MEDIA RELEASE – November 14, 2025
ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE ANNOUNCES AWARD WINNERS FOR 2025 SEASON
PHOENIX- The Arizona Fall League has announced its end-of-season award winners for the 2025 AFL season. Joe Black, known for his extensive charity work in the Greater Phoenix area and beyond, is most notably historic for being the first African American pitcher to win a World Series game. The 2025 Joe Black Arizona Fall League MVP is Detroit's Kevin McGonigle. MLB Pipeline's No. 2 overall prospect, McGonigle, came into the AFL as the highest-ranked prospect, and he did not disappoint. In 19 regular-season games, the Tigers' top prospect ended in the top 10 in 12 separate offensive categories. He led the league in total bases (49), was tied for the league lead in extra-base hits (12), tied for second in home runs (5), and runs scored (22). The No. 1 Tigers prospect also finished third in SLG (.710), and OPS (1.210), tied for third in triples (2) and walks (19), while ranking sixth in RBI (19), tied for sixth in hits (25), and eighth in both AVG (.362) and OBP (.500). The 37th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft won both the Week 3 and Week 5 AFL Hitter of the Week awards after reaching base in every game, completing eight multi-hit affairs. Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award: Salt River Rafters OF Charlie Condon (COL) Colorado Rockies prospect Charlie Condon is the 2025 recipient of the Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award, presented annually to the Fall League player who best exemplifies unselfishness, hard work and leadership. Condon earned the award after receiving high praise from his teammates and coaching staff throughout the season. "Charlie is a great example of everything this award stands for," Salt River Rafters manager Eric Patterson said. "Aside from the talent on the field, Charlie comes to the ballpark every day with the same attitude and eagerness to maximize his potential. He is super coachable and his teammates gravitate towards him. Watching how he interacts with them, not only giving advice but also seeing the humility he has in asking them questions and learning from them as well, has been really cool to watch." Offensive Player of the Year: Salt River Rafters OF Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT) Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Esmerlyn Valdez was the league's most feared power hitter. MLB Pipeline's No. 15 Pirates prospect ranked in the top 10 in 10 separate offensive categories. The native of San Juan de la Maguana in the Dominican Republic, Valdez hit eight home runs in his first nine games. The 21-year-old led the AFL in home runs (8), RBI (27), and SLG (.842). He ranked second in OPS (1.355) and total bases (48), while ranking third in extra-base hits (11), fifth in walks (19), sixth in OBP (.513) and AVG (.368), and tied for eighth in runs scored (19). Valdez won the Week 2 AFL Hitter of the Week award, finished second in the 2025 AFL Home Run Derby, and represented the Pirates in the 2025 MLB All-Star Futures Game. Pitcher of the Year: Scottsdale Scorpions RHP James Hicks (HOU) Across four regular-season appearances, Astros right-hander James Hicks posted 19 strikeouts over 14 scoreless innings pitched for Scottsdale. His 0.00 ERA, 0.57 WHIP, and .130 batting average against were the best among all qualified pitchers. MLB Pipeline's No. 26 Astros prospect allowed just two walks, one hit batter, and six hits while tossing 66.9% of his pitches for strikes. The 2023 13th round pick out of the University of South Carolina took home Week 3 Arizona Fall League Pitcher of the Week honors. Reliever of the Year: Salt River Rafters RHP Cade Denton (COL) Right-hander Cade Denton appeared in seven games, keeping opponents scoreless in all but one appearance. The Rockies' 2023 sixth-round pick out of Oral Roberts tied the AFL league lead amongst relievers in strikeouts (18). His 0.85 WHIP leads the AFL among relievers with at least 10 innings pitched. Denton struck out a season-high six of eight batters faced in two scoreless innings against Scottsdale on Oct. 24. Defensive Player of the Year: Peoria Javelinas OF Enrique Bradfield Jr. (BAL) Orioles prospect Enrique Bradfield's elite speed and defense made him one of the more exciting names coming into the Fall League. Defensively, Bradfield posted a fielding percentage of .974 with 37 total putouts and one outfield assist, while also creating chaos on the base paths with 17 stolen bases during his time with the Javelinas this Fall. Bradfield Jr. had the