PEORIA, Ariz. -- Familiar faces will meet for the Arizona Fall League title on Saturday. The Surprise Saguaros reached the finals for the seventh straight season and will oppose the Peoria Javelinas, whom they bested in last year's championship game.
First baseman Cole Mathis (NYM No. 13) powered Surprise in the semifinals, driving in an AFL playoff-record seven runs in a 10-4 victory over the Glendale Desert Dogs. Peoria advanced with a 6-5 defeat of the Salt River Rafters, getting three RBI and a decisive fourth-inning sacrifice fly from right fielder Ike Irish (BAL No. 5/MLB No. 95).
The Saguaros (18-10) and Javelinas (17-11) posted the Fall League's two best records during the regular season. Justin Lamkin (KC No. 8) is the projected starter for Surprise, which has won five championships and three of the last four. Peoria, which has won seven titles, most recently back-to-back in 2017-18, will counter with Luke Holman (CIN No. 23).
MLB Network will broadcast the championship game live Saturday at 8 p.m. ET/6 p.m. local, and it will stream live on MLB.com and MLB.TV. Gregg Caserta, Dan O'Dowd and Jim Callis will call the action at the Peoria Sports Complex.
PEORIA JAVELINAS
Luke Holman, RHP, Reds (No. 23): A 2024 second-round pick from Louisiana State, Holman blew out his elbow early in his first full pro season. Fully recovered from Tommy John surgery, he's back to carving up hitters with a four-pitch mix highlighted by a low-80s slider. He led the league in ERA (0.69) and opponent average (.114) while striking out 20 in 13 innings.
Ike Irish, OF/1B, Orioles (No. 5/MLB No. 95): Irish's ability to control the strike zone, hit balls hard to all fields and display the raw power to hit 20-25 homer per season got him drafted 19th overall in 2025 out of Auburn. Those traits have been on display in Arizona, where he hit .328/.439/.507 with five steals in 18 games.
Alex McCoy, OF, Padres (No. 26): McCoy hit two of the three hardest balls (118.2 and 116.3 mph) in the league this season and batted .250/.372/.578 with five homers and 12 steals in 18 games. Signed for $150,000 as a nondrafted free agent out of Hofstra, he's a 6-foot-5, 260-pounder with massive raw power but also some strikeout issues.
Tai Peete, OF, Cardinals (No. 17): Acquired from the Mariners in the Brendan Donovan trade in February, Peete was the most electric player in the Fall League, displaying well-above-average speed to go with plus raw power and arm strength. He slashed .351/.441/.662, topped the circuit with 20 steals and ranked in the top five in nine offensive categories.
Carlos Sanchez, SS, Reds (No. 14): A $70,000 find from the Dominican Republic in 2022, Sanchez has 20-20 upside and a chance to stick at shortstop. He batted .300/.425/.571 with five homers and eight steals in 20 games.
SURPRISE SAGUAROS
Brooks Bryan, 1B/C, Royals: Drafted as a catcher in 2025's eighth round from Troy, Bryan possesses plus raw power and solid arm strength. He has played first base in the Fall League and batted .317/.397/.583 with four homers in 15 games.
Welbyn Francisca, SS, Guardians (No. 19): The biggest breakout player in the AFL, Francisca slashed .427/.494/.733 in 17 games and led the circuit in hitting, slugging, OPS (1.227), hits (32), total bases (55) and RBI (29). Signed for $1,375,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2023, he has the hitting ability, pop and speed to become a 20-20 player and potentially could stick at shortstop.
Angeibel Gomez, OF, Royals (No. 2/MLB No. 76): The second-youngest player in AFL history, Gomez jumped from the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League to Surprise at age 17 and hit .315/.415/.444 with four steals in 14 games. He earned a $2.9 million bonus in January thanks to his five-tool upside and has looked very comfortable against much older competition.
Zion Rose, OF, Royals (No. 6): One of two 2026 draftees in the league, Rose went sixth overall in June out of Louisville. He has solid offensive tools across the board and has shown them off by batting .322/.494/.508 with 14 steals in 16 games.
Sebastian Walcott, SS, Rangers (No. 1/MLB No. 8): The highest-rated prospect in the Fall League this year, Walcott stands out with his well-above-average raw power and arm strength. After missing much of the Minor League season recovering from internal brace surgery in February, he's back to playing shortstop and slashed .303/.351/.455 with 10 steals in 16 games.