Oct. 24, 2023 — The Arizona Fall League has announced its NFP Hitter and Pitcher of the Week for games from Oct. 16-21.

Hitter of the Week: Glendale Desert Dogs INF JT Schwartz (NYM)

JT Schwartz was lethal for an undefeated, 6-0 Glendale squad last week, slashing .444/.421/1.056 in four games. Schwartz led the league in slugging along with total bases (19), RBI (9) and doubles (5). He played hero Thursday night for the Desert Dogs, lacing the game-winning RBI double in the ninth inning. They had trailed 9-4 in the fifth. Schwartz had three RBI and a run scored in the winning effort. Schwartz said, “There’s a lot of really good players in this league and to be recognized is pretty cool. It’s just baseball, we’ve got a couple more weeks to play, but it’s an honor."

Pitcher of the Week: Salt River Rafters RHP Darius Vines (ATL)

Darius Vines made a profound impact in his first fall start last week, tossing 5.2 innings of one-run baseball, striking out nine and walking none on just four hits. Vines and the Salt River picked up the win at Surprise, the seventh win in the last eight contests for the Rafters. He was the only pitcher in the league who threw more than five innings and did not walk a batter. Vines said, “I did a good job of getting ahead in the count, making a difference early and really attacking. I felt really good.”

Regarded as the premier development league for baseball’s top prospects, the Arizona Fall League continues to feature top-caliber talent across all 30 MLB Clubs. AFL games can be seen at six Cactus League ballparks throughout the 2023 season – Camelback Ranch-Glendale, Peoria Sports Complex, Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Sloan Park, Scottsdale Stadium and Surprise Stadium. The 17th annual Fall Stars Game (Sunday, Nov. 5) will be played at Sloan Park, and the AFL Championship Game (Saturday, Nov. 11) will return to Scottsdale Stadium, with both contests being televised on MLB Network. The full 2023 Arizona Fall League Schedule and online tickets can be found at the Arizona Fall League website, MLBFallBall.com.