defensive highlight of the Fall, where he made a game-sealing home run robbery against Mesa on Oct 28th. MLB Pipeline's No. 4 Orioles prospect was drafted 17th overall out of Vanderbilt in the 2023 MLB Draft. Bradfield has posted a 0.990 Fielding Percentage with 14 Assists over his three years in professional baseball and was awarded a MiLB Gold Glove in 2024 with the Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds. Breakout Player of the Year: Mesa Solar Sox C Owen Ayers (CHC) Owen Ayers got off to a hot start to the AFL, winning Week 1 Hitter of the Week honors after going 5-for-11 with two doubles, a home run, four RBI, and two walks. Ayers led the league in walks (22), ranked second in OBP (.539), fourth in AVG (.379), fifth in total bases (39), sixth in hits (25), eighth in SLG (.591), and seventh in OPS (1.130). The 19th round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Marshall ended the regular season 8 for his last 20 with a double, a home run, and six walks. Ayers kept the Solar Sox season alive on Wednesday, Nov. 12, with a three-run home run in the AFL Quarterfinals, the only runs of the game. AFL Community Champion Award: Glendale Desert Dogs INF Logan Wagner (LAD) New in 2025, the Arizona Fall League Community Champion Award is presented each season to an AFL player who exemplifies a strong commitment to community service and positive impact beyond the game. This award celebrates a player's contributions to local communities through charitable activities, volunteer work, mentorship, and other acts of service. The recipient is recognized not only for their performance on the field but for their dedication to giving back and being a role model within the community. Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Logan Wagner earned this award after attending local reading program events, PLAYBALL events, and receiving high praise for his character and connection with fans throughout the season. "Logan Wagner has been a shining example of what the Arizona Fall League community is all about," Arizona Fall League Project and Events Director Donna Petersen said. "His generosity, his time, and his genuine spirit have lifted every event, every ballpark, and every person he's worked alongside. Logan doesn't just show up — he gives, he leads, and he makes the AFL family stronger simply by being part of it."
MEDIA RELEASE – November 14, 2025
ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE ANNOUNCES AWARD WINNERS FOR 2025 SEASON
PHOENIX- The Arizona Fall League has announced its end-of-season award winners for the 2025 AFL season.
Joe Black, known for his extensive charity work in the Greater Phoenix area and beyond, is most notably historic for being the first African American pitcher to win a World Series game. The 2025 Joe Black Arizona Fall League MVP is Detroit's Kevin McGonigle. MLB Pipeline's No. 2 overall prospect, McGonigle, came into the AFL as the highest-ranked prospect, and he did not disappoint. In 19 regular-season games, the Tigers' top prospect ended in the top 10 in 12 separate offensive categories. He led the league in total bases (49), was tied for the league lead in extra-base hits (12), tied for second in home runs (5), and runs scored (22). The No. 1 Tigers prospect also finished third in SLG (.710), and OPS (1.210), tied for third in triples (2) and walks (19), while ranking sixth in RBI (19), tied for sixth in hits (25), and eighth in both AVG (.362) and OBP (.500). The 37th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft won both the Week 3 and Week 5 AFL Hitter of the Week awards after reaching base in every game, completing eight multi-hit affairs.
Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award: Salt River Rafters OF Charlie Condon (COL)
Colorado Rockies prospect Charlie Condon is the 2025 recipient of the Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award, presented annually to the Fall League player who best exemplifies unselfishness, hard work and leadership. Condon earned the award after receiving high praise from his teammates and coaching staff throughout the season. "Charlie is a great example of everything this award stands for," Salt River Rafters manager Eric Patterson said. "Aside from the talent on the field, Charlie comes to the ballpark every day with the same attitude and eagerness to maximize his potential. He is super coachable and his teammates gravitate towards him. Watching how he interacts with them, not only giving advice but also seeing the humility he has in asking them questions and learning from them as well, has been really cool to watch."
