MLB's No. 2 prospect McGonigle -- of course -- at center of Fall League-record inning

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The official record books of the Arizona Fall League only go back to 2005, but in that span, there’s never before been a half-inning of offense like there was for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the second inning of Sunday’s 15-4 win over Surprise at Scottsdale Stadium.

Right at the heart of it? MLB’s No. 2 prospect, Kevin McGonigle.

A lineup comprised of Tigers, Mets, Giants, Astros, Pirates and Nationals prospects combined to set the record for most hits in a frame with 12, besting the previous high of 10 set in 2010 (Peoria) and ‘16 (Scottsdale). Fourteen consecutive batters reached base, including eight straight hits, en route to 12 runs, which also tied the league's single-inning record (Surprise, Nov. 3, 2014).

McGonigle, the 37th overall pick in the 2023 Draft by the Tigers had the defining hit of the frame -- a 102.6 mph two-RBI double that went 415 feet to left-center field, coming off the bat with a 30-degree launch angle.

Or in other words, a home run in most ballparks.

Of the 368 balls put in play during the MLB regular season that matched or exceeded all those marks, only 12 didn’t result in a roundtripper. McGonigle similarly was thwarted of his first Fall League homer two innings later when he crushed a ball to the warning track in right field that got held up in the cool Arizona night.

Even without the ball leaving the yard, McGonigle has enjoyed a successful spin around the premier prospect circuit, slashing .280/.441/.440 through seven games. He’s walked (seven) more than he’s struck out (five), a continuation of a tremendous 2025 regular season in which he posted a 182 wRC+, the highest in the Minors among all full-season qualifiers.

He’s even made four of his six starts defensively at third base, a position he had yet to play as a pro before arriving in Arizona.

After a solid first full season in the Tigers’ system in 2024, the left-handed-hitting infielder from Pennsylvania who grew up idolizing Chase Utley emerged as one of baseball’s elite prospects this year. He’s gone from merely having one of the game's more advanced hit tools to possessing one of the most complete offensive packages in all of the Minor Leagues.

“The adjustment I made was to take all of their dotted pitches and they’ll leave one in the heart of the plate eventually,” said McGonigle of opposing pitchers during Fall League Media Day on Oct. 3. “And then you can’t miss it.”