AFL Clubs Feature 10 Top 100 Prospects, Including Colson Montgomery (CHW),
Carson Williams (TB), Ricky Tiedemann (TOR) and Harry Ford (SEA)
Tempe, Ariz. – Major League Baseball has announced the rosters and coaching staffs of the 2023 Arizona Fall League (AFL). Ten of the Top 100 overall highlight this year’s field, headlined by MLB Pipeline No. 17 prospect SS Colson Montgomery (Chicago White Sox) and MLB Pipeline No. 19 prospect SS Carson Williams (Tampa Bay Rays).
The AFL’s highest ranked prospect, Montgomery slashed .287/.455/.939 in 2023, with eight home runs and 37 RBI across three levels of MiLB. He saw the most action in Birmingham (AA) with 37 games played. Williams has also been on the rise in the Rays organization, slugging 21 doubles, 23 home runs and 81 RBI across three levels of MiLB as he finishes his season at Durham (AAA).
The Peoria Javelinas have the most MLB Pipeline Top 100 prospects (four). Williams is being joined by MLB Pipeline’s No. 40 prospect C Harry Ford (Seattle Mariners), No. 58 1B Kyle Manzardo (Cleveland Guardians) and No. 85 OF Chase DeLauter (Cleveland Guardians). Cleveland’s two MLB Pipeline top 100 prospects was equaled by the Detroit Tigers, who are sending No. 54 RHP Jackson Jobe and No. 67 3B Jace Jung.
Alongside Jobe, Toronto Blue Jays organizational top prospect and No. 31 overall LHP Ricky Tiedemann rounds out the pitchers within MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 who are heading to the AFL . Tiedemann started 14 games across three levels in 2023, ascending to the AA level for New Hampshire. He tossed 76 strikeouts compared to 21 walks. Jobe has quickly climbed through the Tigers organization, pitching at four levels in 2023, reaching Erie (AA). He has a cumulative 2.81 ERA in 64.0 innings over 16 starts this season, tallying 84 strikeouts and only six walks.
Serving as the finishing school for MLB’s top prospects, the Fall League will welcome the 2023 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game MVP and MLB Develops alumnus Nasim Nuñez (Miami Marlins). He has an OBP of .341 and has swiped 52 bases in 2023, playing exclusively at Pensacola (AA).
Below is a complete list of AFL Players in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects (listed in order):
17. Colson Montgomery – SS, Glendale Desert Dogs (CWS) 58. Kyle Manzardo – 1B, Peoria Javelinas (CLE)
19. Carson Williams – SS, Peoria Javelinas (TB) 67. Jace Jung – 3B, Salt River Rafters, (DET)
31. Ricky Tiedemann – LHP, Surprise Saguaros (TOR) 71. Kevin Alcántara – CF, Mesa Solar Sox (CHC)
39. Harry Ford – C, Peoria Javelinas, (SEA) 85. Chase DeLauter – OF, Peoria Javelinas (CLE)
54. Jackson Jobe – RHP, Salt River Rafters (DET) 89. Kevin Parada – C, Glendale Desert Dogs (NYM)
The AFL is comprised of six teams, with each Major League organization sending at least seven (7) top prospects to fill in the rosters. The AFL teams and their MLB affiliates will be as follows for the 2023 Fall League season.
| AFL CLUB | MLB CLUBS |
| Glendale Desert Dogs | Dodgers, White Sox, Red Sox, Mets, Twins |
| Mesa Solar Sox | Cubs, Athletics, Yankees, Orioles, Astros |
| Peoria Javelinas | Padres, Mariners, Guardians, Marlins, Rays |
| Salt River Rafters | Diamondbacks, Rockies, Braves, Pirates, Tigers |
| Scottsdale Scorpions | Giants, Angels, Nationals, Cardinals, Phillies |
| Surprise Saguaros | Royals, Rangers, Blue Jays, Reds, Brewers |
The AFL’s six coaching staffs are managed by the following individuals, all with previous managerial experience at the professional or college levels: Iggy Suarez (Glendale; Boston Red Sox), Morgan Ensberg (Peoria; Tampa Bay Rays), Carlos Cardoza (Surprise; Texas Rangers), James Cooper (Mesa; New York Yankees), Javier Colina (Salt River; Arizona Diamondbacks) and Marty Malloy (Scottsdale; Philadelphia Phillies).
Suarez (Greenville Drive), Ensberg (Montgomery Biscuits), Cardoza (Frisco Roughriders) and Malloy (Clearwater Thrashers) all served as Minor League Managers in 2023. Additionally, Cardoza returns for his second year in the Fall League, having served as an Extra Coach during the Saguaros’ 2022 AFL Championship run.
Cooper recently served on the coaching staff at the inaugural HCBU Swingman Classic presented by T-Mobile & powered by the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation. Held during 2023 MLB All-Star Week in Seattle, the event featured 50 collegiate student-athletes from 17 Division-I Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Previously, he was the Head Baseball Coach at Grambling State University for 12 years, amassing over 200 wins as he led his alma mater. Cooper’s Tigers’ teams were an annual participant in the Andre Dawson Classic, the annual, round-robin collegiate baseball tournament operated by Major League Baseball to highlight HBCUs and their baseball programs.
Colina served as Manager for the Visalia Rawhide in 2021 and was an assistant coach on the Amarillo Sod Poodles in 2023, finishing his 10th year as a coach in the Diamondbacks organization.
The 2023 AFL season is set to open on Monday, October 2, with additional season highlights including:
v The new Goodyear Ballpark Tripleheaderis on October 14 at the Spring Training home of the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians,
v The new Hohokam Doubleheaderison October 28 at the Spring Training home of the Oakland Athletics.
v The annual AFL Fall Stars Gamewill be played Sunday, November 5, preceded by the burgeoning AFL Home Run Derbyon Saturday, November 4. Both events will again take place at Sloan Park, the Spring Training home of the Chicago Cubs. The Fall Stars game will air LIVE on MLB Network, MLB.com and the MLB App. The AFL Home Run Derby will stream exclusively on MLB.com.
v The second-annual AFL Play-In Semifinalwill be played Friday, November 10 between the 2nd and 3rd seeds following the conclusion of the AFL regular season. Camelback Ranch, the Spring Training home of the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers, will host the event.
v The AFL Championship Gamewill be played Saturday, November 11 at Scottsdale Stadium. It will be the second consecutive season the contest has been hosted at the Spring Training home of the San Francisco Giants. The game will be broadcast LIVE on MLB Network, MLB.com and the MLB App.
Tickets for the Arizona Fall League can now be purchased online through the AFL website HERE or at the box office on any game-day. Media personnel who wish to be credentialed for the 2023 AFL season can apply through www.mlb.com/arizona-fall-league under the “About” tab or by clicking the link HERE.
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