Arizona Fall League Daily: October 13
By Riley Thompson ·
Matthew Ellis did the most damage on a busy Tuesday in the Arizona Fall League, going 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI as the Peoria Javelinas put up an 11-run fifth inning against the Scottsdale Scorpions. The fifth was chaotic enough to burn through two Scottsdale pitchers and produce nine runs before Ellis capped it with a two-run shot off Detroit Tigers prospect Win Scott, sending Peoria to a 13-5 final. Across the Valley, the Salt River Rafters scored the go-ahead run on a balk in the tenth inning to edge Glendale 6-5.
Salt River Rafters 6, Glendale Desert Dogs 5
Caleb Bonemer opened the scoring with a two-run homer to left-center in the first, a 98.1 mph fly ball off Sean Sullivan that traveled 388 feet. The Rafters answered in the third when Colorado Rockies catcher Jack O'Dowd connected for a two-run shot off Samuel Carpio, and Core Jackson stole home on the front end of a double steal to give Salt River a 3-2 lead. Chicago White Sox infielder Colby Shelton tied it at 3 in the fifth with a 100.7 mph solo shot off Chris Veach, but Teo Banks responded in the sixth with a two-run line drive to left at 96 mph off Mathias LaCombe to put the Rafters up 5-3. Glendale came back in the eighth when Miami Marlins designated hitter Dillon Lewis doubled home two to tie the game at 5. The game stayed tied into the tenth before Minnesota Twins outfielder Yasser Mercedes scored the deciding run on a balk charged to Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Michael Walsh, with Rafters closer Connor Foley closing it out. Bonemer's homer was the scouting note on the Glendale side: his 2026 Double-A power has started to show up in games for a 21-year-old who ranks among the White Sox's top prospects.
Peoria Javelinas 13, Scottsdale Scorpions 5
The game was scoreless into the fifth when Scottsdale's bullpen came apart. Yeriel Santos walked batters to help force two runs and was replaced after recording no outs; Win Scott entered and gave up six more runs over two-thirds of an inning, with a wild pitch, an Ike Irish two-run single, and a Yerlin Confidan RBI triple on a 110 mph line drive all coming before Ellis's two-run homer capped the inning at 11-0, a 98.8 mph fly ball to right at a 30-degree angle. Scottsdale trimmed the deficit to 13-5 over the final frames but never threatened. Cincinnati Reds right-hander Luke Holman stood out most on the mound: he struck out six in three hitless innings, generating seven whiffs on 49 pitches. His four-seam fastball averaged 92.2 mph and touched 94.5, and his slider flashed at 85 mph. Holman worked with one walk and an ERA that now sits at 1.80 through two AFL starts. Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ike Irish was the offensive standout, going 4-for-5 with a double and two RBI in the Javelinas win.
Scouting Notes
Yasser Mercedes, CF (Minnesota Twins): Mercedes reached base four times Tuesday, drawing three walks and hitting a 107.2 mph single, and scored twice in the Rafters' win. His walk rate in the AFL so far, six draws in 25 plate appearances, reflects the patience his 2026 regular season at High-A also showed.
Teo Banks, RF (Washington Nationals): Banks went 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBI, his second multi-hit game in six outings this AFL. His regular-season line at High-A Wilmington gives him a foundation to build on as he fills out his pro résumé.
Yerlin Confidan, LF (Cincinnati Reds): Confidan went 2-for-4 with two triples, including a 110 mph line drive to center in the fifth. The strikeout load and contact consistency against better spin remain the profile's primary hurdle entering 2027.
Dax Kilby, SS (New York Yankees): Kilby went 0-for-4 but was hit by a pitch and swiped two bases, now at four stolen bases in five AFL games. He is one of the Yankees' top prospects.
Mathias LaCombe, P (Chicago White Sox): LaCombe was charged with two runs in one inning, allowing a Teo Banks homer on a fastball that averaged 93.2 mph and touched 94.7. His slider still grades well in the White Sox system, but the walk totals across his 2026 regular-season sample at Triple-A indicate that fine command is still a work in progress.
Up Next
Wednesday's schedule features the Peoria Javelinas at the Surprise Saguaros at Surprise Stadium, with San Diego Padres right-hander Winyer Chourio starting for Peoria against Kansas City Royals right-hander Steven Zobac for Surprise. The Salt River Rafters' game at the Mesa Solar Sox in Goodyear was postponed by weather; Minnesota Twins left-hander Ross Dunn and Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Jake Bloss had been listed as the probable starters. Monday's postponed Mesa-Surprise game (power) still needs a makeup date. The Scorpions and Rafters share the AFL lead at 6-2, while the Desert Dogs are 1-8.