Saturday's top offseason prospect performers

November 7th, 2021

Here's a look at Saturday's top performers in the Fall and Winter Leagues from each team's Top 30 Prospects list.

Red Sox: Triston Casas, 1B (MLB No. 18), Scottsdale Scorpions
Casas continued his on-base machine ways during Fall League play by compiling two hits and two walks in Scottsdale’s 11-run deluge. Through 15 games, the No. 2 Red Sox prospect ranks second on the Scorpions in hits (19), walks (12) and on-base percentage (.444). Reaching base at a high clip is the name of Casas’ game, as he recorded a .394 OBP across 86 games between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester this season. Still just 21 years old, the left-handed hitter has been a fast riser through the Boston system.

Astros: Jeremy Peña, SS/2B (No. 4), Estrellas Orientales
Peña's Winter League debut with Estrellas was impactful to say the least. The Astros’ No. 4 prospect notched a four-hit effort in the victory, including a solo home run in the third. Peña collected a knock in each of his first three plate appearances, and even his lineout to left was struck. While wrist surgery robbed the 24-year-old of much of the regular season, he excelled to the tune of a .287/.346/.598 slash line across 30 games with Triple-A Sugar Land. Last season with Estrellas, Pena posted a .779 OPS with seven stolen bases across 30 contests.

Cubs: Nelson Velazquez, OF (No. 29), Mesa Solar Sox
The pendulum of the AFL home run lead has swung back in the favor of Velazquez after he clobbered his seventh long ball in the first inning. Hitting from the cleanup spot, the 22-year-old did ample damage in Mesa’s win over Surprise, going 3-for-4 with a walk, along with two runs scored and two RBIs. The Puerto Rico native has been a breakout star during his time in the Fall League, posting a sizzling.392/.494/.743 slash line across 18 games. After delivering a .938 OPS in 34 games with Double-A Tennessee, Velazquez has turned the prospect competition into his own personal showcase. More »

Cleveland: Jose Tena, SS (No. 12), Scottsdale Scorpions
Tena went 3-for-4 during the Scorpions’ 11-7 win over the Javelinas, raising his average during to .442 in the process. The biggest hit of the day for the 20-year-old was a two-run double in the second, which tied him for the team lead in two-baggers with five. Cleveland’s No. 12 prospect, the Dominican leads the AFL in batting and is fifth in on-base percentage (.537). Tena, who spent the regular season at High-A Lake County, has picked up where he left off after collecting 116 hits in 107 games with the Captains. More »

Dodgers: James Outman, OF (No. 27), Glendale Desert Dogs
Carson Taylor, C (No. 30), Glendale Desert Dogs

Outman set the stage for the Desert Dogs in their 11-2 win over the Rafters, collecting three hits and scoring three runs from the leadoff spot. His biggest knock came amid an eight-run fourth for Glendale, when he ripped an RBI double. The left-handed-hitting Outman boasts a team-high seven doubles, along with a .689 slugging percentage across his first 15 Fall League outings. That pop is a continuation of the extra-base hit prowess that the 24-year-old showcased in a 39-game stint with Double-A Tulsa (.887 OPS) to conclude the regular season.

Taylor continues to clobber Fall League pitching when given a spot in the Desert Dogs’ starting nine. The 22-year-old put an exclamation point on an eight-run fourth during the win over Salt River, hitting his second home run of the AFL. Serving as the designated hitter, the 2020 fourth-round Draft pick also singled and scored to open the Glendale's big inning. Carlson compiled a .804 OPS across 79 games at High-A Great Lakes during the regular season. Taylor has racked up a 1.091 OPS in 22 AFL plate appearances. More »

Pirates: Rodolfo Castro, 3B (No. 25), Toros Del Este
Castro clocked his first homer of Winter League play during Toros del Este’s 8-3 victory. The switch-hitting infielder has traditionally showcased more consistent pop with his right-handed swing, but his second-inning shot against Gigantes del Cibao came from the left side. The 22-year-old finished 3-for-5, raising his OPS to .940 across six contests in the Dominican Winter League. Having already made his big league debut with the Pirates back in April before a prolonged stint in July and August, Castro figures to be pushing for consistent at-bats in the big leagues at the start of 2022.

Marlins: Kameron Misner, OF (No. 22), Mesa Solar Sox
Another day, another Misner homer. The 23-year-old socked a home run in his second consecutive game during Mesa’s win over Surprise, his fifth during Fall League play. Misner also walked twice, coming around to score on both occasions. Eight of his 11 hits during have gone for extra bases and he's also swiped three bases. The 2019 first-round Draft pick tallied 44 extra-base hits between High-A Beloit and Double-A Pensacola during the regular season.

Brewers: Mario Feliciano, C (No. 13), Salt River Rafters
Feliciano rapped out a trio of hits in Salt River’s defeat in Glendale, collecting singles in each of his first three plate appearances. Playing time has been hard to come by behind the dish for the Rafters, but the 22-year-old has excelled to the tune of a .308 average when given an opportunity. Feliciano capped his night by drawing a walk in the seventh. The backstop his big league debut back on May 1, scoring his first run after earning a free pass. He went on to appear in 32 games at Triple-A Nashville.