Why The Arizona Fall League Is Baseball’s Best Prospect Showcase

Three big-time prospect success stories illustrate how the Arizona Fall League is a premier baseball destination.

Baseball America

Published: Thursday, 22 October 2026 at 2:00 PM

Key Things to Know

The writer argues the Arizona Fall League is baseball's top showcase because it gathers elite prospects and league decision-makers.
Ronald Acuña Jr. won the 2017 AFL MVP and championship MVP after hitting .325 with a 1.053 OPS.
The writer credits scout Rolando Petit and international director Johnny Almaraz for signing Acuña for Atlanta in 2014.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Former Atlanta Braves general manager reflects in Baseball America on why the Arizona Fall League serves as baseball's premier prospect showcase. The writer highlights the league's unique environment, where roughly 180 top prospects across six teams compete alongside MLB front office executives, scouts, and agents in October.

The piece details the development of former Braves prospects Ronald Acuña Jr., Max Fried, and Austin Riley during their 2017 championship run with the Peoria Javelinas. The author credits scouts Rolando Petit and Johnny Almaraz for signing Acuña, while recounting the draft and trade decisions that brought Fried and Riley to Atlanta before their AFL breakthroughs.

Read the full article on Baseball America

Why The Arizona Fall League Is Baseball’s Best Prospect Showcase

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