The leaves are turning, pumpkin spice lattes are on menus and Arizona Fall League baseball is officially back.
Opening Monday with a tightly contested matchup between the Peoria Javelinas and Scottsdale Scorpions, the 32nd AFL season promises to give fans the perfect nightcap to the 2025 season.
More on the Arizona Fall League:
After consecutive years in which 10 Top 100 prospects reported to the desert, last year’s rosters raised the bar with 14 of MLB’s brightest future starts competing in the Fall League. Among that group, led by Jac Caglianone, Leo De Vries and Bryce Eldridge, seven Top 100 prospects made their MLB debuts in 2025.
This season, the rosters -- which remain fluid throughout the fall -- feature 11 of MLB’s Top 100 prospects, including exciting young shortstops Kevin McGonigle (MLB No. 2) and Sebastian Walcott (MLB No. 6).
Widely known as “baseball’s finishing school,” the circuit, which runs through Nov. 15, gives prospects a prime opportunity to continue their summer campaigns or make up for reps they missed out on due to injury. One name that fits the second description is Reds right-hander Rhett Lowder, who will pitch in the Fall League after missing most of the 2025 season with a myriad of injuries.
In 2024, MLB’s No. 33 prospect Josue Briceño capitalized on his time out west, becoming the first player in the league’s history to take home the AFL Triple Crown. The standout season propelled Briceño to AFL MVP honors, rocketing him up most prospect rankings.
Aside from Briceño, the Fall League boasts some impressive alumni. Forty-one percent of all players named to the 2025 MLB All Star Game in Atlanta were alums (33 of 80). Ten out of 20 players in the starting lineups for that game (starting pitchers and DH included) once played in the Fall League.
Here are the matchups for the first two days of Fall League action:
MONDAY
9:30 p.m. - Peoria vs. Scottsdale: There will be no shortage of fireworks (and dingers) in this one! Peoria, led by three of baseball's Top 100 prospects in Alfredo Duno (No. 48), Jonny Farmelo (No. 75) and Cam Collier (No. 94), will be up against baseball's No. 2 prospect, Kevin McGonigle -- the highest-ranked prospect in the AFL since Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was No. 1 in 2018 -- and Scottsdale.
TUESDAY
4:30 p.m. - Glendale vs. Salt River: Some serious sluggers pack this matchup. White Sox top prospect Braden Montgomery (MLB No. 35) teams up with Dodgers No. 1 Josue De Paula (MLB No. 13) for Glendale. On the other side, the Rockies' Charlie Condon (MLB No. 61) leads Salt River.
9:30 p.m. - Surprise vs. Mesa: The Rangers' Sebastian Walcott (MLB No. 6 prospect) takes center stage for Surprise, and he'll square off with Yankees No. 5 prospect Bryce Cunningham and Mesa.
More from MLB Pipeline:
• Top 100 prospects | Stats | Video | Podcast | Complete coverage
Each MLB organization sends seven of their top prospects to the desert, forming six squads.
The Fall League teams and their MLB affiliations are as follows:
Glendale Desert Dogs: Braves, White Sox, Dodgers, Cardinals, Blue Jays
Mesa Solar Sox: Athletics, Cubs, Marlins, Yankees, Rays
Peoria Javelinas: Orioles, Reds, Twins, Padres, Mariners
Salt River Rafters: Diamondbacks, Red Sox, Rockies, Angels, Pirates
Scottsdale Scorpions: Tigers, Astros, Mets, Giants, Nationals
Surprise Saguaros: Guardians, Royals, Brewers, Phillies, Rangers
Top 100 prospects in the Arizona Fall League
2. Kevin McGonigle, SS, Tigers (Scottsdale)
6. Sebastian Walcott, SS/3B, Rangers (Surprise)
13. Josue De Paula, OF, Dodgers (Glendale)
35. Braden Montgomery, OF, White Sox (Glendale)
48. Alfredo Duno, C, Reds (Peoria)
61. Charlie Condon, 1B/OF, Rockies (Salt River)
62. Blake Mitchell, C, Royals (Surprise)
75. Jonny Farmelo, OF, Mariners (Peoria)
80. Rhett Lowder, RHP, Reds (Peoria)
88. Hagen Smith, LHP, White Sox (Glendale)
94. Cam Collier, 1B/3B, Reds (Peoria)
How to watch:
Fans can once again watch their favorite prospects all fall via MLB.com streams. The entire 90-game regular season will be available to stream completely free along with the AFL Home Run Derby, Fall Stars Game, Play-in Semifinal and Championship Game. Additionally, the Fall Stars Game and Championship Game will be broadcast on MLB Network. All contests will have Gameday available as well.
Important dates:
Oct. 6: Opening Night, 9:30 p.m. ET
Oct. 11: Kino Sports Complex tripleheader starting at 3:30 p.m. ET
Oct. 18: Goodyear Ballpark tripleheader starting at 3:30 p.m. ET
Nov. 8: Home Run Derby, Sloan Park, 8:30 p.m. ET
Nov. 9: Fall Stars Game, Sloan Park, 8 p.m. ET
Nov. 13: Division Series, Scottsdale Stadium, starting at 3:30 p.m. ET
Nov. 14: Semifinals, Salt River Fields, starting at 3:30 p.m. ET
Nov. 15: Championship Game, Salt River Fields, 6:30 p.m. ET