From Mike Piazza to Kevin McGonigle, top Minor Leaguers have headed to the desert each autumn for what many call "top prospect finishing school."
Now the next class will begin its journey with the 2026 Arizona Fall League season beginning on Saturday, Oct. 3, as the circuit released its complete schedule. This year's campaign will run through November with the Championship Game set for Saturday, Nov. 14. Most games will once again be streamed on the Arizona Fall League website.
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The six-team league, which started in 1992, sees prospects from across baseball play together on squads that change affiliation each year. The 2026 assignments are:
Glendale Desert Dogs: Braves, Dodgers, Marlins, Pirates, White Sox
Mesa Solar Sox: Angels, Athletics, Blue Jays, Cubs, Red Sox
Peoria Javelinas: Cardinals, Mariners, Orioles, Padres, Reds
Salt River Rafters: D-backs, Nationals, Rockies, Twins, Yankees
Scottsdale Scorpions: Astros, Brewers, Giants, Rays, Tigers
Surprise Saguaros: Guardians, Mets, Phillies, Rangers, Royals
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Entering its 34th season, the Fall League has produced hundreds of big league All-Stars, more than 20 MVPs, dozens of Silver Slugger and Gold Glove Award winners and more. For some, the league is a way to make up for lost time after an injury or try a new position. For many, it's that final bit of polishing before being Major League ready.
While McGonigle is an AL Rookie of the Year candidate, just a year ago, he won the Joe Black MVP Award. Esmerlyn Valdez was the league's 2025 Offensive Player of the Year and now he's in the bigs with the Pirates. White Sox rookies Braden Montgomery and Hagen Smith also made the jump to the Majors less than an year after playing in the Valley.
The Fall League's calendar features several jewel events including two games at Tucson's King Sports Complex on Saturday, Oct. 10. There will be a pair of single-ballpark tripleheaders with one on Saturday, Oct. 17, at Goodyear Park and another on Oct. 24 at Camelback Ranch. The Home Run Derby kicks off a festive weekend on Saturday, Nov. 10, with the brightest prospects getting tapped for the Fall Stars Game the next day. That event will air at 8 p.m. ET on MLB Network.
Fans will get opportunities to see future Major Leaguers up close with Autograph Thursdays while taking home something special on Friday Freebies.
The regular season concludes on Wednesday, Nov. 11 with the postseason starting the next day. In a format that started in 2025, all six teams make the playoffs in a three-day, single-elimination bracket, with the top two squads getting a bye through the quarterfinals. The semifinals winners will square off in the AFL Championship, which will air on MLB Network, MLB.com and the MLB App.