentile in Triple-A for pulled fly balls, which is how he maximizes his offense and patience, waiting for that pitch. Still, no other catcher in the minors comes close to Ingle offensively right now. In fact, Ingle led the entire Guardians system in wRC+ this year (non-complex). He only threw out 19% of runners this year, however, something he’ll need to improve on more.
1B: Ralphy Velazquez : .265/.342/.497, 28 2B, 22 HR, 19 K%/9.6 BB%. 135 wRC+
Nobody had a more dramatic turnaround in 2025 than Ralphy Velazquez. The Guardians and Velazquez were confident in his process and work that led to him hitting .207/.282/.411 - 23.6 K%/8.8 BB%, 12 2B, 10 HR, 92 wRC+ through May 31 would turn around. That kind of confidence as a prospect of any age, let alone 20 and a first round pick that probably never struggled, was an impressive mindset. And the right one. He locked in, cut down on his chase rate, increased his power and walked even more, which is hard to do. He also didn’t miss a beat moving to Double-A. Velazquez hit 330/.408/.591 - 14.2 K%/10.4 BB%, 183 wRC+ 16 2B, 12 HR from July 1 on. That strong, sustained level of success this year has taken him to the next level and elevated him into one of the best three prospects in the organization, and could vault him to a top 50 prospect.
2B: Travis Bazzana: .245/.389/.424, 17 2B, 9 HR, 12/14 SB, 24.3 K%/17.6 BB%, 136 wRC+
On the surface, it may not look like Bazzana had the numbers of the top pick in the previous year’s draft. He did go through periods of struggle. He wasn’t pulling the ball as much and was passive as is his proclivity (38.8 swing %- 16.5 chase % = 22.3%), though was still on the good side of things overall. The stop and start nature of his oblique issue can attribute to some of his struggles, as he was starting to take off a little right before the injury. He found his footing a little in Triple-A before the flank injury. A fully healthy offseason and a little more aggressiveness at the plate will do him well in 2026 to see a callup.
'3B: Jose Devers': .240/.293/.415, 36 2B, 13 HR, 12/17 SB, 27.5 K%/6 BB%, 97 wRC+
The overall line here for Devers isn’t pretty. There’s a lot of swing and miss in his game and very little patience. But there is pop in the bat and he is a heck of a defender at third base. This has less to do about ranking and future as it does a limited amount of options in the system for Cleveland.
SS: Milan Tolentino: .216/.314/.437, 20 2B, 21 HR, 20/26 SB, 34.3 K%/12 BB%, 98 wRC+
Strikeouts were a big issue for Tolentino in Triple-A, as well as hitting on the road. Tolentino enjoyed the friendly confines of Huntington Park (14 homers at home, 7 on the road). He’s a gifted defender at shortstop. His 32% chase rate suggests he’d struggle to put together at bats at the major league level right now and is Rule 5 eligible.
OF: Alfonsin Rosario: .251/.345/.461, 22 2B, 21 HR, 14/16 SB, 27.5 K%/10.4 BB%, 129 wRC+
Rosario was impressive in his Guardians system debut in 2025 after coming over from the Cubs in the Eli Morgan trade. He cut his strikeout rate from Low-A to High-A by 8% and maintained a strong walk rate. He was an aggressive hitter that has great power to left field and good pop to right center field. He also showed better judgement on the bases as well. Contact rate is still an issue, as Rosario remains an aggressive hitter in approach but has 20/20 upside. He proved to have a good arm from the outfield but is lacking a bit in range and athleticism out there.
OF: CJ Kayfus: .300/.390/.539. 18 2B, 14 HR, 25.2 K%/11.9 BB%, 151 wRC+
Kayfus played almost as many games as an outfielder in the minors (34) as he did at first base (36). 2024 was a breakout for the Miami product, but 2025 was another level. His strikeout rate did jump 10% from Double-A to Triple-A but the pop and bat overall were hard to ignore. He had his moments in the majors and looks like a passable outfielder overall, and remains a good defender at first base. That makes him a legitimate outfield prospect in this system, though he graduated as a prospect in 2025.
OF: Juneiker Caceres: .270/.379/.410, 18 2B, 4 HR, 7/12 SB, 12.1 K%/12.4 BB%, 121 wRC+
Most of what Caceres in 2025 had to do with his complex league numbers (.289/.331/.469, 137 wRC+): and I’m usually leery of complex league data. Caceres has good contact skills and a fair amount of pop for his age. And it’s doing a lot of leaning on the level and age here but he’s deserving in this crop of outfielders in the system in 2025.
