Monday's top AFL prospect performers

November 2nd, 2021

Here's a look at Monday’s top performers in the Arizona Fall League from each team's Top 30 Prospects list.

Marlins: JJ Bleday, OF (MLB No. 71), Mesa Solar Sox
Bleday, who has been scorching of late, continued his tear with a five-hit, four-RBI performance in Mesa’s 15-15 extra-inning tie with Peoria -- the first such result of the AFL season. After his club fell behind, 3-0, in the first frame, Bleday singled in the first run for Mesa, sparking a nine-run response from the Solar Sox in the bottom of the inning. He capped off the frame with a two-run double. In the third, he crushed a solo shot to right-center field for his third Fall League dinger. The Marlins’ No. 5 prospect added singles in the eighth and the 10th to complete his day, his first professional five-hit outing. More »

Cardinals: Zack Thompson, LHP (No. 8), Glendale Desert Dogs
Thompson continued his strong Fall League campaign with three scoreless innings of relief in Glendale’s 8-5 win over Salt River. The southpaw earned his second win after tossing 17 of 33 pitches for strikes. He faced the minimum despite allowing a hit and a walk. While he didn’t record a strikeout, Thompson has fanned 13 batters in six outings and has allowed just two earned runs on six hits across 12 innings, good for a 1.50 ERA. He’s held opposing batters to a .146 clip. More »

Dodgers: James Outman, OF (No. 27), Glendale Desert Dogs
Outman laced two doubles and drove in the go-ahead run in Glendale’s win. With two outs and a man on second in a tie game in the top of the fifth, Outman pounced on the first pitch he saw and laced his third double of the fall to plate Lars Nootbaar (Cardinals), who had doubled two batters earlier. Outman added another two-bagger in the seventh, giving him four in 11 games. Seven of the slugging outfielder's 10 hits have gone for extra bases, and he’s driven in six runs and drawn six walks.

Phillies: Logan O’Hoppe, C (No. 11), Peoria Javelinas
O’Hoppe was hopping in Peoria’s 15-15 tie with Mesa. The backstop stroked two doubles, drew two walks, scored two runs and plated another as he raised his AFL average to .318. O’Hoppe drove in his first run on a groundout in the first inning, and plated his second by grounding into a double play in the fourth. In the third, he walked and crossed the plate on a wild pitch. He added a double in the sixth and another walk in the seventh. After a leadoff double in the ninth, he came around to score three batters later. Through 12 games, O’Hoppe has an AFL-best six doubles and is tied with fellow Phillie Bryson Stott for the most walks in the league (14).

Pirates: Ji-hwan Bae, 2B/SS (No. 22), Peoria Javelinas
The speedster was all over the basepaths for Peoria. Though he didn’t record a hit, he reached base four times while drawing three walks, scoring three runs and stealing three bases. Batting out of the leadoff spot, Bae reached on a catcher’s interference and later scored the first of the game’s 30 combined runs. He drew a walk and crossed the plate again in the fourth. In the seventh, he walked after Peoria tied the game at 12, then stole second and third -- his third and fourth steals of the campaign. Bae scored the go-ahead run on a single by Zach DeLoach (Mariners) before walking and swiping second during a double steal in the eighth. With his 70-grade speed, the South Korea native is tied for third in steals (five) and runs (14) while batting .320 with a .906 OPS through 12 games.

Reds: Ivan Johnson, SS/2B (No. 11), Surprise Saguaros
Johnson hit his fourth dinger of the AFL season and drew a walk in Surprise’s loss to Scottsdale. The infielder turned on a 3-1 pitch and lifted a homer over the left-field fence. The 23-year-old knocked out 10 long balls in 79 regular-season games between Low-A and High-A, and he’s one of seven players who have hit four or more homers in the AFL thus far. In 10 games, the switch-hitter has driven in eight runs, scored eight times, tallied eight hits and drawn seven walks. More »