For the second day in a row, a prospect in the fall league hits a mammoth home run as part of a big day. You’re going to want to see the open-side swing from Zyhir Hope below, captured by BA’s Geoff Pontes.

Zyhir Hope, OF, Dodgers: The Dodgers continue to reap the rewards of the Michael Busch trade, as both Jackson Ferris and Hope have developed into top prospects. On Thursday, Hope hinted at his immense upside in the evening game at Goodyear Ballpark. Hope put three hard-hit balls in play including a mammoth home run to center field that cleared the batter’s eye. The home run came off the bat at 110.6 mph and traveled 470 feet. In his next at-bat, Hope roped a double to the right center field gap at 102.9 mph for his third hard-hit ball of the night and his second extra-base hit. Hope has immense upside with a balance of plate skills, plus power and speed. 

Jac Caglianone, 1B, Royals: In his second AFL start, the Royals’ first-round pick picked up his first multi-hit game in a four-hit effort. Surprise went on to win Thursday’s matinee in Scottsdale in large part due to Caglianone’s impressive showing. He drove in a pair of runs while crossing the plate twice. Caglianone is one of the premier names in the fall league with double-plus raw power and strong bat-to-ball skills. The biggest question early in Caglianone’s professional career is his lack of plate discipline.

Kemp Alderman, OF, Marlins: Alderman homered for the third consecutive day on Thursday and now leads all hitters in homers (four) following a pair of shots in Peoria’s loss to Glendale. The first came against Glendale starter Jerming Rosario, as he took a 96 mph fastball to right field at 106.2 mph. Alderman’s second home run was even more impressive as he took a 99 mph fastball to right-center that left the bat at 116.8 mph. Alderman is showing off his impressive power early as he looks to forget a difficult first season.

Robert Hassell III, OF, Nationals: Hassell knows the fall league landscape as well as anyone, as he’s on his third tour of duty in the AFL. On Thursday, Hassell provided a good chunk of the Rafters offense going 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs. Hassell has seen his prospect pedigree dissipate in recent years and is looking to prove he’s still the advanced hitting outfielder many pegged his to become as an amateur. So far, Hassell has been one of the most impressive hitters on the circuit this season.

Jake Cunningham, OF, Orioles: Cunningham began the season on the minor league injured list, missing the first month of the season with a quad injury. When he returned his results were unspectacular as he hit .220/.312/.308 across 92 games. On Thursday afternoon, Cunningham showed why the Orioles drafted him out of Charlotte in the fifth round back in 2023. Cunningham collected four hits in Surprise’s win over Scottsdale including a grand slam in the second that blew the game wide open. Cunningham is an impressive athlete at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds but needs more refinement on his exciting tools.

How The Red Sox Overhauled Their Hitting Development Program In 2024

Boston’s revamped hitting plan tailored around bat speed helped unlock Kristian Campbell, who is now one of the game’s finest prospects and biggest breakout stars of the season. The Red Sox now have one of baseball’s best farm systems. Alex Speier details how they targeted a “core four” of traits for their hitters this season, leading to a surge in performance.

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