X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Arizona Fall League Preview: 2016 Mesa Solar Sox

The Mesa Solar Sox are currently ranked as the second strongest team in the Arizona Fall League. The AFL is loaded with talent as teams typically want an extra look at future major leaguers.

Mesa has twelve players I am currently touting, five of which are in my top fifty overall. The disadvantage is that all of them are in the field.

Editor's Note: Purchase a full season NFL Premium Pass (including DFS Premium), and also get MLB Premium + DFS for free through the playoffs. Premium DFS research, lineup picks, expert lineups, tools and more. You can see screenshots of our NFL Premium and MLB Premium and DFS tools. What are you waiting for?

 

Team Rankings

  1. Glendale Desert Dogs
  2. Mesa Solar Sox
  3. Surprise Saguaros
  4. Peoria Javelinas
  5. Salt River Rafters
  6. Scottsdale Scorpions

 

Four Players To Watch

Franklin Barreto – SS – Oakland Athletics

Franklin Barreto is a sensational athlete with a significant upside at the plate. He has above average contact skills but still really struggles with striking out. At 20 years old, Barreto is almost big league ready. In 2016, he hit .282 with 10 home runs and 30 stolen bases while striking out 90 times in 462 at bats.

It is to no surprise that people are beginning to question his long-term success at shortstop and are thinking he is becoming suited for the job. I think Barreto can still gain better reaction time and first step quickness through the gym and with that quicker step I think you will see a large leap forward in his error rate. I truly believe the future is bright for Barreto as I have him higher than any other prospect list at my 14th overall. In nearly every other poll Barreto has taken a substantial slide back in the rankings as scouts question his defense. Barreto can use the AFL to prove a lot of people wrong… one of which could end up being me.

Ian Happ – 2B – Chicago Cubs

Ian Happ is someone who has stuck out to me all year. He has a Kinsler type demeanor with above average power and speed tools to his name. In his first full season in the minors, Happ hit .277 with 13 home runs and 15 stolen bases. He is a switch hitter with excellent bat speed and fantastic balance at the plate. He tracked the ball about average and demonstrated that he is learning to read the strike zone better.

Though the numbers don’t jump out as uber-prospect material, Happ looks that way to me in film. I currently have him as my 19th overall prospect but expect him to land inside my top 10 by midseason in 2017 if not come preseason. If he continues seeing the development he did this year, I see something very special in Happ's future. Though part of what he has to prove is that he can be a game-changer on the defensive side. Currently, his glove is rather inconsistent.

Eloy Jimenez – OF – Chicago Cubs

Eloy Jimenez was the crown jewel of the 2013 international prospect class and in many ways was the turning point of the Cubs organization. Not because he alone could be the future of the team but because it meant the Cubs were changing the way they went about producing results on the field. It came during a stretch where they simply couldn’t get out of bad contracts so watching them spend a large sum of money on an international prospect showed a lot of change was coming.

Jimenez is unlike most top flight international prospects in that he is living up to the expectations set before him when he entered the league. Now sitting inside my top 25 prospects, Jimenez has a true five-tool skill set that he utilizes in almost every aspect of the game. His above average speed lets him track well in the outfield, and his power transfers to a big arm in the outfield. Though sometimes he completely misses his target, it is one of the few things Eloy needs to refine.

Jimenez finished his 2016 campaign hitting .331 with 14 home runs and eight stolen bases. Similar to Barreto, Jimenez needs to cut down on his K rate and improve his BB rate as he struck out nearly four times as often as he took a walk.

Bradley Zimmer – OF – Cleveland Indians

Bradley Zimmer is having a rough year in 2016 despite a high, well-rounded ceiling. Zimmer hit to the tune of .253 with 14 home runs and 33 steals while striking out an alarming 115 times and taking in 56 walks in 340 at bats. There is a lot to troubleshoot here for Bradley, and his results have been a bit inconsistent and scattered throughout the season. He's had bursts of stardom level success and week long slumps that make you question his future.

Zimmer has an excellent tool set at his disposal. The AFL should do Zimmer a world of good as it’s a chance to put the 2016 campaign behind him and live into the giftings he clearly has. Zimmer has the aptitude to be advanced at the plate and could be a considerate threat to go 290/20/30 if all things went right for him. The strikeouts need to come down though for Zimmer to ever hold up in the big leagues. It seems far more mental than physical at this point in his development.

He currently sits at number 35 on my overall rankings but continued struggles may drop him below names like Anthony Alford who have a world of potential that they are just now utilizing.

 

Eight More to Watch

Anthony Alford – OF – Toronto Blue Jays

Frankie Montas – RP – Oakland Athletics

Duane Underwood – SP – Chicago Cubs

Yu-Cheng Chang – SS – Cleveland Indians

Greg Allen – SP – Cleveland Indians

Matt Chapman – 3B – Oakland Athletics

Austin Nola – C – Toronto Blue Jays

Conner Greene – SP – Toronto Blue Jays

 

Live Expert Q&A Chats - Every Weekday @ 1 PM and 6 PM EST (DFS)

Fantasy Baseball Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-55" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Paolo Banchero

Signs Historic Five-Year Extension with Magic
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
Philadelphia 76ers

Kyle Lowry Staying With 76ers
Kyle Anderson

Lands in Utah
Kevin Love

Traded to Jazz in 3-Team Swap
Norman Powell

Traded to Miami
John Collins

Dealt to Clippers
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied For 14 at Travelers Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 61 at Travelers Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Tied For 17 at Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 11 at John Deere Classic
Viktor Hovland

Withdraws From Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Second at Travelers Championship
Brian Campbell

Wins John Deere Classic
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 10 Points
Harrison Ingram

Limited on Sunday
Golden State Warriors

Isaiah Mobley Drops 16 Points
Ryan Rollins

Staying with Bucks
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Austin Cindric

Remains an Overrated Road Racer
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade may not Happen Until "August, September"
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Jock Landale

Waived by Rockets
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Jonas Valančiūnas

Jonas Valanciunas Considering Returning to Europe
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Jabari Walker

Signs Two-Way Deal With Sixers
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Byron Young

Still Improving?
Cody Simon

Jonathan Gannon has Been Impressed With Cody Simon
SirVocea Dennis

has Impressive Offseason
Trevor Penning

Could Still Have a Role in New Orleans
Jonathan Kuminga

Warriors Decline Recent Offer for Jonathan Kuminga
Moritz Wagner

Magic Agree to One-Year Deal
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
T.J. Watt

Likely to Reset the Edge-Rush Market
George Springer

Blasts Two Homers, Drives in Four
Bradley Beal

Suns Discussing Potential Buyout
Jaxson Hayes

Staying with the Lakers
NBA

Damian Lillard "Open" to Signing With a Team This Offseason
Pittsburgh Steelers

Omar Khan, Steelers Agree to Three-Year Contract
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
Chau Smith-Wade

Having Stellar Offseason
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs with Islanders for Two Years
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal with Mammoth
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF