Arizona Fall League
| File:AzFallLeagueLogo.jpeg Arizona Fall League logo | |
| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1992 |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Country | USA |
| Most recent champion(s) | Scottsdale Scorpions (3) |
| Most titles | Glendale Desert Dogs (6) |
| Official website | Official website |
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball[1] which operates during the autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes.[1] The Arizona Fall League attracts many of the top prospects in minor league baseball.
Structure
Each August, Major League Baseball clubs hold a position draft to determine the players who will go to Arizona.[1] Most are Double-A and Triple-A Minor League players.[1] Each club can opt to send two players below Double-A. Foreign players are allowed, as long as the player is not on his native country's primary protected player list. The league is designed for these prospects to refine their skills and perform in game settings in front of major and minor league baseball scouts and team executives, who are in attendance at almost every game. Play begins shortly after the end of MLB's regular season in early October and ends in mid-November with a championship game between the winners of the East and West divisions.
The Arizona Fall League teams are each affiliated with five separate Major League teams; each affiliated Major League team provides seven players who team up to fill the 35-man roster of each team.[1] Additionally, teams may elect to send Taxi Squad players who are only eligible on Wednesdays and Saturdays. MLB teams also provide managers, coaches, and trainers.[1]
Notable players
A number of famous ballplayers have had stints in the Arizona Fall League. In 1994, the league got worldwide attention as Michael Jordan's second professional baseball league, when he played for the Scottsdale Scorpions. Other notable ballplayers who have played in the Arizona Fall League include Derek Jeter, Dustin Pedroia, Mike Piazza, Albert Pujols, Jimmy Rollins, Bryce Harper, David Wright and Tyler Naquin.
Current teams
Championship history
Most Valuable Player award
First presented in 2002 and named for Joe Black of the Brooklyn Dodgers, the award honors the 1952 National League Rookie of the Year.[2]
| Year | Player | Organization | Position | Team | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Ken Harvey | Kansas City Royals | First baseman | Scottsdale Scorpions | |
| 2003 | Jason Dubois | Chicago Cubs | Outfielder | Mesa Solar Sox | |
| 2004 | Chris Shelton | Detroit Tigers | Designated hitter | Grand Canyon Rafters | |
| 2005 | Eric Duncan | New York Yankees | Third baseman | Grand Canyon Rafters | |
| 2006 | Chip Cannon | Toronto Blue Jays | First baseman | Phoenix Desert Dogs | |
| 2007 | Sam Fuld | Chicago Cubs | Outfielder | Mesa Solar Sox | |
| 2008 | Tommy Hanson | Atlanta Braves | Pitcher | Mesa Solar Sox | |
| 2009 | Grant Desme | Oakland Athletics | Outfielder | Phoenix Desert Dogs | |
| 2010 | Dustin Ackley | Seattle Mariners | Second baseman | Peoria Javelinas | [3] |
| 2011 | Nolan Arenado | Colorado Rockies | Third baseman | Salt River Rafters | |
| 2012 | Chris McGuiness | Texas Rangers | First baseman | Surprise Saguaros | |
| 2013 | Kris Bryant | Chicago Cubs | Third baseman | Mesa Solar Sox | |
| 2014 | Greg Bird | New York Yankees | First baseman | Scottsdale Scorpions | [4] |
| 2015 | Adam Engel | Chicago White Sox | Outfielder | Glendale Desert Dogs |
Stenson Award
The Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award was created in 2004, in memory of Dernell Stenson,[5] an outfielder for the Scottsdale Scorpions (Cincinnati Reds), who was killed in a carjacking on November 5, 2003. The award is voted on by the managers and coaches of the six Arizona Fall League teams.[6]
Hall of Fame
The Arizona Fall League Hall of Fame was created in 2001. The AFL has had over 1,200 players who came through the league reach Major League Baseball. Additionally, 18 former AFL||Managers/players have gone on to manage a Major League club after managing in the league. To be considered by the selection committee, a player must be recognized at Major League Baseball level as a Rookie of the Year, a Most Valuable Player, an All-Star, or a Gold Glove or Silver Slugger Award winner.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f "About: History". Arizona Fall League official website. MLB Advanced Media, L.P. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
- ^ "Desme Wins AFL MVP Award". CBS Sports. November 23, 2009. Retrieved January 30, 2010. See Grant Desme, the 2009 recipient.
- ^ Baker, Geoff (November 23, 2010). "Can Dustin Ackley buck the Arizona Fall League MVP curse? The bar has been set pretty low". The Seattle Times Company. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
- ^ "Yankees' Bird named Arizona Fall League MVP". MLB.com. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
- ^ Dernell Stenson Stats. Baseball Almanac website. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Stenson Award". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
- ^ Mariners' Kivlehan wins AFL's Stenson Award
- ^ Brewers' Rivera earns AFL's Stenson Award
External links
