Arizona Fall League Week 3 top performers

The leaves may be continuing to change and temperatures starting to drop, but the hitters are only getting hotter in the Arizona Fall League. Twenty-nine homers were hit by 22 players during the third week of play in the desert. Dozens of bats recorded multihit showings, with three of them reaching a 1.700+ OPS and six of them posting a 1.500 OPS or better.

On the pitching side, 64 hurlers posted scoreless appearances, including 10 starters. Chief among them was Justin Lamkin (KC No. 8), who dazzled across 4 1/3 perfect frames for Surprise. While the southpaw deserved top billing for his gem, there were plenty of other stellar showings over the past week.​

Here are the seven players who stood out most for their Week 3 Fall League performances.

Dax Kilby, SS, Salt River (NYY No. 1/MLB No. 78) 
Stats: 7-for-18, 4 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K, 3 SB

Kilby proved he has a knack for getting on base during the regular season (he reached in all 32 games he played for Single-A Tampa), but this fall he's been taking another step. Across four games in Week 3, the 2025 first-rounder tallied four extra-base knocks, including his second AFL homer -- a 107.1 mph, 419-foot clout -- and a triple in which he reached a 29.0 ft/sec sprint speed. Kilby missed most of the Minor League season with a hamstring injury, but when healthy, he can impact the game with his above-average hit and run tools. All told, the 19-year-old shortstop has slashed .311/.353/.622 through 11 contests for Salt River.

Justin Lamkin, LHP, Surprise (KC No. 8) 
Stats: 1 GS, 4.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K

Lamkin was nothing short of perfect in his latest gem for Surprise. The 2025 No. 71 overall pick retired 13 consecutive batters before exiting in the fifth. During the start, Lamkin showcased his newly developed curveball, which accounted for three of his four strikeouts and has been a weapon so far in the desert. The 22-year-old had posted a 2.04 ERA and an 0.93 WHIP through seven starts prior to injuring his throwing shoulder in late May. Back on the field this fall, Lamkin has been back to his stingy ways and has allowed just one run on one hit over his past 8 1/3 frames spanning two outings.

Briggs McKenzie, LHP, Glendale (ATL No. 8) 
Stats: 1 GS, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 HBP, 2 BB, 4 K

Entering Week 4 of the Fall League season, McKenzie -- the youngest pitcher on the circuit -- is one of just two hurlers to complete five or more innings in a start, and he's the only one to do it without allowing a run. The 20-year-old southpaw excelled at limiting baserunners throughout that outing on Thursday, erasing offensive threats with three double plays. Considered a "throwback pitcher," the 2025 fourth-rounder used pinpoint command of his low-90s four-seamer to record three of his four punchouts. The other strikeout came courtesy of McKenzie's top offering: a high-spin curveball that pairs nicely with his Chris Sale-esque arm slot.

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Jared Thomas, OF, Salt River (COL No. 10) 
Stats: 5-for-13, 4 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 9 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 SB

Thomas collected five knocks last week ... and he drove in runs on all five. The smooth-swinging lefty's nine RBIs in Week 3 were more than any other Fall Leaguer, and his pair of triples were second only to the Cardinals' Tai Peete. Thomas broke his left hamate during the 2025 season and underwent surgery to fix it after competing in the desert in the fall. This year, back in the Grand Canyon State for a second stint, he has cemented his health by producing seven exit velocities above 100 mph, including four last week.

Tai Peete, OF, Peoria (STL No. 17) 
Stats: 7-for-16, 7 R, 3 2B, 3 3B, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K, 5 SB

Peete's 60 speed grade might need to be updated based on the wheels he's showcased in the desert. Dating back to his final contest of Week 2, the athletic 21-year-old tripled in four straight contests for Peoria, becoming the first Fall Leaguer to do so since at least 2005. The history-making three-bagger on Thursday was the fastest home-to-third time in the Fall League this season at 11.21 seconds. Who did it beat out, you ask? Peete's other three triples, which complete the top four. To round out his running master class, the Georgia native tacked on five steals over four games.

Jack O'Dowd, C, Salt River (COL) 
Stats: 6-for-13, 3 R, 2 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 0 BB, 4 K

O'Dowd appeared in three contests last week, and each featured a can't-miss offensive display. He kicked off the stretch with a two-homer outburst on Tuesday, followed by three knocks -- including two doubles -- on Wednesday and another homer on Thursday. The span resulted in an eye-popping .462/.462/1.308 slash line for the week and upped his roundtripper total to five this fall, tops on the circuit. The son of former Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd, Jack has hit multiple homers in back-to-back weeks and risen from an independent league signee to a legitimate MLB prospect.

Yerlin Confidan, OF, Peoria (CIN) 
Stats: 7-for-12, 4 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 3 K

Standing 6-feet-4 and at 225 pounds, Confidan oozes raw power -- last week he proved it's not just for show. The Dominican Republic native sizzled the second-hardest-hit ball of the Fall League season on Monday, drilling a 116.7 mph grounder that scooted through the infield and reached the outfield wall in seconds. He wheeled around the bases for a triple on the play, topping out at 27.6 ft/sec. In the next two games, Confidan tapped into his massive thump once again, tallying six knocks, five of which eclipsed 105 mph exit velocities -- and three that were 110+ mph. Through 10 games this fall, he ranks tied for 10th among all hitters with a 58.3 percent hard-hit rate.