DH/UT: Khalil Watson: .250/.346/.467,20 2B, 16 HR, 17/24 SB, 122 wRC+
The 22 year old former first round pick was promoted to Triple-A and actually picked his numbers up (.255/.358/.477) with as many homers. He was also 10/12 on the bases there. Overall, he was better at home than on the road, though he homered on the road more. He struggled mightily against left handed (.862 vs. RHP/.661 vs. LHP). He’s also Rule 5 eligible and the tools and some performance is there, but there are enough comments and transgressions to wonder how the organization sees him.
HM: Wuilfredo Antunez, Nick Mitchell, Tommy Hawke
Antunez showed pop at High-A and Double-A, finishing with 18 homers (fourth in the system) and also swiped 16 bases. He showed off an interesting skill set between pop and speed, as well as his throwing arm and is now a 40 man fringe candidate…Mitchell’s on-base skills and speed translated well in his first year in the Guardians system despite a spring training injury. There’s very limited pop in the bat and he’s really limited to left field, but he showed promise…65 steals in 70 chances earns Hawke a mention here though it comes with next to no pop and an empty batting average.
LHP: Parker Messick: 98.2 IP, 29.1 K%/10.3 BB%, 3.47 ERA/3.67 FIP
20 starts in Triple-A saw Messick went up and down a little with his control and efficiency. Both improved upon his major league promotion and as much as Velazquez’s stock rose as a prospect this year with the bat, Messick may have seen his rise just as much as a pitcher. When Messick locates, he’s able to avoid hard contact and walks, which makes him very effective. His fastball showed enough bat missing ability to be legitimate as well.
RHP: Braylon Doughty: 85.1 IP, 27.3 K%/6.4 BB%, 3.48 ERA/2.84 FIP
As a 19 year old in Single-A, Doughty showed poise and real pitchability. There were times that he lost his release point at times, but overall had good control of a strong three pitch mix with solid velocity. He ended the year with a shoulder issue that the Guardians believe is minor. If that’s true, he had one of the best seasons in the minors by a Cleveland teenage pitching prospect since Fausto Carmona (Roberto Hernandez) and CC Sabathia.
RP: Steven Perez: 69 IP, 26.3 K%/7.5 BB%, 1.83 ERA/3.15 FIP
The 24 year old left handed reliever has flown under the radar for a little bit now. But his improved control and command this year are what helped get more eyes on him. Pairing his 94 MPH fastball that can reach 97 with his slider is tough on left handed hitters (.417 OPS vs. .601 OPS vs. right handed hitters). He’s on the fringe of the 40 man roster as well as warrants serious consideration of being selected.
HM: Josh Hartle, Yorman Gomez, Jake Miller
Josh Hartle had a huge turnaround from college to the pros, looking exactly like the pitcher he did in his junior year that was considered a first round pick, and it earned him Midwest League Player of the Year…Yorman Gomez is another 40 man candidate this offseason with improved velocity this year (92-94 now up to 94-96) with a good curveball and changeup…Things went well for Jake Miller in Double-A showing improved control with a strong cutter/changeup combination. He struggled with the transition to Triple-A, but the stuff is there and he’s also on the fringes of the 40 man, but
Re: Minor Matters
13894In Arizona, we didn't see Antunez at all last week and haven't read an explanation
Espino pitches every Tuesday for one inning, so should see him in the box score today
Espino pitches every Tuesday for one inning, so should see him in the box score today
Re: Minor Matters
13895Good News: Espino is pitching today with an additional day off since his last 1 inning. Any activity by him is promising. Antunez remains out.
Re: Minor Matters
13897Guardians Prospective
@CleGuardPro
Cleveland #Guardians 21-year-old OF prospect Alfonsin Rosario is being added to the Surprise Saguaros roster in the Arizona Fall League.
Rosario is replacing Wuilfredo Antunez who is out with a shoulder injury.
@CleGuardPro
Cleveland #Guardians 21-year-old OF prospect Alfonsin Rosario is being added to the Surprise Saguaros roster in the Arizona Fall League.
Rosario is replacing Wuilfredo Antunez who is out with a shoulder injury.
