Arizona Fall League Week 1 top performers

The 33rd season of the Arizona Fall League is a week old, and already, there are top prospects standing out amid the field of, well, top prospects.

Here are the top performers from the first week of AFL action:

Esmerlyn Valdez, OF, Salt River (PIT No. 15)
Stats: .286 AVG (2-for-7), 2 HR, 2 RBIs, 6 BBs, 8 TB, 1.758 OPS

The 21-year-old Valdez was one of the Pirates' biggest risers this season, emerging as one of Double-A Altoona's top hitters and finishing with 26 homers and an .896 OPS between two levels. He's Rule 5 eligible and could therefore play himself onto the Pirates roster with a big Fall League, which already seems to be well underway. Valdez was one of two players to homer twice during the first week of play, also drawing a whopping six walks in three games.

Wuilfredo Antunez, OF, Surprise (CLE unranked)
Stats: .500 AVG (3-for-6), 3 R, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, BB, SB, 9 TB, 2.071 OPS

The 23-year-old Antunez signed all the way back in 2018-19 but has turned himself into one of the best offensive players in Cleveland's system, and he's already making his presence felt in Arizona. Antunez was one of two players (along with Valdez) to homer twice in the opening week, after pairing 18 homers with 16 steals and reaching Double-A during the regular season.

Seaver King, SS, Scottsdale (WSH No. 7)
Stats: .385 AVG (5-for-13), 5 R, 2B, HR, 6 RBIs, BB, SB, 9 TB, 1.159 OPS

King may have had the best all-around week of any Fall League hitter, centered around a three-hit, five RBI performance on Oct. 8. King also scored four runs during that contest, homering and doubling out of the No. 2 hole between Joseph Sullivan and Kevin McGonigle in a scary Scorpions lineup. Consistency is the goal this fall for King, the 10th overall pick in the 2024 Draft, after he slumped upon reaching Double-A this summer.

Jonny Farmelo, OF, Peoria (SEA No. 7/MLB No. 75)
Stats: .250 AVG (3-for-12), 3B, 8 RBIs, 2 BB, 2 SB

Farmelo only collected three hits over his first three games, but he made them count. His 8 RBIs were easily the most of any player during the first week of play, buoyed by a five-RBI performance against Salt River on Friday. Farmelo lined a three-run double as part of that contest, driving in additional runs on a single and a forceout. He also walked twice and stole two bases this week, displaying the all-around impact potential within the 29th overall pick from the 2023 Draft.

Rhett Lowder, RHP, Peoria (CIN No. 5/MLB No. 80)
Stats: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO

It was something of a lost year for Lowder, the seventh overall pick from the 2023 Draft, who was limited to 9 2/3 innings this season due to a spate of chronic injuries. But he's trying to finish it on a high note. So far, so good. Lowder looked great in his Fall League debut, striking out three across two scoreless innings in what turned into a blowout win over Salt River. Lowder threw his first 13 pitches and 21 of his first 23 for strikes and struck out Charlie Condon on three pitches as part of a dominant return to the mound.

Hagen Smith, LHP, Glendale (CWS No. 5/MLB No. 88)
Stats: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 SO

The No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 Draft and one of the top left-handed pitching prospects in the Minors, Smith's first pro season was interrupted by a sore elbow in May, and he took six weeks off during the summer to work on his mechanics. Hence his inclusion in the Fall League, where the White Sox hope he can make up for some of that lost time. Smith got off to a fast start in his debut, punching out four across three scoreless innings behind a fastball that touched 97 mph and a slider that showed serious bite. His progress -- particularly his ability to iron-out some control issues -- will be a storyline to watch this fall.

• Subscribe to the MLB Pipeline Newsletter

Luis de León, LHP, Peoria (BAL No. 21)
Stats: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO

The Baltimore southpaw tied for the league lead in strikeouts over Week 1, punching out seven across four solid innings in his Fall League debut. de Leon issued two walks but held Mesa to one hit and one unearned run in that outing. The 22-year-old is coming off a season where he racked up 107 strikeouts over 87 2/3 innings and reached Double-A down the stretch.

Owen Ayers, C, Mesa (CHC unranked)
Stats: .455 AVG (5-for-11), 3 R, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 2 BB, 10 TB, 1.447 OPS

The 24-year-old backstop had a massive first week of AFL action. After notching two doubles and a homer, the Cubs switch-hitter is one of five AFL players to total three extra-base hits last week. Five of his nine batted balls have been hard-hit (95 mph or harder), with a max of 110.6 mph, the fourth-hardest hit ball on the circuit, as measured by Statcast. The 2024 19th-rounder out of Marshall has spent each of his first two professional seasons with Single-A Myrtle Beach, where he posted a .238/.341/.420 slash line with six homers and seven steals in 65 games this year.