Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics: Kurtz was a late arrival to the Arizona Fall League this season, but as they say better late than never. Kurtz has shown to be as polished as advertised hitting for power with bat-to-ball skills and on-base ability. On Tuesday, Kurtz was one of the few bright spots for Mesa in their 11-2 loss at the hands of Scottsdale. Kurtz went 2-for-4 with a home run in the fifth inning and is now hitting .364 with a 1.098 OPS in AFL play. With such advanced plate skills, power and defensive ability at first, Kurtz could be on a quick ride to Sacramento in 2025.

Thayron Liranzo, C, Tigers: Liranzo was one of the Tigers’ prized trade deadline acquisitions and has been on fire ever since joining the organization. He went 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs on Tuesday. Liranzo is now hitting .375 with a 1.159 OPS heading into the final days of the regular season. Liranzo is a switch-hitting catcher with easy plus power and a discerning eye at the plate. He’s one of the top bats in a talented Tigers system.

Josue Briceño, 1B, Tigers: With just two days remaining in regular season play in the Arizona Fall League, Briceño is close to locking up the league’s triple crown. Briceño went 5-for-5 with two doubles, three runs and four RBIs on Tuesday, raising his overall line to .439/.505/.866 with nine home runs and 26 RBIs. After an injury-plagued 2024, Briceño’s AFL has been a revelation. No player will leave the desert with more helium than him.

Zyhir Hope, OF, Dodgers: Hope’s Arizona Fall League campaign has been a coming out party. One of the longest players in the league, Hope hit his fifth home run on Tuesday in Glendale’s 9-5 win over Surprise. Hope has a good blend of skills, boasting plus-plus raw power, above-average plate skills and plus or better speed. Acquired from the Cubs in the Michael Busch trade, Hope is one of the top prospects in an always-strong Dodgers system.

Andrew Painter, RHP, Phillies: After two years on the shelf recovering from Tommy John surgery, Painter is showing no signs of rust. The Phillies righthander mostly dominated again on Tuesday against a talented Surprise lineup. After getting into some trouble in the first inning, Painter retired eight of his next nine batters. His fastball sat 95-97 mph and he mixed his changeup, slider and curveball. He generated nine swinging strikes on the day and struck out six of the 12 batters he faced. Painter should likely factor into the Phillies rotation picture early in the 2025 season.

Ryan Ritter, SS, Rockies: Ritter’s Arizona Fall League campaign likely hasn’t been what he hoped for. While his .492 on-base percentage ranks fourth in the AFL, he has hit just .139 with two home runs. Ritter had his swing working on Tuesday, though, going 2-for-5 with a home run, two steals and a walk. Ritter has a bag of interesting tools, but can go through prolonged slumps. Ritter has average power and a natural ability to backspin the ball to his pullside. He’s a strong defender with a good chance to stick at shortstop.

Caleb Durbin, 2B, Yankees: A night after setting the Arizona Fall League single-season stolen base record, Durbin didn’t slow down. Durbin went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, four RBIs and two stolen bases on Tuesday. Durbin is now hitting .318/.438/.568 with five home runs and a record-setting 29 stolen bases and counting. To put it in perspective, Milan Tolentino ranks second in the AFL in stolen bases with 12. Durbin has more than lapped the competition while providing some of the most robust production of any hitter in the league. 

Topps Announces $50,000 In Bounties For 1/1 Debut Patch Cards From Chrome Update

Topps Chrome Update releases today and interest was already sky-high in the 1/1 debut patch autograph cards. Topps just upped the ante, issuing a slew of bounties on cards pulled during breaks over the next week on Fanatics Live.

Preorder Your 2025 Prospect Handbook!

Prospect Handbook season is upon us. Our staff is already in the process of building out this year’s book, beginning with Top 10s available to subscribers in a few weeks. Lock in your print copy today and we’ll send you a free digital version in January.

In Case You Missed It