Re: Minor Matters
13898Guardians Prospective
@CleGuardPro
·
Oct 17
Cleveland #Guardians 23-year-old OF prospect Wuilfredo Antunez Arizona Fall League season is officially done.
Antunez will take two weeks off to rest his shoulder then start sixs week of rehab. No surgery required currently.
@CleGuardPro
·
Oct 17
Cleveland #Guardians 23-year-old OF prospect Wuilfredo Antunez Arizona Fall League season is officially done.
Antunez will take two weeks off to rest his shoulder then start sixs week of rehab. No surgery required currently.
Re: Minor Matters
13899Espino's one inning yesterday: 1 walk, 1 single, 3 strikeouts; last one on a 100 mph fastball. It would be exciting to see more of him but they're being wise to expose him only gradually.
Re: Minor Matters
13900CLEVELAND -- Guardians outfield prospect Wuilfredo Antunez has felt a sense of calm as he has made his way up Cleveland’s farm system. Of course, the 23-year-old understands that he will face a stronger level of competition at each new Minor League level he reaches.
But Antunez’s mindset is also strong. “Whenever I get to a new league, I give it my all,” Antunez said last week through translator Anna Bolton. “I really think that's part of the results that I'm able to have. It's just like, I'm so excited that I've gotten to the next level that I actually feel relaxed.
“I don't put pressure on myself, because what I feel is that I reached my goal and that I'm in the position that I've earned -- like, I’ve earned my way there.”
That is a good backdrop for what we saw from Antunez this month in the Arizona Fall League.
He earned a spot representing the Guardians after his strong 2025 season. Though he was limited to two games before he was sidelined by right shoulder tendinitis, Antunez showed why he has increasingly been on the radar in Cleveland’s farm system.
Suiting up for the Surprise Saguaros, Antunez went 3-for-6 with two homers and four RBIs. Antunez won’t return to play in the AFL due to the shoulder issue, but he is expected to be fully healthy for Spring Training. There, he will be a non-roster invitee in big league camp after the Guardians re-signed him to a Minor League deal on Oct. 3.
While it was just a two-game sample, Antunez’s AFL stint was emblematic of an encouraging trend. He has continued to grow offensively as he has progressed through Cleveland's farm system. Consider his production over the past three seasons:
2023 (Single-A Lynchburg): 89 games, six homers, .774 OPS
2024 (Lynchburg and High-A Lake County): 96 games, 10 homers, .784 OPS
2025 (Lake County and Double-A Akron): 101 games, 18 homers, .856 OPS
“He has consistently put up pretty good numbers, especially as you look at the last year and a half, specifically the OPS,” Guardians VP of player development Stephen Osterer said. “His ability to put the ball in play and maximize launch angles are carrying traits for him. He hits the ball with impact, but he does it at good angles, and it leads to really productive outcomes.
“He's an aggressive hitter. I think his evolution over the last year and a half, honestly, has been more about knowing himself and learning and growing about his strengths and his weaknesses, and how to identify and harness both of those things.”
That includes Antunez understanding when and where in the strike zone he can be most aggressive, and components such as the posture he needs in the batter’s box and how to load himself well in order to get his best swing off consistently.
Continuing that process was among the goals for Antunez in the AFL before his stint was cut short. But his finish to the season was nonetheless encouraging. Antunez slashed .301/.333/.528 with four homers over 31 games after he was promoted to Akron on July 18.
“A credit to him,” Osterer said. “He's put time into maturing and learning about himself as a hitter, and I think that has led to a lot more of the consistent success. It's been really fun to actually see that transfer over into Double-A this year.”
Antunez noted he gained valuable advice in Double-A from infielder Angel Genao (Cleveland’s No. 3 prospect and No. 59 overall, per MLB Pipeline) and outfielder Jorge Burgos, two of his friends. Genao and Burgos noted it’s important to keep a positive mindset and to stay focused, as it can be easy to grow frustrated while facing quality pitching that is prominent in Double-A.
Though Double-A is a few stops from the Majors, Antunez, Genao and Burgos talk about playing in the big leagues together one day. Antunez emphasized that it is not a competition to get there. Rather, the friends hope to play there together.
Antunez is on a good trajectory. “We're competing to overcome ourselves and to improve as a player, to improve as a person and to just continue to overcome our personal goals at each level,” Antunez said. “I think that's really helped us improve and helped us stay close to our goals by keeping that type of focus on what we're doing. “It's not overcoming your teammates. It's overcoming yourself, and I hope that we can achieve that goal together of playing in the big leagues together.”
