2025 Arizona Fall League Preview: Salt River Rafters

Five Angels pitching prospects joined Salt River. One is Benny Thompson, signed in 2023 out of Troy University. Thompson put up gaudy strikeout numbers (100 over 61.1 IP) as a reliever with Low-A Inland Empire. Fellow reliever Najer Victor (65 K over 40.2 IP), a 14th-round pick out of UCF in 2024, also joined the Rafters adter missing time on the IL this season.

The Rockies are also sending several notable arms to Arizona. Jack Mahoney, a third-rounder out of South Carolina in 2023 and a heavy ground-ball pitcher, walked 46 over 104.2 IP this season and struck out just 81 with Hartford. Mahoney, along with 2023 sixth-rounder Cade Denton, is on Salt River’s roster.

Left-hander Welinton Herrera has been very impressive throughout his Minor League career. This past year, he struck out 99 over 64.2 IP. He’s allowed only five home runs over 214.2 career Minor League innings.

Boston will let hard-throwing righty Luis Perales make up for lost time after missing most of 2025. Brandon Neely, a third-round pick out of Florida in 2024, is also on Salt River’s roster. Neely’s yet to throw a professional pitch.

There are also players who are with new organizations after being moved midseason. Austin Smith was acquired in the Tyler Kinley trade, while reliever Ben Shields was picked up along with Roc Riggio as part of the Jake Bird deal.

David Hagaman was one of two pitching prospects picked up by Arizona when Merrill Kelly was traded to the Rangers in July. Hagaman was a fourth-rounder out of West Virginia University back in 2024.

Speaking of the Diamondbacks, Drey Jameson will pitch for Salt River. Jameson tossed just 17 combined innings this season between the Minors and the D-Backs. He’ll be joined by Jacob Steinmetz, a 2021 fifth-rounder and Rule 5-eligible arm. Steinmetz spent all of 2025 on the injured list.

Catchers

The Angels are sending one of their younger full-season prospects in Juan Flores, who played all of 2025 in High-A as a 19-year-old. Flores doesn’t take a lot of pitches, nor walks a lot. However, he did hit for more power in the Northwest League, with 10 home runs and 21 extra-base hits across 89 games.

Johanfran Garcia is the younger brother of Jhostynxon Garcia, the Red Sox outfielder who made his MLB debut this past season. Johanfran doesn’t have a ton of pro experience; the 20-year-old played in just 169 games over four pro seasons. He did have 12 home runs and 19 extra-base hits across 58 games.

Kenny Castillo headed to the AFL after playing only 65 games across two levels in 2025.

Infielders

Pittsburgh is sending two notable infielders, one of those being Esmerlyn Valdez. Valdez, over the last two years, has quickly risen up the system as a power-hitting 1B/OF. He hit 26 combined home runs between High-A and Double-A.

The other is 20-year-old Tony Blanco Jr., the son of former National Tony Blanco. He only played 28 games this season with Low-A Bradenton but hit well. Blanco Jr. cracked seven home runs and 10 extra-base hits with the Marauders.

Diamondbacks infielder Jansel Luis, a 20-year-old infielder, hit .304 with Hillsboro (A+) this season and stole 22 bases.

David Mershon, who walked 57 times over 91 games across three levels, returned to the AFL for a second-straight season. The former MSU product played for Mesa in 2024.

Chris Wimmer is one of several Rockies headed to Arizona after a strong regular season. An eighth-round pick back in 2023, Wimmer slashed .296/.366/.466 (.832 OPS) across two levels. The power, though, dropped in Double-A (.105 ISO) after leaving the Northwest League (.201 ISO).

Outfielders

It’s a stacked core of outfielders on the Salt River roster.

Headlining the list is Charlie Condon, a mammoth of a man who was the third overall pick back in 2023 out of Georgia. Condon missed a month of this past season on the IL. He’ll get some added reps as he looks to power his way towards making an impression on the Rockies.

Jared Thomas, the Rockies’ second-rounder in 2024, hit .300/.398/.452 with 39 extra-base hits and 33 stolen bases this season, will join Condon.

Will Taylor, a fourth-rounder by the Pirates in 2024, is also among the Salt River outfield troupe.