Saturday's top AFL prospect performers

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

Nick Gonzales, 2B (MLB No. 62), Peoria Javelinas
Gonzales showed out on a three-hit, three-RBI day in Peoria’s 16-13 win over Mesa. The Pirates’ fourth-ranked prospect ripped a three-run triple in the Javelinas’ seven-run sixth inning, extending his club’s lead from two to five. He started his night off strong with a single on the second pitch of the game and eventually came around to score on a sacrifice fly. He added another single in the following frame. In 12 Fall League games, Gonzales has tallied 16 hits -- tied for third-most in the AFL with fellow Pirates prospect Ji-hwan Bae -- while drawing seven walks and driving in eight runs.

Phillies: Bryson Stott, SS (MLB No. 97), Peoria Javelinas
Stott played a big part in Peoria’s marathon 16-13 win over Mesa. The Phillies’ No. 2 prospect tallied three hits, drove in five runs and walked once in his fourth multihit effort of the Fall League. The lefty slugger plated the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly before lacing a two-run single in the fourth to even the score. He had another RBI single in Peoria’s seven-run sixth and added his final two RBIs on a third single in the top of the ninth to extend the Javelinas’ lead to five. Stott’s 15 total RBIs are third in the AFL behind the Royals’ Seuly Matias and the Cardinals’ Juan Yepez.

Cubs: Nelson Velazquez, OF (No. 29), Mesa Solar Sox
Velazquez continued his AFL tear by blasting his fifth home run of the Fall League, moving him into a four-way tie for first place on the league leaderboard. The slugging outfielder has tallied multihit games in four of his past five contests and has recorded at least one hit in seven of his past eight. Velazquez laced three hits, drove in three runs, scored three and drew a walk in Mesa’s loss to Peoria, boosting his slash line to .423/.524/.808. His 1.332 OPS is second only to Cardinals’ outfielder Lars Nootbaar, who also has slugged five long balls in the AFL.

Dodgers: Jacob Amaya, SS (No. 14), Glendale Desert Dogs
James Outman, OF (No. 27), Glendale Desert Dogs
A pair of Dodgers prospects played pivotal roles in Glendale’s 5-4 win over Salt River. Amaya collected two hits -- including his first double of the Fall League -- and plated a run. After Salt River took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, the 23-year-old laced a double to left with a runner on first and two away. A fielding error plated the run and evened the score at one apiece. Amaya came through again in the sixth after Glendale fell behind 4-3, this time with an RBI single to tie the game once again. The Desert Dogs took the lead with another RBI single and they never looked back.

Outman helped with a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth that gave Glendale a 2-1 lead, his third Fall League dinger in 10 contests. He joins a group of just 11 players who have hit three or more long balls through the first three weeks of the AFL season. Five of Outman’s eight Fall League hits have gone for extra bases (three homers, two doubles) and the lefty slugger has driven in five runs and walked six times to go with a .276 average and a 1.055 OPS.

Giants: Hunter Bishop, OF (No. 6), Scottsdale Scorpions
It was a busy night for Bishop on the basepaths. The 23-year-old cracked three doubles while driving in two runs and scoring one in Scottdale’s loss to Surprise. His first two-bagger came in the bottom of the first and knotted the score at one before lacing a leadoff double in the sixth. His final extra-base knock came in the next frame and plated Jose Tena, moving him into a seven-way tie for the most Fall League doubles with five. Bishop suffered an injury-plagued regular season with just 16 games played, but he has appeared in 10 AFL contests so far with a slash line of .273/.333/.500.

Nationals: Cole Henry, RHP (No. 7), Surprise Saguaros
Henry moved into the Fall League strikeout lead with 21 after he fanned six batters over four innings of two-hit, one-run ball in Surprise’s 8-4 win over Scottsdale. Henry surrendered both hits and the one run in the first inning. After Hunter Bishop doubled in a run, the 22-year-old allowed just two more baserunners via a fielding error and a hit batsman as he fanned six of the next 11 batters he faced. Henry has allowed one home run in 12 innings of work and has pitched to a 3.75 ERA in two starts and two relief appearances in his first tour of the AFL. More »