But Antunez’s mindset is also strong. “Whenever I get to a new league, I give it my all,” Antunez said last week through translator Anna Bolton. “I really think that's part of the results that I'm able to have. It's just like, I'm so excited that I've gotten to the next level that I actually feel relaxed.
“I don't put pressure on myself, because what I feel is that I reached my goal and that I'm in the position that I've earned -- like, I’ve earned my way there.”
That is a good backdrop for what we saw from Antunez this month in the Arizona Fall League.
He earned a spot representing the Guardians after his strong 2025 season. Though he was limited to two games before he was sidelined by right shoulder tendinitis, Antunez showed why he has increasingly been on the radar in Cleveland’s farm system.
Suiting up for the Surprise Saguaros, Antunez went 3-for-6 with two homers and four RBIs. Antunez won’t return to play in the AFL due to the shoulder issue, but he is expected to be fully healthy for Spring Training. There, he will be a non-roster invitee in big league camp after the Guardians re-signed him to a Minor League deal on Oct. 3.
While it was just a two-game sample, Antunez’s AFL stint was emblematic of an encouraging trend. He has continued to grow offensively as he has progressed through Cleveland's farm system. Consider his production over the past three seasons:
2023 (Single-A Lynchburg): 89 games, six homers, .774 OPS
2024 (Lynchburg and High-A Lake County): 96 games, 10 homers, .784 OPS
2025 (Lake County and Double-A Akron): 101 games, 18 homers, .856 OPS
“He has consistently put up pretty good numbers, especially as you look at the last year and a half, specifically the OPS,” Guardians VP of player development Stephen Osterer said. “His ability to put the ball in play and maximize launch angles are carrying traits for him. He hits the ball with impact, but he does it at good angles, and it leads to really productive outcomes.
“He's an aggressive hitter. I think his evolution over the last year and a half, honestly, has been more about knowing himself and learning and growing about his strengths and his weaknesses, and how to identify and harness both of those things.”
That includes Antunez understanding when and where in the strike zone he can be most aggressive, and components such as the posture he needs in the batter’s box and how to load himself well in order to get his best swing off consistently.
Continuing that process was among the goals for Antunez in the AFL before his stint was cut short. But his finish to the season was nonetheless encouraging. Antunez slashed .301/.333/.528 with four homers over 31 games after he was promoted to Akron on July 18.
“A credit to him,” Osterer said. “He's put time into maturing and learning about himself as a hitter, and I think that has led to a lot more of the consistent success. It's been really fun to actually see that transfer over into Double-A this year.”
Antunez noted he gained valuable advice in Double-A from infielder Angel Genao (Cleveland’s No. 3 prospect and No. 59 overall, per MLB Pipeline) and outfielder Jorge Burgos, two of his friends. Genao and Burgos noted it’s important to keep a positive mindset and to stay focused, as it can be easy to grow frustrated while facing quality pitching that is prominent in Double-A.
Though Double-A is a few stops from the Majors, Antunez, Genao and Burgos talk about playing in the big leagues together one day. Antunez emphasized that it is not a competition to get there. Rather, the friends hope to play there together.
Antunez is on a good trajectory. “We're competing to overcome ourselves and to improve as a player, to improve as a person and to just continue to overcome our personal goals at each level,” Antunez said. “I think that's really helped us improve and helped us stay close to our goals by keeping that type of focus on what we're doing. “It's not overcoming your teammates. It's overcoming yourself, and I hope that we can achieve that goal together of playing in the big leagues together.”
Re: Minor Matters
13901Inviting Antunez to camp doesn't prevent him from being chosen in the Rule 5 draft. And I don't see why the Guardians wouldn't consider adding him to the 40 man roster.
Re: Minor Matters
13902For those who don't read Winter League folder, this is double-posted
Alfonsin Rosario (RF, Surprise): 0-3, BB, K - Rosario made his debut in the AFL after replacing Wuilfredo Antunez and that he didn’t make the Dominican winter league. He made a throwing error but worked a walk and K’d in his first time out.
Rorik Maltrud (SP, Surprise): 3IP, 4H, 2ER, BB, 4K - A solid start for Maltrud, who has been unspectacular this fall so far. He did get six whiffs, four on his sliders and averaged 91 with his fastball.