Offensive Player of the Year: Salt River Rafters OF Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT)
Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Esmerlyn Valdez was the league's most feared power hitter. MLB Pipeline's No. 15 Pirates prospect ranked in the top 10 in 10 separate offensive categories. The native of San Juan de la Maguana in the Dominican Republic, Valdez hit eight home runs in his first nine games. The 21-year-old led the AFL in home runs (8), RBI (27), and SLG (.842). He ranked second in OPS (1.355) and total bases (48), while ranking third in extra-base hits (11), fifth in walks (19), sixth in OBP (.513) and AVG (.368), and tied for eighth in runs scored (19). Valdez won the Week 2 AFL Hitter of the Week award, finished second in the 2025 AFL Home Run Derby, and represented the Pirates in the 2025 MLB All-Star Futures Game.
Pitcher of the Year: Scottsdale Scorpions RHP James Hicks (HOU)
Across four regular-season appearances, Astros right-hander James Hicks posted 19 strikeouts over 14 scoreless innings pitched for Scottsdale. His 0.00 ERA, 0.57 WHIP, and .130 batting average against were the best among all
qualified pitchers. MLB Pipeline's No. 26 Astros prospect allowed just two walks, one hit batter, and six hits while tossing 66.9% of his pitches for strikes. The 2023 13th round pick out of the University of South Carolina took home Week 3 Arizona Fall League Pitcher of the Week honors.
Reliever of the Year: Salt River Rafters RHP Cade Denton (COL)
Right-hander Cade Denton appeared in seven games, keeping opponents scoreless in all but one appearance. The Rockies' 2023 sixth-round pick out of Oral Roberts tied the AFL league lead amongst relievers in strikeouts (18). His 0.85 WHIP leads the AFL among relievers with at least 10 innings pitched. Denton struck out a season-high six of eight batters faced in two scoreless innings against Scottsdale on Oct. 24.
Defensive Player of the Year: Peoria Javelinas OF Enrique Bradfield Jr. (BAL)
Orioles prospect Enrique Bradfield's elite speed and defense made him one of the more exciting names coming into the Fall League. Defensively, Bradfield posted a fielding percentage of .974 with 37 total putouts and one outfield assist, while also creating chaos on the base paths with 17 stolen bases during his time with the Javelinas this Fall. Bradfield Jr. had the defensive highlight of the Fall, where he made a game-sealing home run robbery against Mesa on Oct 28th. MLB Pipeline's No. 4 Orioles prospect was drafted 17th overall out of Vanderbilt in the 2023 MLB Draft. Bradfield has posted a 0.990 Fielding Percentage with 14 Assists over his three years in professional baseball and was awarded a MiLB Gold Glove in 2024 with the Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds.
Breakout Player of the Year: Mesa Solar Sox C Owen Ayers (CHC)
Owen Ayers got off to a hot start to the AFL, winning Week 1 Hitter of the Week honors after going 5-for-11 with two doubles, a home run, four RBI, and two walks. Ayers led the league in walks (22), ranked second in OBP (.539), fourth in AVG (.379), fifth in total bases (39), sixth in hits (25), eighth in SLG (.591), and seventh in OPS (1.130). The 19th round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Marshall ended the regular season 8 for his last 20 with a double, a home run, and six walks. Ayers kept the Solar Sox season alive on Wednesday, Nov. 12, with a three-run home run in the AFL Quarterfinals, the only runs of the game.
AFL Community Champion Award: Glendale Desert Dogs INF Logan Wagner (LAD)
New in 2025, the Arizona Fall League Community Champion Award is presented each season to an AFL player who exemplifies a strong commitment to community service and positive impact beyond the game. This award celebrates a player's contributions to local communities through charitable activities, volunteer work, mentorship, and other acts of service. The recipient is recognized not only for their performance on the field but for their dedication to giving back and being a role model within the community. Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Logan Wagner earned this award after attending local reading program events, PLAYBALL events, and receiving high praise for his character and connection with fans throughout the season. "Logan Wagner has been a shining example of what the Arizona Fall League community is all about," Arizona Fall League Project and Events Director Donna Petersen said. "His generosity, his time, and his genuine spirit have lifted every event, every ballpark, and every person he's worked alongside. Logan doesn't just show up — he gives, he leads, and he makes the AFL family stronger simply by being part of it."
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