Four prospects standing out in the Arizona Fall League

The Arizona Fall League is rapidly reaching its midway point of its five-week season. Several MLB prospects have been standing out against the highly competitive competition. 

For some, the production in Arizona will play a role in their team's decisions whether to add them to the 40-man roster in the coming weeks to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft. 

Hagen Smith | Left-handed pitcher, Chicago White Sox

Hagen Smith was among the top college pitchers available in the 2024 MLB Draft before the White Sox used the fifth overall pick to select him. Scouts viewed him so highly that MLB Pipeline ranked him No. 35 on its Top 100 prospects list entering the 2025 season.

Arm trouble has limited him to just 83.1 IP since turning pro, in which he's pitched to a 3.56 ERA with 115 strikeouts. Smith has turned in two scoreless starts in Arizona so far with the Glendale Desert Dogs, striking out nine and walking four over six innings of work with just four hits allowed. 

Walker Janek | Catcher, Houston Astros

Walker Janek is one of the rare players who get to play near home. Janek grew up in Portland, Texas, attended Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas and then was drafted by the Houston Astros with the 28th pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. 

The big-hitting catcher made a name for himself in college with his bat, but the power has yet to translate to the pro game. Janek has hit .244/.309/.402 with just 13 home runs since signing. 

Janek has been on a tear in Arizona with the Scottsdale Scorpions. He's batting .333/.375/.733 through 30 at-bats with three doubles, three homers and a league-leading 18 RBI. 

Esmerlyn Valdez | Outfielder, Pittsburgh Pirates

Esmerlyn Valdez has climbed his way to Double-A after five years in the Pirates system after signing as an international amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic. The outfielder has hit .262/.366/.480 in that stretch, with 62 doubles and 67 home runs. 

Valdez has been terrorizing opposing pitchers with the Salt River Rafters. He's leading the AFL in OPS while hitting .500/.686/.1600 through 20 at-bats, with 13 walks, 13 RBI and a league-leading seven home runs. 

Seaver King | Shortstop, Washington Nationals

After a standout collegiate career with Wake Forest University, Seaver King was projected to be a first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft but it still surprised some when the Nationals used the 10th overall pick to select him. Some questioned where his future lied defensively, at shortstop or in the outfield. So far, King has looked solid at short, but the bat has yet to translate to the pro game. He's hit .250/.305/.343 since signing. 

King seems to have turned a corner in Arizona with the Scorpions. He's batting .419/.486/.774 through 31 at-bats with two HRs, 15 RBI and a league-leading five doubles.