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Trenton Denolm (RP, Surprise): 3IP, 3H, ER, 2BB, 2K - It looks like Savant finally recognized Denholm throwing a knuckler, which was a big reason why he’s pitching in the AFL this year. He was still 90-93 with his fastball, but he threw eight knuckleballs. It averaged 78 MPH and had an average spin rate of 262 (with a knuckler, the lower the better). It didn’t get any whiffs or called strikes, but it did get four foul ball and one weak ball in play.
Juan Benjamin (PH-1B, Surprise): 0-2, BB - Benjmain took over at first base after pinch hitting and continues to get on base, but doesn’t seem to be coming up with hits.
Joe Lampe (PH-CF): 0-0, BB - Lampe pinch hit in his one plate appearance walked and stayed in for defense.
Jaison Chourio (CF, Águilas del Zulia): 0-2, R, 3BB - Chourio had no problem getting on base in the Venezuelan league and he drew walks here too. But hitting hasn’t come around with hitting yet due to his approach.
Alfonsin Rosario (RF, Surprise): 0-3, BB, K - Rosario made his debut in the AFL after replacing Wuilfredo Antunez and that he didn’t make the Dominican winter league. He made a throwing error but worked a walk and K’d in his first time out.
Rorik Maltrud (SP, Surprise): 3IP, 4H, 2ER, BB, 4K - A solid start for Maltrud, who has been unspectacular this fall so far. He did get six whiffs, four on his sliders and averaged 91 with his fastball.
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Trenton Denolm (RP, Surprise): 3IP, 3H, ER, 2BB, 2K - It looks like Savant finally recognized Denholm throwing a knuckler, which was a big reason why he’s pitching in the AFL this year. He was still 90-93 with his fastball, but he threw eight knuckleballs. It averaged 78 MPH and had an average spin rate of 262 (with a knuckler, the lower the better). It didn’t get any whiffs or called strikes, but it did get four foul ball and one weak ball in play.
Juan Benjamin (PH-1B, Surprise): 0-2, BB - Benjmain took over at first base after pinch hitting and continues to get on base, but doesn’t seem to be coming up with hits.
Joe Lampe (PH-CF): 0-0, BB - Lampe pinch hit in his one plate appearance walked and stayed in for defense.
Jaison Chourio (CF, Águilas del Zulia): 0-2, R, 3BB - Chourio had no problem getting on base in the Venezuelan league and he drew walks here too. But hitting hasn’t come around with hitting yet due to his approach.
Re: Minor Matters
13903Jaison Chourio (CF, Águilas del Zulia): 0-2, R, 3BB - Chourio had no problem getting on base in the Venezuelan league and he drew walks here too. But hitting hasn’t come around with hitting yet due to his approach.
Chourio is in the running for Post Passive Approach in the Minors. He walks and does very little else. There was suspicion that his total collapse in power this year could be result of an injury that didn't cost him a lot of game time but apparently eliminated his strength.
Chourio is in the running for Post Passive Approach in the Minors. He walks and does very little else. There was suspicion that his total collapse in power this year could be result of an injury that didn't cost him a lot of game time but apparently eliminated his strength.
Re: Minor Matters
13904Joe Lampe, OF, Guardians: Lampe hit his first home run and triple of the AFL season on Sunday. His eighth-inning home run was the go-ahead and eventually winning run in Surprise's 3-2 win over Peoria. Lampe is hitting .389/.577/.667 in eight games with Surprise. It's a nice start for an outfielder who has struggled to hit for average in the minors. Lampe hit .231/.317/.390 largely at Double-A Akron in 2025.
Re: Minor Matters
13905BA usually runs a list of top 10 or 20 prospects in each minor league, but I guess they don't anymore. That was an interesting way to see how other managers evaluated our prospects.
Next listing on their site is a "projected breakout prospect" for each team in 2026. So far they've just done the NL. AL should be this week.
Some candidates for the Guardians could be Juneiker Caceres who had a top notch season as a 17 year old in Arizona and briefly in Lynchburg;
Joey Oakie who had a couple terrific starts at the tail end of 2025 at Lynchburg.
Next listing on their site is a "projected breakout prospect" for each team in 2026. So far they've just done the NL. AL should be this week.
Some candidates for the Guardians could be Juneiker Caceres who had a top notch season as a 17 year old in Arizona and briefly in Lynchburg;
Joey Oakie who had a couple terrific starts at the tail end of 2025 at Lynchburg.