The Boys of Autumn have finished their first week in the AFL. Here’s how the Cubs on the Solar Sox did.
We’ve just finished week one of the Arizona Fall League and the Mesa Solar Sox are off to a great start with a 4-2 record, which is good enough for first place in the league.
In case you’ve forgotten, the Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an end-of-the-season league where minor leaguers can get in some extra work after their regular season. (Or in the case of Jeff McNeil, a major leaguer playing a injury rehab game before rejoining the Mets for the National League Championship Series. Kyle Schwarber famously did that in 2016 as well.) It also serves as a way for teams to get one last look at players before roster decisions are made over the winter.
The Mesa Solar Sox is the team the Cubs prospects play for, alongside minor leaguers from the Athletics, Red Sox, Angels and Rays. They play their home games at the Cubs’ Spring Training home of Sloan Park in Mesa.
The Solar Sox played six games this week. The home team is listed last.
Monday, October 7: Surprise Saguaros 0, Solar Sox 1
Wednesday, October 9: Solar Sox 19, Scottsdale Scorpions 3
Thursday, October 10: Salt River Rafters 6, Solar Sox 4
Friday, October 11: Solar Sox 6, Peoria Javelinas 9
Saturday, October 12: Javelinas 1, Solar Sox 4
Sunday, October 13: Solar Sox 10, Saguaros 3
Here is how the eight Cubs prospects on the Solar Sox did this past week.
Catcher Moises Ballesteros
To be clear, Ballesteros is in Arizona to learn to catch, not to learn how to hit. He already knows how to hit. Along those lines, Ballesteros did catch three games this past week and served as the DH in one. And he caught the Opening Night shutout, so that’s good news, I guess. He also caught Friday and Sunday’s games, which means the Solar Sox went 2-1 when he was behind the plate. He was the DH in Wednesday’s game.
But at the plate? Yeah, Ballesteros had no problems. He went 7 for 17 with a double, a home run and two walks. That’s .412/,450/.647 for those of you who don’t want to do the math. Ballesteros was 0 for 3 with a walk in the first game, but had at least two hits in the other three. He had six RBI and scored four times.
Here’s Ballesteros’ monster home run on Sunday.
Moises Ballesteros, the @Cubs‘ No. 4 prospect (MLB No. 44), crushes his first AFL homer!
414 ft | 110.8 MPH pic.twitter.com/lOTjhmhh0e
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) October 13, 2024
Here’s an article by Sam Dykstra about Ballesteros’ week in the AFL, his goals and thought process.
1B/3B Jonathon Long
Long played three Solar Sox games this past week. He was at first base on Wednesday and third base on Friday and Sunday. Long was the player of the game in the 19-3 win over Scottsday, going 3 for 5 with a double, a two-run home run and five total RBI. For the week, Long was 5 for 15 with two walks and a league-high eight RBI. That’s .333/.412/.600 on the young season.
Here are the highlights from Long’s big game on Wednesday.
Jonathon Long had himself a night in the desert.
The @Cubs‘ No. 30 prospect fills up the box score with three hits and a pro-best five RBIs in @MLBazFallLeague action! pic.twitter.com/GMFwaBMBZB
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) October 10, 2024
Infielder Benjamin Cowles
Unfortunately, Cowles hasn’t had as good a start to the season as Ballesteros and Long. Cowles has played in four games, three games at shortstop and one at second base. Cowles is a meek 1 for 18 with no walks or extra base hits. (.056 across the board) At least he’s only struck out three times.
RIght-hander Grant Kipp
Kipp started Thursday’s 6-4 loss to Salt River, although he did not get the loss as he permitted just one run on two hits over three innings. Kipp struck out four, walked two and hit one batter.
Right-hander Shane Marshall
Marshall pitched in relief twice this past week. His appearance on Thursday did not go well, as he took the loss after allowing three runs on three hits over one inning, including a two-run home run to top Padres prospect Robert Hassell III. He also pitched the ninth inning on Sunday in a non-save situation, giving up one run on two hits.
For the week, Marshall pitched two innings and went 0-1 with an 18.00 ERA. He’s allowed five hits while striking out four and walking one.
Right-hander Vince Reilly
Reilly pitched twice this past week. His AFL debut came on Thursday, when he bailed out fellow Cubs prospect Sam Thoresen in the fifth inning. Reilly entered the game with runners on first and third with two outs and struck out the only batter he faced to end the threat.
Reilly also pitched a scoreless top of the eighth inning on Saturday and got the win when Mesa struck for three runs in the bottom of the inning. He gave up one hit in that inning and did not walk or strike anyone out.
For the week, Reilly went 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA over 1⅓ innings. He allowed one hit and struck out one.
Right-hander Luis Rujano
Rujano didn’t make his AFL debut until Sunday, but it was worth the wait. Rujano threw three scoreless innings of relief without allowing a hit and got the win over Surprise. Rujano walked one and struck out five.
Right-hander Sam Thoresen
As noted above, Thoresen relieved Kipp in Thursday’s loss to Salt River and had to be bailed out by Reilly. Thoresen pitched 1⅔ innings and gave up one run on three hits. He walked two and struck out two.