Arizona Fall League Daily: October 5 - Kling's Walk-Off, Kilby's Big Inning
By Riley Thompson ·
Texas Rangers outfielder Paxton Kling went 4-for-5 with a triple, a double and five RBI on Monday, on a night when two of the three AFL games went to the final inning. Kling's game-ending single in the ninth finished a comeback from a five-run deficit for the Surprise Saguaros, and his night ran alongside a four-RBI outburst from Yankees shortstop Dax Kilby and a two-hit, two-RBI showing from Angels shortstop Arjun Nimmala that kept the Mesa Solar Sox in a game they trailed 3-0 before they came to bat.
Salt River Rafters 10, Peoria Javelinas 7
Salt River broke this game open in the fourth inning and never truly let go. Yankees shortstop Dax Kilby produced a two-run double off Igor Gil that pushed the Rafters to 5-1, but the go-ahead run had already scored earlier in the inning on Kevin Bazzell's single that made it 2-1. Kilby finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBI, producing two balls above 105 mph on Statcast. One of his knocks was a double at 105.4 mph in the eighth that drove in the Rafters' ninth run. The Peoria side showed life: Orioles outfielder Vance Honeycutt hit a 106.6-mph solo home run to left in the sixth at 388 feet, and Padres outfielder Alex McCoy drove home a run in the ninth. But Peoria's bullpen gave up nine of Salt River's 10 runs, with the biggest damage coming against Cardinals reliever Nate Dohm, who allowed three runs on one hit and three walks in two-thirds of an inning and took the loss. Kilby's 80Grade scouting grades include a 55 hit tool and 55 speed, and through two AFL games the contact quality has translated quickly.
Surprise Saguaros 8, Glendale Desert Dogs 7
Glendale seemed to have this one secured. Pirates third baseman Jhonny Severino hit a two-run home run in the first to open the scoring, and after Kling's run-scoring double in the third cut the lead to 2-1, the Desert Dogs piled on four more runs in the fourth to go up 6-1. Surprise got two back in the bottom half, the second on a groundout by Cleveland Guardians shortstop Welbyn Francisca that made it 6-3. Then the eighth inning arrived: Kling hit a triple to left that plated three and tied the game, and Guardians third baseman Luke Hill followed with a go-ahead single. Glendale tied it in the ninth on a Colby Shelton single, but Kling ended it in the bottom half with a walk-off single off Cody Morse. Kling's 60-grade speed helps him cover ground in center field, and his hit tool is graded at 40, with the primary concern being an elevated strikeout rate against spin. Nothing about Monday's performance addresses the spin question, but a 4-for-5 night with a triple and a double against multiple relievers is worth noting for a player 80Grade ranks No. 754.
Mesa Solar Sox 6, Scottsdale Scorpions 6
Scottsdale scored three times in the first inning. Nehomar Ochoa Jr. delivered a run-scoring single, then stole second on a play where a throwing error by catcher Cole Conn brought home another run, and John Peck's sacrifice fly scored Ochoa. Mesa answered through Angels shortstop Arjun Nimmala, who singled home a run in the first and then launched a solo home run in the third to cut the deficit to 4-2. After Scottsdale pushed the lead to 5-2 in the fourth, the Solar Sox chipped away, with Nazzan Zanetello, Davis Diaz and Juan Cabada each driving in runs to pull even at 5-5 in the eighth. In the 10th, Braylon Payne's groundout scored automatic runner Narciso Polanco, and Mesa matched it in the bottom half when Antonio Anderson singled home automatic runner Cole Conn. The game ended in a 6-6 tie after 10 innings, so no pitcher received a decision. Nimmala, ranked No. 29 by 80Grade and No. 1 in the Angels system, carries a 55 power grade and a 60 arm at shortstop. His home run cleared left-center, and he was the most complete offensive player on either side in this game.
Scouting Notes
Paxton Kling, OF (Texas Rangers): Kling's 60-grade speed is the tool most scouts lead with, but Monday showed he can also put the barrel on the ball: four hits including a triple and a double against a mix of relievers. His primary weakness is contact quality against breaking balls, and the AFL presents a real test there as the sample grows. He is 80Grade's No. 754 prospect.
Arjun Nimmala, SS (Los Angeles Angels): Nimmala's solo home run came off Peyton Niksch, and it fits a 55 power grade that his 80Grade report describes as his carrying offensive tool. He struck out twice. He came to Arizona as the Angels' No. 1 prospect per 80Grade.
Dax Kilby, SS (New York Yankees): This was his second AFL game. His two doubles included one at 105.4 mph: contact quality that supports the 55 hit grade. He is batting .500/.455/.875 through two AFL games.
Vance Honeycutt, OF (Baltimore Orioles): Honeycutt's home run went 388 feet at 106.6 mph and 21 degrees, which describes the pull-oriented, over-the-fence damage that scouts have long projected. The power grades at 55, but his 80Grade report credits the profile's floor to his defense and speed (65 field, 65 run); the contact (a 35 hit grade) is the unsettled question.
Luke Holman, P (Cincinnati Reds): Holman's two-inning start for Peoria showed a fastball that sat at 93 mph and touched 94. He generated five whiffs on 41 pitches and struck out four. His slider averaged 84.5 mph. The AFL represents a step up in competition.
Up Next
Tuesday brings two games. The Surprise Saguaros, unbeaten at 3-0, visit Salt River, with Kansas City Royals left-hander Justin Lamkin starting for Surprise and Washington Nationals right-hander R.J. Sales going for the Rafters. Glendale, still searching for its first win at 0-3, heads to Sloan Park, where Miami Marlins right-hander Alex Williams starts for the Desert Dogs against Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Jake Bloss for Mesa.