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]]>Plus: Superlatives from the AFL’s 2025 Fall Stars Game, including a big night from Kevin McGonigle.
The Arizona Fall League is drawing to a close, but not before a few more of the circuit’s jewel events. The first was the annual Fall Stars Game, which pits the best prospects from each league against one another in a prime-time showcase streamed on MLB Network.
Plenty of the players in the game will make their big league debuts in the coming years, but a few players in the game shined brighter than others. Here are the players who stood out in a 5-4 AL win capped by a walk-off sacrifice fly by White Sox prospect Sam Antonacci.
After a breakout season at Low-A Inland Empire, Rodriguez has stayed hot in the Arizona Fall League. The outfielder was the only player in the Fall Stars Game to notch multiple hits, and he added a walk for good measure. Neither of his hits was cheap. Both bolts registered exit velocities of greater than 111 mph. They came off of a sinker from Carson Montgomery and a slider from Jack Dallas.
Rodriguez was named the Fall Stars Game MVP. You can read more about his night here.
Nobody homered in the game, and Mitchell’s double stood as the evening’s only extra-base hit. One of Kansas City’s top prospects, Mitchell reached Phillies reliever Jack Dallas for a two-bagger that split the right-center field gap. At just 87 mph off the bat it wasn’t the hardest-struck ball of the day—that honor came on a 117.6 mph foul ball from, who else, Kevin McGonigle—but the result gets him the win in this category.
Nine months into a season that began in Lakeland, Fla., in February, McGonigle isn’t slowing down. When ball four from Jesus Broca hit the brick backstop at Sloan Park, the top Tigers prospect wasn’t satisfied with just one base. Instead, he booked it out of the box and motored into second base. Hawk-Eye didn’t pick up McGonigle’s sprint speed … maybe he was just that fast.
Today, we’re unveiling the 10 best prospects in the Pirates system entering 2026.
Projected 2029 Pirates Lineup
Listed below are the prospects with the best tools within the organization. To go directly to Pittsburgh’s Top 10, click here.
Pirates Best Tools
Our latest batch of NL organization reports are here! Check out installments below: